KIWI FLIES
Joseph Parker beats Derek Chisora after climbing off canvas to secure split-decision victory
DEREK CHISORA’S gutted mum talked her boy into a VIOLA-NT loss to Joseph Parker.
The 37-year-old heavyweight threatened to cancel the Manchester clash on Friday afternoon when he learned he would have to walk to the ring first, in the challenger’s slot.
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But mum Viola - the only person on earth the 18st juggernaut listens to - saved the show with an 11th hour phone call to convince her son that he had to take part in his 43rd fight that ended in a narrow points defeat.
And, after Chisora scored a shock knockdown after just seven seconds to get a flying start with a 10-8 round, the judges scored it: 115-113 Chisora, 116-111 Parker and 115-113 to the victor.
Speaking after his narrow win, Parker said: "It was a tough fight, I got caught right at the beginning, I had to dig deep and stay focussed.
"Derek is a very tough fighter and he threw bombs. I think boxing skills in the rounds was the difference.
"It was a very close fight, I thought it could go either way.
"He brought the smoke."
Devastated Chisora said afterwards: "I am beyond getting upset now. I train hard, I fight, I bring everything, and this is the treatment I get from boxing.
"I think they don't like me, I can't get upset because it is horrible. When I put the work in, this is the results I get.
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"If he wants to give me a rematch, I will take the rematch.
"I won the fight. I won't let them slow me down, I will go again, I am very upset but I won't let them win.
"They want to see me retire, but I'm not retiring yet."
Parker was dropped by the third punch of the fight when a looping Chisora right hand cracked his skull and collapsed him into the deck in the neutral corner.
The Kiwi climbed off the deck and survived the opener but knew he was chasing to make for a 10-8 opener on foreign soil.
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Parker finally got his jab going and fired a trio into the bulldozer of a man until he cottoned on and started ducking them.
Del Boy started fizzing his own jab out in the second, thumping Parker’s chest and trying to tee-up the right howitzer again.
Former WBO world champ Parker was on his bike most of the time, failing to implement whatever tactics new trainer Andy Lee had planned.
Parker had no answer for Chisora’s relentless peekaboo style and even when he made a bright start to the third, it was wrecked by a looping club of a right hook.
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Chisora’s new trainer Buddy McGirt told the warhorse to keep whipping Parker’s ribs with body shots before the fifth started and he slashed red marks into the New Zealander’s torso on command.
Parker enjoyed the start of the sixth, clattering Chisora who tired dramatically in the second half of his October points loss to Oleksandr Usyk and was showing signs of flagging again.
But then Chisora backed him into a corner and slashed an uppercut into his face after a left to the body distracted his defence.
Round seven was a slugfest as 35st of sweaty muscle clinched and collided until Parker connected with a flush combination that seemed to stun the Brit.
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Chisora spat blood into his bucket and was slow off his stall to start the eighth. But he never gave Parker a second’s rest and the brilliant pair ended the round trying to decapitate each other.
Parker enjoyed some success in the ninth when Chisora afforded him the time and space to land straight shots from range. And the tenth was a similar story when the veteran’s tenacity seemed to have evaporated.
Chisora was scything his body blows in again but Parker’s crisp one-twos were rarely missing Del Boy’s swelling face.
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The cordial combatants touched gloves before the crescendo but then Chisora banged in one last haymaker.
But Parker somehow found the oxygen to smash a couple of skull-shuddering blows back until the bell halted the brilliant brutality.
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