Deontay Wilder Wins Split Decision Over Derek Chisora

Close fight ends with split decision in London

Deontay Wilder picked up a split decision win over Derek Chisora after 12 rounds in London, but the fight never settled into a clean rhythm.

Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) was awarded the decision on scores of 115-111 and 115-113, with one judge seeing it 115-112 for Chisora. The result followed a physical, uneven contest that featured knockdowns, clinches, and a point deduction.

Chisora (36-14, 23 KOs) set the pace early, pressing forward and forcing Wilder to fight off the back foot. He worked the body and stayed close, using his weight to make the exchanges difficult. Wilder had success when he kept space, landing the jab and right hand, but he was drawn into long stretches of inside fighting.

The middle rounds became scrappy. Wilder was penalized in the eighth round for pushing, and both fighters had moments where they were hurt during exchanges. Chisora continued to press, while Wilder looked for single shots rather than extended combinations.

Late rounds were hard to score. Chisora remained active and continued to push forward, while Wilder’s cleaner punches stood out when they landed. Neither fighter was able to take control, leaving the outcome dependent on how the rounds were viewed.

The judges sided with Wilder’s more precise work, giving him the decision in a fight that drew mixed reactions. Wilder said afterward he wants another run at a title, while Chisora left the ring after another competitive performance in front of a home crowd.

For a man who built his entire legend on being the most dangerous “one-punch” eraser in history, seeing Wilder struggle to put away a 42-year-old Chisora, who stepped on the scales at a career-heavy 266.7 lbs, is a massive red flag.

In his prime, Wilder likely wouldn’t have let this get past the fourth round, especially with Chisora standing right in front of him. The “Bronze Bomber” used to thrive on guys who brought the fight to him, but at 40, the reflexes and the “twitch” power that made him a nightmare seem to be fading.

Deontay’s post-fight comments about “looking after Derek” and “having fun” definitely felt like a strange attempt to rebrand a lackluster performance.

The talk of a world title run or a mega-fight with Oleksandr Usyk, which he’s been eyeing for Summer 2026, feels like a reach right now.

Chisora did exactly what he always does. He showed up, made it ugly, and gave the fans a show, but for Wilder, this tune-up might have actually exposed that there isn’t much left to tune.