Derek Chisora Knocks Down And Defeats Joe Joyce In Huge Heavyweight Upset

Derek Chisora Knocks Down And Defeats Joe Joyce In Huge Heavyweight Upset
Kerr Ferguson

Underdog Derek Chisora beat Joe Joyce in London against the odds.

The bout was never going to move the needle in the heavyweight division much at all, but it was certainly a must-win for Joyce, 38, who still had top table hopes. It was a farewell to the O2 Arena for Chisora, 40, after scoring some of his most notable stoppages under those lights.

Despite a low-key comeback win over Kash Ali this year, this was a better measuring stick of what ‘The Juggernaut’ has left following two stoppages to Zhilei Zhang in 2023. It was Chisora’s 48th fight and he seems determined to make 50 win, lose or draw.

Watched on by former opponent and recently undisputed Oleksandr Usyk, Chisora started in typically aggressive fashion but the action was immediately messy with more clinching than clean punches. Joyce landed a nice left hook towards the end that straightened the legs of Chisora.

Defence? What defence? Chisora was a little more comfortable in his distance in the second and landed some good overhands but left himself open to the thudding counters of Joyce. It was not a pretty fight at all in early stages, although in the third round Joyce found more success as the fitter man.

Chisora landed significantly in the fourth but Joyce ate them, a good advert for the sheer power of Zhang. Joyce was moving ahead to begin the fifth but four or five overhand rights from Chisora found his chin to end it. ‘Del Boy’ was up on the cards but slowed significantly in the sixth to let Joyce back in. The 40-year-old fan-favourite rallied in the seventh despite taking some thudding punishment.

Joyce hurt Chisora in the eighth and he looked out on his feet. It continued into the ninth before, incredibly, Chisora scored a knockdown with a sneaky right hook. Joyce likely needed a stoppage in the tenth to win, but it was Chisora again who landed more significantly.

A spirited, damaging, exhausting performance. He took it by unanimous decision with scores of 97-92, 96-94, 96-94. Both said post-fight that they would fight on. Many fans would like this to be a farewell.

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