The Origins of the Rivalry
The rivalry between Fury and Chisora dates back to the early 2010s when both fighters were emerging talents in the heavyweight division.
With both Tyson and Derek winning every bout they had fought in up until that point, a clash between the two was inevitable. This set the stage for a fierce and competitive rivalry that would later unfold and take 11 years to conclude.
The First Fight: Chisora vs. Fury I
The two first met in July 2011, when an undefeated Tyson Fury challenged Chisora for the BBBofC British Heavy and the Commonwealth Boxing Council Heavy titles. Ahead of the clash, Chisora was not only unbeaten, but was considered the favourite.
The first fight between the ‘Gypsy King’ and ‘War’ was scheduled for 12 rounds and it was a grueling contest. Right from the opening bell, Chisora, known for his aggressive, come-forward style, looked to pressure Fury and land his trademark overhand rights.
Fury, however, had a strategy of his own. Using his size and strength, he slowly but surely found his rhythm and became more dominant as the fight progressed. With neither fighter willing to back down, in the end, the decision went to the judges’ scorecards, which read 112/118, 111/118, and 112/117, all in favour of Fury.
The Rematch: Chisora vs. Fury II
Three years after their first encounter, Fury and Chisora’s paths crossed once again in November 2014. With both fighters more experienced and with world title aspirations, the rematch was expected to be a far more competitive affair. It was billed as ‘The Fight for the Right and Bad Blood’.
This time around, Derek Chisora had to defend his European and WBO International heavyweight titles while Fury was the challenger, with the vacant British heavyweight title also on the line.
Right from the opening bell, it was obvious that Fury had grown significantly as a fighter. He was faster, sharper, and had a more refined strategy. This forced Chisora to adapt as he struggled to close the distance and deal damage in his traditional style.
As the fight progressed, Fury was landing some heavy blows to Chisora’s right eye. To protect his fighter, the trainer Don Charles pulled Chisora out at the end of the tenth round, declaring Fury as the winner.
The Trilogy: Chisora vs. Fury III
A decade after their first meeting, Fury and Chisora met for a third and final time. This time around, Fury was the reigning WBC heavyweight champion while Chisora was looking for a final shot at glory.
Given their rivalry, the anticipation for the third fight was immense, which led the fight to take place at a venue far bigger than where the two other events were hosted - Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in London.
Right from the opening bell, the fight started with Chisora charging forward and applying relentless pressure on Fury. As the fight progressed though, Chisora began to show signs of exhaustion, which allowed Fury to control the pace and dominate the fight until the referee Victor Loughlin put an end to the fight in round 10, declaring Fury the winner by TKO.
