Deontay Wilder defeated Derek Chisora by split decision on April 4, 2026, at The O2 Arena in a 12-round heavyweight contest that featured heavy exchanges, a knockdown, and a point deduction. The bout, billed as Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder, marked the 50th professional fight for both competitors.
Official scorecards read 115-111 and 115-113 in favor of Wilder, while a third judge scored the bout 115-112 for Chisora. With the victory, Wilder improved to 45-4-1 (43 KOs), while Chisora fell to 36-14.
The matchup remained active from the opening bell. Chisora pressed forward aggressively, while Wilder utilized his reach advantage to create space and land clean punches.
In the eighth round, Wilder connected with a right hand that sent Chisora through the ropes. Chisora returned to his feet and continued fighting. Later in the contest, officials deducted one point from Wilder for excessive pushing. Despite the knockdown and deduction, the fight went the full distance, with the judges ultimately deciding the result.
Following the bout, Wilder stated that he deliberately reduced his pressure after observing signs of physical distress on Chisora.
“I was telling him in the ring as I started to see his eyes swell and his temple start to buckle a bit, and I said, ‘Bro, you’ve got to live for your kids. I don’t want to hurt you too much longer,’” Wilder said. “I started having fun in there because I saw my brother starting to get hurt.”
He elaborated on his decision not to escalate his attack in the later rounds. “I looked after Derek tonight. I didn’t want to go too hard on him because I saw his temple. The veins started coming out of his head. I wanted him to live for his kids. It’s time for us to take care of each other.”
Chisora Suggests Possible Retirement
Despite absorbing punishment, Chisora continued to press forward, remained active after the knockdown, and reached the final bell. Following the fight, he acknowledged his physical condition and suggested that retirement may be under consideration.
Wilder Calls Out Joshua
Wilder’s victory keeps him active in the heavyweight division. Shortly after the result was announced, he called for a future bout against Anthony Joshua.
“Let’s do it,” Wilder said.
While the win positions Wilder for potential high-profile matchups, Chisora’s next steps remain unresolved following the competitive but costly defeat.