Dereck Chisora beats Kevin Johnson

By Gareth A Davies

Zimbabwe born Dereck Chisora earned a landslide unanimous decision victory but failed in his bold pledge to be the first man to stop former world heavyweight title challenger Kevin Johnson in East London on Saturday night, in spite of having the American down in the fifth round.

European heavyweight champion Chisora retained the World Boxing Organisation and World Boxing Association International titles with scores of 118-109, 118-110 and 118-109 on the ringside triumvirate’s cards.

Chisora is now eyeing a summer blockbuster with British rival Tyson Fury, who had defeated American Joey Abell earlier in the night.

Try as he might, Chisora could find neither the openings, nor the ammunition to finish his foe. Thirty-four opponents have experienced the same boxer: reticent in attack; durable in defence. But woefully one-paced.

“Kevin came to survive, it was a long night, and the way he fights you always have to be wary,” said Chisora.

Yet Chisora’s stamina and work-rate were admirable as he harried and hassled and took the contest to the resilient, defensive fighter. But could not break him down sufficiently to hurt him.

The one opening came when Johnson was dropped, off balance, with an overhand right which clipped Johnson high on the top of the head.

A ring-rusty Fury completed his half of the bargain ahead of fellow British heavyweight Chisora, putting away opponent Abell in the fourth round after flooring the American four times in the fight.

It might have been a difficult night back for Fury, now 22-0, but after jabbing his way through the first round, taking two left hands from the southpaw, he eased his way into the fight.

Fury was momentarily in trouble in the second, when his head was rocked back by a big left hand from Abell, and as they came together in a clinch, the heads clashed. Abell was warned by referee Jeff Hinds for butting.

From the third period, Fury took over, landing a powerful right hand, and put Abell down twice in the round. Abell came out for the fourth round throwing everything he had left. He succeeded in stunning Fury wit a right hand, but the British fighter countenanced the attack with another combination. Abell again took a knee and referee Hinds had seen enough, stopping the contest at one minute 36 seconds of the fourth stanza.

Mick Hennessy, Fury’s promoter, said afterwards: “This was the first fight back after a horrendous year [David Haye pulled out of two fights with Fury], against a difficult southpaw. Tyson had to be smart tonight, he took him apart and stopped him. We now need to look for the right opponent to prepare him for Chisora later in the summer.” The Telegraph