Tyson Fury stops Derek Chisora to retain WBC heavyweight title, stares down Oleksandr Usyk in ring

Tyson Fury stopped Derek Chisora in the 10th round to successfully defend his WBC heavyweight belt.

The fight saw the 38-year-old challenger to the champion often unsteady on his feet as he was, as usual, able to withstand a barrage of blows from an opponent in the ring, but the manner of defeat will call into question Chisora’s future in the sport.

Two consecutive defeats had seen Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren claim it was time that Chisora should retire, but a win against Kubrat Pulev earlier in the year meant that the December fight in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could claim to be somewhat competitive.

Nevertheless, Fury is a much better boxer than he was in both his previous wins over Chisora and after the exacting trilogy against Deontay Wilder and routine victory against mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte back in April, he was far too good for Chisora.

From the off, Fury looked to be in total control, and in the ninth round the referee suggested to Chisora’s corner that they should consider withdrawing their fighter from the bout to prevent him from taking any more damage which could have post-fight implications, with journalists noting before the night’s fight that he had already suffered a number of heavy beatings in the ring over the course of two decades.

While Fury had suggested he would retire from the sport before his fight, he looks well placed for more serious fights next year.

That should come against one or both of Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.

Joshua had been linked for years with an undisputed clash with Fury but that speculation has been tempered after he suffered back-to-back defeats to the Ukrainian, who is now the unified IBF, WBA and WBO champion.

After the fight’s conclusion, Fury and Usyk engaged in an in-ring staredown suggesting that a publicity drive for next year may already have begun.

Earlier on the card there was a win for another British heavyweight world champion.

WBA ‘regular’ beltholder Daniel Dubois, 25, took on South African Kevin Lerena, with the winner well positioned to claim a mandatory challenger against Usyk, or whoever becomes the full WBA champion in the event Usyk should meet Fury.

Dubois was sent to the canvas three times in the first round which gave supporters cause for concern, but the heavy-handed youngster banished memories of his defeat to Joe Joyce back in 2020 by delivering a barrage of blows that left Lerena unable to continue.