JOSEPH PARKER won his Derek Chisora battle with a dominant points win, but only after the brave British veteran showed extraordinary feats of courage.
After ducking into a hat trick of sickening uppercuts, War, 37 years old, climbed onto the canvas and received two standing counts.
Chisora displayed incredible courage to get through difficult moments
Parker won the fight, but the proud warrior continued to slug it out until the last bell. Parker received a much more convincing decision than the original May meeting. The judges scored the rematch as follows: 115-110; 115-111; and 114-112.
Parker was slapped on the back by a looping right-hand in the first round of their first clash.
The 29-year old knew that he needed to be attentive from the first second of his start to prevent a similar slow and painful one.
Chisora had a strong start to that narrow points loss. He was expected to finish the tank quickly again with the goal of taking the result off the judges' scorecards. This is after a series of disappointing results throughout his rollercoaster career.
The Kiwi was more aggressive, taking over the centre of the ring. He then threw a variety of shots that Chisora caught but deflected.
However, Parker's right hook smashed into Chisora’s jaw and seemed to shock him. There was still one minute to go in the opener.
Chisora burst into the second with his first serious attack and followed that up by a looped right-hand that grazed Parker’s chin.
Parker then scored a few rasping uppercuts, but Chisora's famedly granite whiskers took them in almost full gratitude.
However, the following barrage severely damaged Chisora with large right straights as well as left hooks clenching into the banger, who appeared to be flagging earlier than normal.
Chisora was shocked in the third by a pinpoint right-hook-right hand piledriver. The iron-skulled slugger displayed superhuman resilience to survive.
In the fourth round, Parker appeared to be playing into Chisora’s hands. He was trading up close. But then, he unleashed a sensational uppercut, which savaged Chisora’s senses.
Chisora was only held up by the ropes, but Howard Foster, referee, dived in to count eight.
Chisora, in a moment of cool-headed genius retreated into a corner and lured Parker inside. Parker didn't have enough room to finish the sentence, so it was Finchley's warrior who ended it hurling leather.
Just as Chisora was enjoying scoring jabs, he fell into yet another thudding uppercut. He was then folded into the canvas for an additional eight count.
Chisora rose to the occasion and rallied once more, ending Parker's round beating Parker with a display of courage that left Manchester baffled.
Both behemoths were blowing very hard by the eighth, but Chisora collapsed into the ropes with 30 seconds remaining and took a third massive uppercut.
In the ninth it looked desperate for Chisora, with Howard Foster, the referee, teetering at the edge of the exchanges looking ready to dive in. Chisora, however, went back to the well to throw haymakers in order to remain in the contest.
Chisora was nearly knocked to the ground by his punch moments later, when he missed so violently and with such desperateness that he fell into the ropes once more.
Parker, a former WBO world champion and Del Boy, a veteran warhorse, made it to the end where they received deserved applause.
Parker declared after the fight: "He was one strong guy!"
"He didn't stop coming, but we had practiced the jab/uppercut so now we have an amazing Christmas.
Free Bets: Get more than PS2,000 in NEW CUSTOMER DEALS"Derek is a credit for the sport of boxing. The crowd went crazy for his name."
"I started strong, and I was never negative at the beginning.
"I rushed it a few times, got too excited, but I am ready for more practice for my next camp."
