Dillian Whyte knocks out Dereck Chisora in the eleventh round to tee up Anthony Joshua rematch
Relive all the eleven epic rounds of action from the O2 Arena
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Your support makes all the difference.Dillian Whyte has moved into contention for a rematch with Anthony Joshua after winning his grudge match with Dereck Chisora by devastatingly stopping his rival in the 11th round.
Two years after narrowly outpointing his opponent, Whyte demonstrated his improvement and furthered Chisora's decline by leaving him unconscious for a worryingly long time at London's 02 Arena.
He was expected to be confirmed as the next challenger to Joshua at Wembley on April 13, but potentially faces an anxious wait while the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion considers instead fighting in the US for the first time.
Whyte will regardless remain at world-level as one of the division's leading contenders and a likely future challenger to Joshua, but if he is forced to wait could struggle to maintain the impressive momentum he has built.
The way Chisora's head heavily hit the canvas after Whyte's powerful left hook landed secured the latest damaging defeat of what has already been a difficult career, meaning that at 34 and with fewer options he should consider retirement.
Relive all the action below.
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Preview
When and where is the fight taking place?
The bout will take place on 22 December at the O2 Arena in London with the fighters expecting to begin their ringwalks at around 22:00 UK time.
Where can I watch it?
The event will be broadcast on Sky Sports Box Office and will cost £16.95.
Can I watch online?
Even if you aren't a Sky TV subscriber you can watch the fight live via their Sky Box Office website.
Who's going to win?
Dillian Whyte 2/5
Dereck Chisora 5/2
Draw 20/1
Dillian Whyte:
I didn't think I was behind. I was controlling the fight, controlling my tempo and showing maturity and frustrating him and showing improvements. Chisora is a tough guy, when I was throwing combinations he was bobbing and weaving them. But I knew if I stayed consistent and kept moving him around I would tire him out eventually.
On the knockout:
I was a bit worried for him. He’s got a family as well. What a tough man, a brave man, to keep coming back from defeat and rising to the top.
On Joshua saying he wants to fight Wilder or Fury:
Joshua was talking rubbish. I’m not going to sit around and wait for him. I ain’t got time for that. There’s fighters that sit down for two years and wait for the call. Time’s ticking. I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime. I need to keep building, keep going.
Eddie Hearn:
I expect the WBO will instal him as the mandatory. He's also No1 with the WBC. We've got to sit down with Dillian and see if there's a deal to be done in April. I don't think Wilder will fight AJ in April. Dillian is a PPV fighter in his own right. He's had back-to-back PPVs and both have been fight of the year contenders.
Whyte's trainer Mark Tibbs:
We're going through different styles - Helenius, Parker - getting through those battles to a game plan that's what gives him the experience. He's got confidence but it gives another level of confidence. He knows what he's doing. It's the experience of that. We had a chat in the tenth round, I said something like 'he's growing in confidence, don't let him keep pushing you back, you've got to let some combos go'. He turned it on when he had to, but I'd have liked him to be a bit sharper tonight, but he was under control, he weren't blowing, he knew what he was doing.
Whyte:
Chisora is a fighting man, he's not a boxer, not a technician, he'll hit you with anything. He had two warnings and threw a spinning elbow. He doesn't care.
Eddie Hearn:
I think the priority is Wilder for AJ but I don't think that will happen. If it's an April 13th date at Wembley, you would need it on sale at the end of January.
Eddie Hearn:
Wilder's team aren't showing a lot of willingness. It's 80% that AJ still fights at Wembley [against any opponent] on April 13th.
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