Derek Chisora has said he will happily entertain a trilogy with his old foe Dillian Whyte after defying the odds to beat Joe Joyce.
Chisora was not fancied by many going into the contest against Joyce but pulled out a special performance to beat his domestic rival in a punishing contest. Chisora started the fight at a fierce pace and seemed to land his right hand at will, but Joyce was unfazed until he was finally dropped in the ninth round.
Joyce, however, jumped up from the canvas and continued his pursuit of the tiring Chisora. The now 40-year-old Chisora seemed like he was running on fumes throughout, but that didn’t stop the aging heavyweight from swinging away and taking a unanimous decision victory.
Chisora admitted that the 38-year-old’s toughness surprised even him.
“I knew he was tough but Jesus Christ that guy is tough,” joked Chisora. “I was tired and I had to dig deep because I haven’t boxed for a year. You have to understand when you train and you spar, and then when you fight it’s totally different. I haven’t been in the ring for a year and everything else started getting harder, but I just had to bite on my gumshield and dig deep, it was hard. I had to win the first five rounds because I knew I’d get two of the next five and I’d win then. That was the whole point, start fast and go with it – we had to win the first five rounds.”
Chisora confirmed after the fight that he has no plans to retire and will have two more contests. He teased at a December date in Manchester and a trilogy with Dillian Whyte could be an option. The pair famously put on a classic fight for the British title at the Manchester Arena eight years ago with Whyte winning a narrow decision. They then competed in a rematch two years later, but this time Whyte knocked Chisora unconscious in a highly competitive fight. Now, after Whyte’s inactivity due to adverse findings in PED tests, and Chisora’s victory over Joyce, a third encounter could take place.
“I will have a rematch with Dillian [Whyte] as long as he’s clean 100 per cent,” said Chisora. “There is no point in fighting someone who is not clean, but if he wants a rematch, I’ll give it him.”
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