CHISORA LOOKS TO BOW OUT IN STYLE IN 50TH FIGHT AGAINST WILDER
Two of the most entertaining and outspoken heavyweights of the 21st century put it all on the line this Saturday night as Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder throw down in what will be the 50th fights of their respective careers.
A man who has never ducked anyone, Chisora’s CV is one that deserves a huge amount of credit. Tyson Fury three times, Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker twice, Agit Kabayel and Oleksandr Usyk are just some of the names with whom he’s shared a ring.
He may not have won a lot of those fights but, either way, Chisora deserves a huge amount of credit for having the cajones to share a ring with so many elite-level fighters.
Wilder’s CV, on the other hand, is fairly different. After knocking out pretty much everyone in his path in his first 39 fights, the trilogy with Tyson Fury turned his career on its head and, since his last successful world title defence back in 2019 against Luis Ortiz, he’s won just two of his six fights, including defeats to Fury twice, Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
A fight that very much came out of nowhere, despite them both evidently being past their prime, it’s a fight that has boxing fans frothing at the mouth.
Two big heavyweights, two men who hit like trucks and two men who will likely call it a day after this fight. It’s got all the ingredients for an absolute war or a highlight-reel knockout.
So, to the fight and how it could go.
Let’s be honest, it’ll likely be a shootout. Who can land the biggest punch first, and who’s got more left in the tank to weather any potential storm?
Physically, the advantages lie with Wilder.
He’s got an enormous nine-inch reach advantage over Chisora and that’s something he’s really going to need to utilise if he is going to win this fight.
Over the years, Olympic bronze medallist Wilder hasn’t really needed to use his boxing fundamentals because his power has always been his equaliser.
Against someone like Chisora though, you can’t afford to sit back and wait for your opportunity because most of the time, the Brit won’t give you the time to wait.
For Del, he needs to bring what his old alias suggested: WAR.
We’ve seen how Wilder copes under pressure and when he’s not given time to think and set up his monstrous shots.
Chisora, if he is going to win this fight, needs to put it on the American from the outset. Close the distance, mix his shots up from head to body, make Wilder nervous and make him question himself.
If the former European champion can do that, it’ll go a long way towards him leaving the sport with arguably the best win of his career.
It’s as 50/50 a fight as you’ll get. Both men arguably aren’t in their prime anymore, but that just makes for a better fight.
Do not blink.
To the undercard now, and there are some interesting fights to keep an eye on.
In the chief support, British cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley challenges the experienced Mateusz Masternak for his European title.
After claiming the British title in a dominant victory over Chev Clarke last year, Riley has yet been able to land a big fight; however, now signed with Misfits Pro, he looks to claim the third title of his professional career.
Masternak has been one of the biggest constants in the cruiserweight division over the years. In his 56 fights to date, he’s fought everyone from Jean-Marc Mormeck to Tony Bellew to Chris Billam-Smith to Yuniel Dorticos — almost three generations of fighters.
Here he takes on his fourth in Riley, and it’ll likely be one of the toughest fights of his career to date. Now nearing 40, with 381 rounds boxed in his career, the experience advantage well and truly lies with the Pole, with Riley still only 28 and having boxed just 62 rounds.
That freshness is going to be crucial, especially down the stretch. Riley isn’t known as the biggest of punchers, but he can carry his power late and, if he can make Masternak fight at a pace and go looking for him more than he’d want to — thus leaving openings to pick him off — the Brit could well make this fight look fairly easy.
Whatever you do though, do not write Masternak off.
Also on the card, the popular Denzel Bentley takes on Venezuela’s Endry Saavedra for the WBO World ‘Interim’ middleweight title.
After a shock defeat to Nathan Heaney in 2023, Bentley has strung together a hat-trick of impressive victories. However, after beating Brad Pauls at the end of 2024, he didn’t fight for the whole of 2025, so he comes into this fight fresh but may also be a tad rusty.
In Saavedra, he’s got a solid opponent. 17-1-1 with 14 stoppages, he’s very heavy-handed, with his only defeat coming back in 2022.
It’s a tough fight for Bentley, but it’s one he should win — especially if he has any aspirations of becoming outright world champion this year.
On the rest of the undercard, Matty Harris and Franklin Ignatius go toe to toe in an interesting heavyweight clash, whilst the highly rated Tom Welland will be hoping to bounce back after the first defeat of his career. Dan Toward, Jermaine Dhliwayo, Amir Anderson and Ashton Sylve also feature on a stacked card from top to bottom.
