MUNICH, GERMANY — Vitali Klitschko promised a knock out after being slapped at yesterday’s weigh-in. Instead, he had to settle for a competitive decision victory in what was his toughest title defense.
Klitschko swept the early rounds behind the accuracy of his right cross. Chisora had success in slipping Klitschko’s jab, but found his offense smothered with clinches on the inside. The second round was Vitali’s best sequence of sustained punching when he landed three clean right hands in the final 30 seconds. By the third and fourth, Chisora was missing badly with wild, desperation left hooks. He was more consistent with his pressure in the fifth, but still let Klitschko pile up points via a higher punch output.
Chisora made his biggest impact in the sixth. The British challenger worked right hooks to the body and his left started to finally connect. The blows, and Chisora’s steady pressure, had the champion uncomfortable and clinching. Chisora started the seventh with a full minute of sustained punching that had Klitschko again holding. He slowed down over the round’s second half, allowing Klitschko to regain his wind and finish the stanza with several hard rights.
Chisora’s left hook was the dominant punch of the eighth and had Klitschko off-balance. But the Ukranian responded well in the ninth with several right crosses as Chisora’s pressure slowed.
The championship rounds were competitive, but it would be Klitschko landing the cleaner blows. Chisora’s earlier pressure was absent, allowing Vitali to land right hands and take breathers in clinches. Chisora failed to land any significant punches to turn the tide.
Althought Klitschko would win by wide scores of 118-110 twice and 119-111, he expressed disappointment with not getting a knock out after the slapping incident yesterday.
“I respect Dereck Chisora as a fighter but not as a human” said Vitali. “He was very motivated. I saw every punch; he was slow. I’m upset because I wanted a knockout.”
Minutes before the bout, Chisora had a confrontation with Wladimir Klitschko which resulted in Chisora spitting water in his face. After the fight, Chisora briefly embraced Vitali and then promptly began taunting him, causing trainers and promoter Frank Warren to intervene.
“The only thing that beat me today was experience,” said Chisora in his post-fight interview. “Did he hurt me? No… I’m disappointed in myself. I didn’t work my jab… I didn’t come here to get paid. I came to win.”
The win is Vitali Klitschko’s ninth successful WBC title defense and raises his record to 44-2 (40 KOs). Dereck Chisora falls to 15-3 (9 KOs).
Note: Observing the fight ringside was former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye, who is currently trying to negotiate a title match against Vitali. He claimed that performance was proof Vitali had slipped and was ripe for the taking.
“He won’t see the final bell,” Haye boasted. “I know exactly what to do… Vitali himself said he’d be in trouble if Chisora was faster. Well guess what, I am!”
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Considering I predicted Vitali to score a late TKO, I was pleasantly surprised by Chisora’s effort. In the middle rounds he applied good pressure and Klitschko could be seen clearly laboring . If Chisora’s talent level and stamina were a little better, Vitali might have been in serious trouble.
The outside antics didn’t bother me as much as some people. If Chisora wants to become the “Ricardo Mayorga of the heavyweights,” I say let him go for it. God knows that division needs as many interesting personalities as it can muster. And that water spitting incident probably earned Chisora a shot at Wladimir.
Regarding Haye’s statements, there is some merit there. Vitali Klitschko is 40 years old. Father Time has had its most noticeable handprints on Vitali’s lower stamina. The clinching is nothing new, but those few rounds of pressure that Chisora put together had Vitali gassing. I can see why Haye was so excited about this matchup. At the same time, he needs to also realize styles play a big part. Haye is a counter-puncher and I doubt he’d all of a sudden be able to walk down Vitali as Chisora attempted.
So let’s hear it. Do you think Haye have a legit shot to accomplish what he couldn’t against Wladimir?
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 