Vitali Klitschko had to go the full distance with British challenger, Dereck Chisora in Munich Germany tonight en route to a unanimous decision and retained his WBC heavyweight title.
Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali’s younger brother, was the target of Chisora before the first bell commenced as the Finchley fighter spat water into his face, an obvious attempt to rile both brothers to take them out of their focus and gameplan. However, Vitali remained composed until the contest commenced and proceeded to utilise his jab and land his big right hand to the head whenever he could. But Chisora never stopped coming forward, bobbing and weaving out of the way of Klitschko’s big right hand but also shipping enough of them to lose the rounds and convince the crowd and viewing audience that he may be on the receiving end of a painful beating. Things took a twist in the sixth round though when, after having failed to land several leaping left hooks on Klitschko, Chisora attempted the right and was successful in landing them regularly to the head of the Ukrainian whose mouth began to remain open to suck in the air, signalling that he was feeling the pace. Chisora also had a good seventh, landing a right uppercut on the inside as well as right and left hooks which forced Klitschko to retaliate and come back with his own rights to the head to end the round.
The jabs started from Chisora in the eighth, followed by more right and left hooks to the body and head. Chisora began to mix his aims, targeting both up and downstairs and finding the range with regularity. Each time the champion landed his famous big right bomb, Chisora responded with his own.
This time it was Klitschko that started round nine with jabs, and managed to control and keep his opponent on the outside. Chisora’s workrate dropped and had to take a big right to end the round. The low workrate of Chisora continued into the tenth but landed a hard left hook to the head of Klitschko before the bell.
The chants of ‘Klitschko from the German crowd echoed around the Olympiahalle in the eleventh and their fighter managed to continue to control Chisora, but the battle took a different direction again as Chisora came back with hooks to Klitschko’s body and head in the last round of the contest. The chants from the crowd continued, but this time the name ‘Vitali’ was ringing around the two fighters. The remainder of the fight saw a tired looking Klitschko hold Chisora whenever he came in close and landed more rights to the head whenever he had the chance to. But Chisora had the last punch when he caught Vitali with a right hook to the head of his own to end one of Vitali Klitschko’s most memorable defences to date.
There were no doubts that Klitschko had retained his championship belt before the scores were read out, and these doubts were only confirmed when scores of 118-110, 118-110 and 119-111 were read out by Michael Buffer.
More ugly scenes immediately followed when Chisora clapped the 6’7 heavyweight boxer but Klitschko refused to make amends and turned around to face Chisora to say a few choice words, causing an ugly atmosphere to erupt between the boxers and their camps. Thankfully, both parties were convinced to save it for another day.
Chisora said after, “I don’t mind. They can hate me, I don’t really care” (in response to the booing of the German crowd). I have no excuses. I’m going to keep working hard. He didn’t hurt me. I gave a great fight. The judges and referee were fair.”
Chisora was asked whether he would like a rematch and said, “The only thing that beat me was the lack of experience. I’d like the rematch or the other brother.”
Promoter Frank Warren said, “That is the toughest fight Klitschko has had since his fight with Lennox Lewis. He (Chisora) just wasn’t letting enough shots go. He will come out of this ten times the better fighter.”
Champion Klitschko said, “I have respect for Chisora as a fighter but not as a person. He is not a gentleman.”
Klitschko was asked about a potential fight with David Haye some time down the line.
“It should be a great fight. One day he doesn’t want to fight me and the next he does. Let’s do it.”
Finally, he was asked whether he wanted Chisora once again.
“I will some day and I will look forward to knocking him out. It was a good fight.”
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