Derek Chisora knocked down three times and pulverised by Joseph Parker but will not call time on his career - "I'll be back," he said after third consecutive defeat
Sunday 19 December 2021 07:16, UK
Derek Chisora was sent crashing to the floor and was punished by a barrage of heavy punches by Joseph Parker in their heavyweight rematch in Manchester on Saturday night.
Parker scored three knockdowns but was forced to settle for a unanimous decision victory only by the bravery of Chisora, who somehow made it to the final bell despite taking a shellacking.
The British heavyweight cult hero is now aged 37 and has lost three fights in a row but vowed not to retire.
Parker won their first fight by split decision earlier this year but took over the rematch from the third round when a massive uppercut put Chisora in dire straits.
The same punch by Parker in the fourth round sent Chisora tumbling into the ropes for the first knockdown. Against the odds, Chisora survived the round and even fired back his own dangerous shots.
Parker's third damaging uppercut crashed home in the fifth round. Then he landed a sharp right hand in the sixth.
Parker, the former WBO champion from New Zealand, again used his uppercut to crumple Chisora onto his hands and knees in the seventh round.
Chisora was forced into pure survival mode but somehow avoided the knockout again, and caused a spectacular end to the round by pouring forwards in desperation.
Another Parker uppercut in the ninth round staggered Chisora backwards for the third knock-down.
The judges' scores were 115-110, 115-113, 114-112 in Parker's favour.
"I'll be back in the summer," Chisora promised afterwards, refusing to call time on his career.
Saturday January 29 - BOXXER in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin - IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles
Saturday February 19 - BOXXER in Manchester
Amir Khan vs Kell Brook
Saturday February 26 - Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall - undisputed super-lightweight titles