“I’m sorry, I love you.” Those were the words offered by Shawn Michaels before he Sweet Chin Music’d pro wrestling icon Ric Flair into what should’ve been a perfect retirement at WrestleMania 24. Deontay Wilder, 18 years on, tried to give Derek Chisora the same poetic sendoff - repeating those exact words - in a slugfest for the ages. Unlike Flair, who at the tender age of 59 backtracked on his retirement and continued to painstakingly wrestle into his 70s, Chisora should accept this 50th fight for what it is: his rightful finale.
It wasn’t the fairytale ending, with Wilder, 40, edging out victory by split decision after 12 rounds of spine-tingling, back-and-forth brawling. But 42-year-old Chisora, now on 14 losses, isn’t the fairytale type. He’s a loveable brute with a maniacal smile and, after an up-and-down career, victory on this night didn’t feel imperative for “Delboy” to deliver. Chaos was all his adoring fans asked for, and that’s what they got.
“I’m going to go home with the boss lady and see,” Chisora said, staying a bit coy over whether 50 would be it before suggesting this has to be his last fight. “I’m going to go home and drop the kids, do the school run.
“Thank you very much, I really appreciate it. Thank you very much, United Kingdom I really appreciate you. I was born in Zimbabwe, I came over when I was 16, I got in trouble and then got addicted to boxing. I didn’t know I was going to get addicted. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it.”
For a man who was allegedly on the precipice of retirement, Chisora felt like he was allowing himself to properly enjoy the last build of his career. He was romanticising the “scumbag” world he was about to step out of, and used his final media duties to tick off something of a Delboy bucket list; whether that was arriving at his press conference on a tank with controversial Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, or calling Piers Morgan a scathing four-letter profanity to his face on air.
But Chisora also didn’t feel desperate to sell his boxing farewell as legacy-defining. His mantra in fight week was “f*** it, let’s go”; he was done with the talk and was at peace with leaving everything between the ropes. Maybe that’s why London’s O2 Arena wasn’t completely sold out for what proved a fight-of-the-year contender.
Wilder, meanwhile, was hardly a pillar of composure in the days and weeks leading up. His future after fight night was far less clear and, whether it was his blow-up in front of TalkSport host Simon Jordan, 58, over the topic of the Tyson Fury trilogy – one which required security to step in – or his bizarre rant on Morgan’s show where he made allegations about the conception of his child, he didn’t seem like a man with his mind particularly in check. This felt more like a boom-or-bust for Wilder’s career after seeing his force fade in recent years, and his emotions were indicative of that.
Circumstances created a perfect storm for a fight that seemed guaranteed to bring a finish. Wilder, needing a huge performance, had lost four of his last six - three by KO - but of course once boasted the reputation as arguably the hardest-hitting heavyweight to ever live. Chisora promised to empty the tank for better or worse in his last hurrah.
The expectation of a knockout was entrenched from the outset, with Wilder unloading on Chisora before toppling into Delboy on the ropes, refusing to separate. Chisora’s coach darted into the ring to remedy the situation. This was the first round, a sign of the carnage to come.
Chisora knew he had to survive the early attacks, with Wilder’s optimum time to finish expected to come in the first three or four rounds. But Chisora began to turn the tide, starting to pummel Wilder before the end of the fourth. Wilder came back with counter-punches but the Briton was getting his American foe to the corners and unloading serious punishment. The home crowd were vociferous, as “Oh, Derek Chisora” rang from stand to stand.
To Chisora’s dismay, Wilder’s chin stayed strong and soon the Brit began to tire. Then came the round of the year so far; the eighth. Wilder responded to a stiff shot with two clean crosses before punching Chisora through the ropes, scoring the fight’s first knockdown. There was cinema to these three minutes, with Chisora uttering that famous “Heartbreak Kid” line before unleashing what he thought was a legend-killing blow.
Literally and figuratively, Chisora was looking ropey. He beat the count but seemed there for the taking, only for Wilder’s next move – a push – to cost him a point. Chisora was given a crucial few extra seconds to regain his composure and survive the round.
Each man gassing but still throwing bombs, they seemed to trade knockdowns in the 11th, only for both to seemingly be ruled trips after the fact. Their war of attrition, somehow, now looked set to go the distance.
As their battered skulls kept spraying sweat, the final 10 seconds of the final round sent the crowd to a fever pitch one last time. Both searched for a Hail Mary knockout that didn’t come, and the bell sounded on a barnstormer and surely Chisora’s storied career. The result keeps Wilder’s career alive but it didn’t really matter when it came to the hero of the hour. This was the climax Chisora’s journey warranted; an unadulterated firefight.
Doubt will still hover over the definitiveness of his boxing departure, because of Chisora’s unpredictable and sometimes irrational character. But this should answer his retirement question once and for all. He’s made his money and “Delboy”, despite his true love for the game still burning, just couldn’t deny that this is how his time in the ring was meant to end. "You know when it's time, it's time.”
Anthony Joshua makes first public appearance in UK since surviving car crash
Chisora vs Wilder LIVE: Fight result and reaction
Lauren Price looking ahead to wedding after victory over Stephanie Pineiro
Chisora vs Wilder LIVE: Fight result and reaction as American wins chaotic brawl with retiring Brit
Anthony Joshua makes first public appearance in UK since surviving car crash
Chisora vs Wilder hit by glove issues on eve of much-hyped heavyweight clash
