Derek Chisora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Derek Chisora |
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Chisora in 2011
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| Rated at | Heavyweight | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in | ||||||||||
| Reach | 74 in | ||||||||||
| Born | 29 December 1983 Harare, Zimbabwe |
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| Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||||
| Boxing record | |||||||||||
| Total fights | 48 | ||||||||||
| Wins | 35 | ||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 23 | ||||||||||
| Losses | 13 | ||||||||||
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Medal record
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Derek Chisora (born 29 December 1983) is a Zimbabwean-British professional boxer. He has fought for the WBC heavyweight world title twice, in 2012 and 2022. He has also won many important boxing titles at a regional level. These include the British and Commonwealth titles from 2010 to 2011. He also held the European title from 2013 to 2014. As an amateur boxer (meaning he didn't get paid), he won the ABA super-heavyweight title in 2006. He is also known for his big win against world champion Kubrat Pulev.
As of January 2024, Chisora is considered one of the top 10 heavyweight boxers in the world by BoxRec. He has been ranked among the world's top 10 heavyweights since 2013. He was even ranked as high as number 5 in the world in 2013 and 2020. About 65% of his wins have come from knockouts.
Contents
- Early Life and Start in Boxing
- Professional Boxing Journey
- Starting His Professional Career
- Becoming British and Commonwealth Champion
- Challenging for the European Title
- First World Title Shot: Against Vitali Klitschko
- Return to the Ring and European Champion Again
- Later Career and Big Fights
- New Trainers and Continued Challenges
- Third World Title Shot: Against Tyson Fury
- Personal Life
- Professional boxing record
- Viewership
- Filmography
- Images for kids
- See also
Early Life and Start in Boxing
Growing Up in Zimbabwe and London
Derek Chisora was born on 29 December 1983 in Mbare, a part of Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe. His parents are Viola and Paul Chisora. After his parents divorced when he was four years old, Chisora lived in Hatfield. He was cared for by his grandmother and step-grandfather. As a teenager, he went to Churchill School. There, he helped as a first-aider for the school's sports teams. Chisora and his family moved to the United Kingdom in 1999 when he was 16. They lived in Finchley, London.
Amateur Boxing Days
Chisora started boxing a bit later than some, at the age of 19. His boxing club, Finchley ABC, was in Barnet, North London. This club was also home to another famous heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua. Chisora had about 20 amateur fights. During this time, he won the 2006 ABA super heavyweight title. He beat Tom Dallas in the final. He also won a gold medal at the Four Nations Championships.
Professional Boxing Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Chisora became a professional boxer with Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions. His first professional fight was on 17 February 2007, in London. He won by technical knockout (TKO) in the second round. He continued to win his early fights, showing his strength and determination. In June 2008, he faced Sam Sexton, another undefeated British heavyweight. Chisora won by TKO in the last round. By the end of 2008, he had an impressive record of 8 wins and no losses.
In 2009, Chisora continued his winning streak. He won his tenth fight against Paul Butlin. However, he was suspended for four months because he bit Butlin's ear during the fight. This meant he missed a chance to fight for the British heavyweight title. He returned to the ring in October 2009, winning by TKO.
Becoming British and Commonwealth Champion
Winning the British Title
On 15 May 2010, Chisora finally got his chance to fight Danny Williams for the British heavyweight title. Chisora won the title by stopping Williams in the second round. He put Williams under pressure from the start. After the fight, Williams announced his retirement from boxing.
Adding the Commonwealth Title
On 18 September 2010, Chisora defended his British title against Sam Sexton in a rematch. He also fought for the Commonwealth title. Chisora won by TKO in the ninth round, adding the Commonwealth title to his collection. This was a big step in his career.
Chisora was then set to fight Wladimir Klitschko, a world champion. However, Klitschko had to pull out of the fight twice due to injuries. This meant the big world title fight was cancelled.
First Loss to Tyson Fury
On 23 July 2011, Chisora defended his British and Commonwealth titles against Tyson Fury. Both boxers were undefeated at the time. Fury won the fight by a unanimous decision, meaning all judges scored the fight for him. This was Chisora's first professional loss.
Challenging for the European Title
In December 2011, Chisora fought Robert Helenius for the WBA and WBO Intercontinental, and vacant European heavyweight titles. Chisora lost in a very close and controversial split decision. Many people thought Chisora should have won the fight.
First World Title Shot: Against Vitali Klitschko
Fighting for the WBC Heavyweight Title
On 18 February 2012, Chisora got his first chance to fight for a world title. He challenged Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title in Germany. Before the fight, Chisora caused a stir by slapping Klitschko during the weigh-in. He also spat water at Wladimir Klitschko (Vitali's brother) in the ring.
In the fight, Klitschko used his height and reach to control the match. Chisora showed great courage and a strong chin, pushing Klitschko at times. However, Klitschko won by a unanimous decision. Chisora earned respect for taking Klitschko the full 12 rounds, something only a few boxers had done.
Aftermath and Fight with David Haye
After the Klitschko fight, Chisora was involved in a brawl with David Haye at a press conference. This led to a lot of controversy. As a result, Chisora had his British boxing license taken away for a while.
However, on 14 July 2012, Haye and Chisora fought each other in a highly anticipated match. The fight was held at the Boleyn Ground Stadium in London. Haye won by TKO in the fifth round. This was the first time Chisora had been knocked down in his career.
Return to the Ring and European Champion Again
In March 2013, Chisora got his British boxing license back. He returned to the ring on 20 April 2013, winning by TKO. He then won the vacant WBO International heavyweight title in July 2013.
Winning the European Title Again
On 21 September 2013, Chisora fought Edmund Gerber for the vacant European heavyweight title. Chisora dominated the fight and won by TKO in the fifth round. He defended this title successfully later that year.
Rematch with Tyson Fury
Chisora and Tyson Fury had a rematch on 29 November 2014. This fight was important because the winner would get a chance to fight for the WBO heavyweight world title. Fury once again outboxed Chisora, and Chisora's corner stopped the fight at the end of the tenth round. Chisora lost his European and WBO International titles.
Later Career and Big Fights
Chisora vs. Kubrat Pulev
After a series of wins, Chisora fought Kubrat Pulev on 7 May 2016 for the vacant European heavyweight title. Pulev won by a split decision in a close fight.
Exciting Fight with Dillian Whyte
On 10 December 2016, Chisora had an exciting fight against Dillian Whyte. There was a lot of tension between the two boxers before the fight. Chisora lost by a split decision in a very close and thrilling match. Many fans wanted to see a rematch.
Joining Matchroom and More Fights
In 2017, Chisora signed with Matchroom Sport, a new promoter. He continued to fight, winning some and losing some. He challenged for the European heavyweight title again in November 2017 but lost by a majority decision.
Big Win Against Carlos Takam
On 28 July 2018, Chisora fought Carlos Takam. Takam was ahead on the scorecards, but Chisora landed a huge right hand in the eighth round, knocking Takam down twice. The referee stopped the fight, giving Chisora a big TKO win. This put him back in the mix for important heavyweight fights.
Rematch with Dillian Whyte
On 22 December 2018, Chisora had his highly anticipated rematch with Dillian Whyte. This time, Chisora had his former rival David Haye as his new manager. Chisora fought bravely, but Whyte won by knockout in the eleventh round.
New Trainers and Continued Challenges
In 2019, Chisora changed trainers, working with Dave Coldwell and later Steve Broughton. He continued to take on tough opponents.
Chisora vs. David Price
On 26 October 2019, Chisora fought fellow British heavyweight David Price. Chisora won by TKO in the fourth round. He put a lot of pressure on Price, leading to the stoppage.
Challenging Oleksandr Usyk
On 31 October 2020, Chisora faced Oleksandr Usyk, a highly skilled former world champion. This was a big test for Usyk in the heavyweight division. Chisora started fast, putting pressure on Usyk. However, Usyk used his great movement and skill to win by a unanimous decision after 12 rounds.
Fights with Joseph Parker
Chisora fought Joseph Parker twice. The first fight was on 1 May 2021. Chisora knocked Parker down in the first round, but Parker recovered and won by a split decision. They had a rematch on 18 December 2021. Parker dominated the second fight, knocking Chisora down multiple times, and won by a unanimous decision.
Rematch with Kubrat Pulev
On 9 July 2022, Chisora had a rematch with Kubrat Pulev. This was a thrilling and tough fight. Chisora won by a split decision, showing his determination and heart. After the fight, Chisora said he wanted to fight Deontay Wilder, another top heavyweight.
Third World Title Shot: Against Tyson Fury
Chisora vs. Fury III
On 3 December 2022, Chisora fought Tyson Fury for the third time, this time for Fury's WBC heavyweight title. The fight took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Chisora showed great courage but was outclassed by Fury. The referee stopped the fight in the tenth round, giving Fury the win.
Recent Fights
On 12 August 2023, Chisora fought Gerald Washington and won by a unanimous decision. He then faced Joe Joyce on 27 July 2024, winning by unanimous decision after a tough back-and-forth fight. Chisora has said he wants to reach 50 professional fights before he retires. His next fight, his 49th, is against Otto Wallin in February 2025.
Personal Life
Chisora is married and has two children. He is fluent in both English and Shona, his first language. He is a Christian and a fan of Manchester United F.C.. In 2019, he supported the Brexit Party in the European Parliament elections.
Professional boxing record
| 48 fights | 35 wins | 13 losses |
| By knockout | 23 | 4 |
| By decision | 12 | 9 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Win | 35–13 | Joe Joyce | UD | 10 | 27 Jul 2024 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 47 | Win | 34–13 | Gerald Washington | UD | 10 | 12 Aug 2023 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 46 | Loss | 33–13 | Tyson Fury | TKO | 10 (12), 2:51 | 3 Dec 2022 | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England | For WBC heavyweight title |
| 45 | Win | 33–12 | Kubrat Pulev | SD | 12 | 9 Jul 2022 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Won vacant WBA International heavyweight title |
| 44 | Loss | 32–12 | Joseph Parker | UD | 12 | 18 Dec 2021 | AO Arena, Manchester, England | For WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 43 | Loss | 32–11 | Joseph Parker | SD | 12 | 1 May 2021 | AO Arena, Manchester, England | For vacant WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 42 | Loss | 32–10 | Oleksandr Usyk | UD | 12 | 31 Oct 2020 | The SSE Arena, London, England | Lost WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 41 | Win | 32–9 | David Price | TKO | 4 (12), 2:00 | 26 Oct 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 40 | Win | 31–9 | Artur Szpilka | KO | 2 (10), 1:01 | 20 Jul 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 39 | Win | 30–9 | Senad Gashi | UD | 10 | 20 Apr 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 38 | Loss | 29–9 | Dillian Whyte | KO | 11 (12), 1:56 | 22 Dec 2018 | The O2 Arena, London, England | For WBC Silver and WBO International heavyweight titles |
| 37 | Win | 29–8 | Carlos Takam | TKO | 8 (12), 1:01 | 28 Jul 2018 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Won vacant WBA International heavyweight title |
| 36 | Win | 28–8 | Zakaria Azzouzi | TKO | 2 (8), 2:12 | 24 Mar 2018 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 35 | Loss | 27–8 | Agit Kabayel | MD | 12 | 4 Nov 2017 | Casino de Salle Medcin, Monte Carlo, Monaco | For European heavyweight title |
| 34 | Win | 27–7 | Robert Filipovic | TKO | 5 (6), 1:20 | 30 Sep 2017 | Echo Arena, Liverpool, England | |
| 33 | Loss | 26–7 | Dillian Whyte | SD | 12 | 10 Dec 2016 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England | For WBC International heavyweight title |
| 32 | Win | 26–6 | Drazan Janjanin | KO | 2 (8), 1:09 | 10 Sep 2016 | Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden | |
| 31 | Loss | 25–6 | Kubrat Pulev | SD | 12 | 7 May 2016 | Barclaycard Arena, Hamburg, Germany | For vacant European heavyweight title |
| 30 | Win | 25–5 | Andras Csomor | TKO | 2 (8), 2:08 | 9 Jan 2016 | Baden-Arena, Offenburg, Germany | |
| 29 | Win | 24–5 | Jakov Gospic | TKO | 3 (8), 2:23 | 12 Dec 2015 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 28 | Win | 23–5 | Peter Erdos | TKO | 5 (8), 1:01 | 5 Dec 2015 | Inselparkhalle, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 27 | Win | 22–5 | Marcelo Luiz Nascimento | PTS | 10 | 26 Sep 2015 | The SSE Arena, London, England | |
| 26 | Win | 21–5 | Beka Lobjanidze | KO | 1 (10), 0:29 | 24 Jul 2015 | The SSE Arena, London, England | |
| 25 | Loss | 20–5 | Tyson Fury | RTD | 10 (12), 3:00 | 29 Nov 2014 | ExCeL, London, England | Lost European and WBO International heavyweight titles; For vacant British heavyweight title |
| 24 | Win | 20–4 | Kevin Johnson | UD | 12 | 15 Feb 2014 | Copper Box Arena, London, England | Retained WBA and WBO International heavyweight titles |
| 23 | Win | 19–4 | Ondřej Pála | TKO | 3 (12), 2:25 | 30 Nov 2013 | Copper Box Arena, London, England | Retained WBO International heavyweight title; Won vacant WBA International heavyweight title |
| 22 | Win | 18–4 | Edmund Gerber | TKO | 5 (12), 2:50 | 21 Sep 2013 | Copper Box Arena, London, England | Won vacant European heavyweight title |
| 21 | Win | 17–4 | Malik Scott | TKO | 6 (10), 2:56 | 20 Jul 2013 | Wembley Arena, London, England | Won vacant WBO International heavyweight title |
| 20 | Win | 16–4 | Hector Alfredo Avila | TKO | 9 (10), 2:49 | 20 Apr 2013 | Wembley Arena, London, England | |
| 19 | Loss | 15–4 | David Haye | TKO | 5 (10), 2:59 | 14 Jul 2012 | Boleyn Ground, London, England | For vacant WBA Inter-Continental and WBO International heavyweight titles |
| 18 | Loss | 15–3 | Vitali Klitschko | UD | 12 | 18 Feb 2012 | Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany | For WBC heavyweight title |
| 17 | Loss | 15–2 | Robert Helenius | SD | 12 | 3 Dec 2011 | Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland | For WBA Inter-Continental, WBO Inter-Continental, and vacant European heavyweight titles |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Remigijus Ziausys | PTS | 6 | 11 Nov 2011 | North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax, England | |
| 15 | Loss | 14–1 | Tyson Fury | UD | 12 | 23 Jul 2011 | Wembley Arena, London, England | Lost British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Sam Sexton | TKO | 9 (12), 2:53 | 18 Sep 2010 | LG Arena, Birmingham, England | Retained British heavyweight title; Won Commonwealth heavyweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Danny Williams | TKO | 2 (12), 1:41 | 15 May 2010 | Boleyn Ground, London, England | Won British heavyweight title |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Carl Baker | TKO | 2 (10), 2:13 | 13 Feb 2010 | Wembley Arena, London, England | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Zurab Noniashvili | TKO | 3 (8), 2:20 | 9 Oct 2009 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Paul Butlin | PTS | 8 | 22 May 2009 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Daniil Peretyatko | PTS | 8 | 30 Jan 2009 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Neil Simpson | RTD | 2 (8), 3:00 | 6 Dec 2008 | ExCeL, London, England | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Lee Swaby | TKO | 3 (8), 2:45 | 26 Sep 2008 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Shawn McLean | TKO | 6 (8), 3:00 | 12 Sep 2008 | Grosvenor House, London, England | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Sam Sexton | TKO | 6 (6), 2:34 | 14 Jun 2008 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Paul Butlin | PTS | 4 | 12 Jan 2008 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Darren Morgan | PTS | 4 | 13 Oct 2007 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Tony Booth | PTS | 4 | 7 Apr 2007 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | István Kecskés | TKO | 2 (4), 1:21 | 17 Feb 2007 | Wembley Arena, London, England |
Viewership
International TV Audiences
| Date | Fight | Network | Country | Viewers | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 July 2011 | Derek Chisora vs. Tyson Fury | Channel 5 | United Kingdom | 2,900,000 | |
| 3 December 2011 | Robert Helenius vs. Derek Chisora | Das Erste | Germany | 3,160,000 | |
| 18 February 2012 | Vitali Klitschko vs. Derek Chisora | RTL | Germany | 12,880,000 | |
| Inter | Ukraine | 20,200,000 | |||
| Polsat | Poland | 3,309,000 | |||
| Polsat Sport | Poland | 525,000 | |||
| Polsat Sport Extra | Poland | 208,000 | |||
| 7 May 2016 | Kubrat Pulev vs. Derek Chisora | Sat.1 | Germany | 1,930,000 | |
| Total viewership | 45,112,000 | ||||
Pay-Per-View Fights
| No. | Date | Fight | Country | Network | Buys | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 December 2018 | Dillian Whyte vs. Derek Chisora II |
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Sky Box Office | 532,000 | |
| 2 | 31 October 2020 | Oleksandr Usyk vs. Derek Chisora |
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Sky Box Office | 1,059,000 | |
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MEGOGO | 100,000 | ||||
| 3 | 1 May 2021 | Derek Chisora vs. Joseph Parker |
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Sky Box Office | 145,000 | |
| 4 | 3 December 2022 | Tyson Fury vs. Derek Chisora III |
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BT Sport Box Office | 500,000 | |
| Total sales | 2,336,000 | |||||
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Pitbull: Last Dog | Boxer 2 |
Images for kids
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Chisora in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Derek Chisora para niños
- List of European Boxing Union heavyweight champions
- List of Commonwealth Boxing Council champions
- List of British heavyweight boxing champions
- List of ABA super-heavyweight champions
