It was an electrifying night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, where fans gathered to witness a heavyweight clash featuring Derek Chisora taking on Otto Wallin. Billed as "The Last Dance," the stakes were high, with both men eager to prove themselves worthy of a future title opportunity. Tension ran high from the opening bell, and neither fighter was willing to give ground in this much-anticipated showdown.
As the bout progressed, Chisora came forward relentlessly, though he had to endure some punishing shots and deal with cuts around his right eye. Wallin boxed smartly in the early rounds, landing crisp left hands and controlling the ring with his movement. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the ninth and final rounds, with Chisora twice sending Wallin to the canvas in what appeared more like off-balance falls. The referee ruled them legitimate knockdowns, impacting the judges’ scorecards. After twelve rounds of blood, grit, and late drama, Chisora emerged with a unanimous decision victory, scored 117-109, 114-112, and 116-110.
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Following this result, Chisora - now the mandatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois - may look ahead to a monumental showdown in 2025. The decision to make Chisora vs. Wallin a title eliminator was an unexpected one, given that neither were at the top of many ranking lists. Nevertheless, with two knockdowns and a strong finish, Chisora extended his career and showed he can still muster a fighting spirit at 41 years old.
On the undercard, a spirited middleweight contest saw Sofiane Khati stop Nathan Heaney in the seventh round. Heaney was dropped with two hard right hands, and although the referee paused the action to reinsert his mouthpiece, the ensuing exchange left Heaney in no condition to continue. Meanwhile, in another highlight of the night, Jack Rafferty scored a seventh-round stoppage over Reece MacMillan, battering his opponent until the corner threw in the towel. Zach Parker edged a ten-round decision over Mickhael Diallo in a blood-soaked battle, despite both men suffering nasty cuts.
Rounding out the evening, Zak Miller overcame Masood Abdulah by majority decision after a back-and-forth twelve-round featherweight contest, and towering heavyweight prospect Lewis Williams showcased his skills in a four-round points victory over Christian Uwaka.
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