Deontay Wilder refuses to retire from boxing after defeating Derek Chisora in 12 round slugfest

Deontay Wilder is not hanging up the gloves after he dropped Derek Chisora multiple times en route to a split decision on Saturday night.

The legendary former heavyweight world champion is one of the most enigmatic figures in boxing, and he met his match in the equally outlandish Chisora. They have been friends for years, but agreed to fight in what the Brit had guaranteed was his final outing.

Bouts with Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua could now await Wilder after his unlikely victory, with the latter watching from ringside. The pair shared a frosty moment backstage moments before the fight, and there is still an appetite for the contest seven years on from their respective peaks.

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Deontay Wilder insists he will continue after Derek Chisora win

A number of knockdowns for Deontay Wilder were only enough to sway two judges as he was made to sweat for a split decision win over Derek Chisora at The O2 in London tonight. Both men looked shells of their former glories, but the American just about eked out a victory.

And with his British counterpart vocal about his plans to retire even before fight night, there were rumours of both men deciding to hang them up. However, Wilder has opted to continue in pursuit of one final run at world honours.

“I had a durable opponent,” Wilder added. “I knew Derek was going to come and be heavy-handed in his retirement fight and I was telling him in the ring as his eye was swelling and his temple was starting to buckle a bit I said ‘bro, you’ve got to live for your kids, I don’t want to hurt you much longer’.”

He didn’t specifically mention a particular opponent, but did reply in the affirmative when asked if he would fight on by host Ade Oladipo in the ring. Wilder has now won two fights consecutively for the first time since the end of 2019 when he defeated Luis Ortiz.