Joseph Parker drops Dereck Chisora three times in action-packed heavyweight sequel

It was a rematch few had demanded, but with the major world heavyweight titles tied up and no other viable dance partners in the immediate future, New Zealand’s former WBO ruler Joseph Parker and London cult hero Dereck Chisora crossed swords once more, tonight at Manchester Arena in a rematch of their entertaining scrap seven months previously in the same venue.

First time around, Parker rose from an early knockdown to seemingly win the fight but the split decision in his favour allowed for some doubt and helped make the return a sellable one. And while “Del Boy” has been resurrected more than once in the past, it appeared if there were a clear loser this time around, the road back for them would perhaps become a dead end.

No doubt Chisora was the crowd favourite but Parker, eight years younger at 29, seemed the fresher and, now equipped with trainer Andy Lee, looked to have the greater upside. So it proved, Parker taking a merited unanimous decision 115-110, 115-111 and 114-112, but only after an immensely draining and invariably exciting sequel that was a huge improvement on their initial 12-rounder.

Parker, 10lbs heavier than their first battle, started sharply and landed a potent right hand over the top in the opener. Chisora, as is his wont, bobbed and weaved behind a tight guard. He got going in the next, rolling low and coming over the top with rights and lefts. Parker responded in kind and picked the more telling blows. He rocked the Finchley man badly in the third but somehow the gnarled warrior was firing back by round’s end.

Round four was tremendously exciting. A huge right uppercut, with Chisora pinned against the ropes, and following left hook had Dereck clinging to the rope to stay upright. The referee correctly imposed a count but Parker was unable to finish matters with scant time left in the session. With the crowd roaring him on, Chisora had a decent fifth, crowding Parker into ropes and corners and belabouring him with hooks. It was more of the same for Chisora in the next but Parker sporadically found space to unload his more cultured offence. It must have been disheartening for the Antipodean that his rival could seemingly walk through his best punches.

Similarly, in round seven, Parker dropped an onrushing Chisora to his knees with a stunning right uppercut. He rose on heavy legs but came back to have Parker discombobulated at the end of the stanza. Parker got his third 10-8 round in the eighth, a right uppercut freezing Chisora who once again clung to the ropes after his adversary pushed him off. The referee hovered vigilantly over an exhausted Chisora in the next but Del always did just enough to keep the fight alive.

Both men appeared desperately tired by the 10th, but only Chisora needed a KO. He may have even edged round 11 of yet another gruelling war, but must have been miles behind on the scorecards. He tried valiantly in the last but it was not enough against a sharper, more refined rival.

In notable results from the undercard: Jack Cullen was stopped after a devastating body-shot knockdown in round six of his vacant European super-middleweight title try against late substitute Kevin Lele Sadjo; Zelfa Barrett coasted to a wide points victory over Bruno Tarimo in an IBF title eliminator at 130lbs; and Lerrone Richards outboxed and outworked Carlos Gongora for the most part, to enter world level at super-middleweight via split decision.