‘I was pushing the pace and the judges saw it in a different way’: Derek Chisora insists he should have won bout against Oleksandr Usyk despite falling to unanimous decision defeat
Derek Chisora believed that the judges should have awarded the bout to him after his fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
The heavyweights scrapped for 12 rounds which ended with the judges awarding the bout to the Ukrainian with score-cards of 117-112, 115-113 and 115-113.
Chisora started the match off brightly and felt as though he dictated the pace in the match and had the better of his opponent.
Derek Chisora was disappointed in defeat feeling as though he should have won the fight
Usyk weathered an early storm from Chisora and won the bout via an unanimous decision
When asked if he felt he should have won he said: ‘Yeah, hundred percent. I was pushing the pace. Yeah, I gave a couple of rounds away but I was pushing the pace and the judges saw it in a different way.
‘I’m just disappointed with the result I’m gutted. To everybody who can’t make it [to the fight], I’m gutted for everybody with what’s happening in the world.
‘To everyone just stay safe, don’t be depressed, things will get back to normal soon, be kind to one another. This time we really need it as we’re all struggling.
‘In the heavyweight game you need to fight not box.’
Chisora exploded out of the match in the early rounds getting the better of his opponent – who was in his second heavyweight match.
Usyk was forced to weather an early onslaught and a late rally from Chisora, who did enough for the upset in the eyes of his team.
Tony Bellew who lost to Usyk in his final fight praised Chisora’s performance.
Usyk is now the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO championship belt
He said: ‘Derek put in a fantastic performance. He’s been written off all week by everyone but he went in there and he forced the pace, got right stuck in and made it really uncomfortable for Usyk.
‘I’m not going to say the word robbery because that’s ridiculous. But it was a close fight and you couldn’t have complained if Derek Chisora walked out the winner.
‘I know Usyk is by far the better boxer but you can’t just be the better boxer and get hit twice the amount. Sometimes you have to think the output outweighs boxing sometimes.
‘But he outworked Usyk and Usyk I think got his tactics wrong. He went out there to be the tough guy with a point to prove. He showed he can take a punch and he hurt Chisora a number of times but as I said Chisora outworked Usyk.’
With defeat Chisora misses out on a chance to be the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO title.