Tyson Fury Stops Derek Chisora For A Second Time In Trilogy Victory

Rarely does a trilogy span over a decade. Barrera and Morales battled over four years - Ali and Frazier too. Gatti and Ward shed blood across 18 months, whilst Leonard and Duran did so over nine years.

Rarely also does a trilogy happen when a fighter is two wins to the good. You see, trilogies are usually demanded. When the score is 1-1, we demand a winner. When there is controversy, we demand a resolution. 

This fight was different. This wasn’t demanded. In fact, if you were to write a list of opponents to box Tyson Fury, then Derek Chisora may be lucky to scrape the top 15. 

So yes, it wasn’t the fight we wanted, but it is the fight we got. It was also the fight we expected. For 10 rounds, Fury put on a beating that has many pleading for Chisora’s retirement.

Of course, this is nothing new. A Chisora defeat always brings out the calls for retirement. After all, everyone is entitled to their opinion. 

Some will say he is a man maxing out his worth. Some will say he is a man who simply cannot walk away. Some will even suggest he is a man with ambition. All of these are statements that can be questioned. What cannot, however, is that this is a man who gives it everything on each occasion he steps into the ring. 

But his everything, against Tyson Fury, was more than marginally short.

There was one thing that many were riding on, however, and that was the hope that Chisora would deliver on his promise of ‘the best first round the heavyweight game has ever seen’.

It wasn’t quite that, and if anything, just highlighted the direction this fight would take. Chisora did push Fury back, and some winging shots to the body would have dusted the ice off a frozen Gypsy King. Still, Fury landed the shot of the round with a well-timed overhand right. 

Fury landed a lovely left-hook in the second, followed by a combination that involved his trademark uppercut. Chisora was backed up in the corner, and with the pressure mounting was without doubt glad to hear the bell.  

The third took on where the second left off. Chisora covered up in the corner whilst Fury unloaded his repertoire of shots. A bit of Tyson taunting did encourage some big swings from Chisora - more hopeful than measured. The two tangled and fell on one another as the round drew to a close. 

The fourth was the stalest round of the fight. The trademark Fury jab was poking Chisora from a range he couldn’t close. If anything, this round felt like a breather for an in-control Fury. 

The fifth was once again dominated by the champion. It will never fail to amaze the speed that this man can get in-and-out. Aware of the big shot that was Chisora’s sole hope, he still fought with some caution, but this fight was turning towards a beatdown of uncomfortable proportions. 

Rounds six and seven can be shoehorned into one. In fact, at this point, they probably felt like one continuous round for Chisora. One can only think how much relief those minute-long breaks were bringing. Chisora was taking serious punishment at this point. 

With the fight at a point of no return, it was all eyes on the corner that had Chisora’s health in their hands. Bludgeoning blow after bludgeoning blow had now swollen the right eye of Chisora. Rounds eight and nine were just as unnecessary as the previous few. 

Round ten was the end of Chisora’s drubbing, with referee Victor Loughlin saving Chisora from his own bravery. His face a picture of what emphasised a one-sided thumping. 

So, job done for Fury, and now for the pantomime style drama fitting for the time of year. Oleksandr Usyk was bought up to the ring canvas amongst a chorus of boos. He clearly enjoyed his role as the villain, and I think even he knows it stems from nothing but support for Fury. 

Joe Joyce made sure he wasn’t the forgotten man, screaming in the middle of the two belt holders. Joe and Tyson have never been, or acted, like enemies, and if it isn’t Usyk, then Joyce would be a more than fitting opponent.

Amongst all of this, Anthony Joshua is the forgotten man, and Tyson let him know exactly that. 

So for now, we enter the phase where the negotiations take centre stage. Fury didn’t hint at retirement, or say he would fight for free, or on the flip side ask for half a billion. Instead, he told us how Usyk and Joyce are firmly in his sights. 

Now how’s that for a 2023?

Oscar Bevis