Courageous Derek Chisora Scores Knockdown in Ninth, Outpoints Joe Joyce at Wembley
According to Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren “This (bout) was phenomenal, cherry icing on the cake. Brilliant!”
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Head Boxing Correspondent
London, UK (July 28th, 2024)– In the main event of an eleven bout card at 02 Arena in Greenwich, United Kingdom, on Saturday evening, July 27, 2024, with World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in attendance, televised on TNT Sports, crafty heavyweight contender veteran Derek Chisora survived hell in rounds eight, nine and ten to score a knockdown and secure a unanimous 10 round decision over Joe Joyce before a capacity crowd.
A swinging right hook in round nine from Chisora caught Jorce flush on the left side of the head and put Joyce on his back. The knockdown gave Chisora a 10-8 round. Without the knockdown, Joyce would have won the ninth round 10-9 and would have won a majority decision on two scorecards which went 96-94 and 96-94 for Chisora instead.
Chisora appeared to win the first five rounds and round nine, and Joyce appeared to win to win rounds six, seven, eight and ten. Round five did appear to be somewhat even, favoring Chisora, but perhaps could have gone either way. Chisora used great head movement, and left hook and right hand head power shot combinations to score effectively, though he swung widely in counters along the ropes, and clinched frequently.
Joyce scored effectively with short jabs, which reigned in more effectively in the second part of the bout. In the eighth round, a weary and tired Chisora hung on for dear life, his legs almost gone, yet threw enough and held enough to survive the round. A lucky counter off the ropes from Chisora dropped Joyce on his back, at a point where Joyce should have closed the show. Chisora used ring generalship to survive the tenth when he was almost out of gas.
A rematch of this bout would probably be another great show from these two true warriors.
Result: Derek Chisora Win 10 Joyce, Heavyweights
Scoring: 96-94, 96-94, 97-92 Chisora. Real Combat Media scored it 96-94 for Chisora.
Chisora knocked down Joyce in the ninth round.
Joyce was warned once by referee Kevin Parker for hitting after the bell.
02 Arena Undercard Results
Dennis ‘The Menace’ McKann Win 12 Ionut Baluta, Super Bantamweights
16-0-1 British southpaw prospect McKann wins vacant EBU European Super Bantam title.
Raven Chapman Win 10 Yohana Sarabia, Female Featherweights (two minute rounds)
WBC Female International champion 8-0 Chapman rises to fourth in BoxRec world ratings.
Ryan Garner Win 10 Archie Sharp, Super Featherweights
In career crossroads battle, 16-0 Southampton prospect Garner retains WBC International Super Featherweight title by outpointing 25-0 London prospect Sharp.
Scoring: 98-92, 97-93, 97-93 Garner. Referee: Victor Loughlin.
Moses Itauma KTO 2 Mariusz Wach, Heavyweights (2:30)
19-year-old Slovak British southpaw heavyweight prospect Itauma now 10-0, retains WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight title. A predictable outcome with the washed up former Polish heavyweight contender Wach, age 44, down in the second round, without a prayer.
Sean Noakes Win 10 Inder Bassi, Welterweights
8-0 Kent prospect Noakes taken 10 round distance for first time by 12-1 Essex fighter Bassi.
Royston Barney-Smith Win 8 Brian Barajas, Super Featherweights
11-0 Southampton southpaw prospect Smith wins vacant WBO Youth Super Feather title
Umar Khan Win 8 Kaddour Hmiani, Featherweights
Essex British featherweight prospect Khan goes to 10-0 over 4-3-2 Frenchman Hmiani.
Brandun Lee Win 8 Juan Anacona, Lightweights
David McWaters prospect Lee goes to 29-0. Colombian Anacona falls to 11-1. Scoring 78-74.
English