Chisora beaten by Wilder in captivating bout

Derek Chisora suffered a points defeat by Deontay Wilder in a wild heavyweight contest at London's O2 Arena in what is expected to be his final professional bout.

Chisora, 42, was dropped in the eighth round and sent through the ropes. The Briton looked close to being stopped several times as Wilder pushed for the finish, but the veteran somehow fought his way back.

American Wilder was awarded a split decision with scores of 115–111 and 115–113, while one judge scored it 115–112 to Chisora.

"I had an adorable opponent. I knew Derek was going to bring everything he had," Wilder said afterwards.

"In the ring I saw his temple start to swell, I said 'you've got to live for your kids'. Too many lives have been lost in this ring, nobody gives a damn about us. Us fighters have to look out for each other.

"Tonight, I looked out for him, I want him to live for his kids. It's time for us to take care of each other. I have seven of my own, those are my best friends."

Both men absorbed heavy punishment as the contest, almost inexplicably, went the distance.

Chisora had his moments, notably stunning Wilder, 40, in the fifth round, but the former world champion ultimately deserved the decision.

Remarkably, it was the 50th bout of both men's careers. Londoner Chisora - now with 14 defeats - had said beforehand it would be his last fight, but he hesitated to confirm his retirement when joined in the ring by his family.

It was not pretty, nor particularly elite, but it was undeniably entertaining.

For Wilder, this represents his best win in recent years and extends a career that may also be nearing its end.

Chisora - who rolled up to Thursday's news conference in an army tank - travelled to fight night on the London Underground and was greeted by a huge roar.

The crowd inside the 20,000-capacity arena was not quite full, but it was loud and partisan.

A bizarre opening round saw the heavyweights become tangled on the ropes, continuing to throw punches while ignoring the referee's calls to break.

A member of Chisora's team even climbed into the ring before order was restored.

Chisora - fighting at the venue for the 11th time - was second best in the early exchanges. "Go back to your boxing. Get that jab working," his trainer urged.

The Zimbabwe-born heavyweight's jab was largely non-existent but an overhand right - a trademark Chisora shot - stunned Wilder in the fifth.

Suddenly it was Wilder who looked vulnerable, as Chisora pressed forward while two-time world champion Anthony Joshua urged his friend on from ringside by calling for an uppercut that never came.

The fight continued and Wilder pushed Chisora over in the fifth before landing after the bell in the sixth, while both men tumbled to the canvas more than once.

Then came a Wilder right hand in the eighth - the punch responsible for most of his 43 knockouts in 44 previous wins.

Chisora, partly outside of the ropes, beat the count at eight, eyes glazed, as Wilder stalked forward.

Wilder was docked a point for pushing, and both men ended up on the canvas again in the 11th, though neither incident was ruled a knockdown.

How Chisora survived to hear the final bell was astounding.

Despite the absurdity of the whole fight, there was no bad blood as the self-styled "brothers" embraced at the end.

The hope in boxing circles is that this will be the end of the road for Chisora.

If so, the two-time world title challenger has shared the ring with the likes of Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

He fell short at the top level but often earned respect even in defeat.

Many believe he should have retired years ago. Yet Chisora repeatedly defied those calls, extending his career and even finding late momentum with victories over fringe world-level contenders.

Chisora is not the most talented heavyweight of his era, but remained one of British boxing's most reliable ticket sellers.

With his departure, the sport loses a fighter who could draw a crowd and fill out arenas without ever holding a world title.

His longevity is extraordinary - bridging eras from his 2007 debut to facing opponents from a new generation, but Chisora's story has never been confined to the ring.

From a conviction for assaulting his then partner in 2010 and a ban for biting an opponent, to weigh-in flashpoints and the infamous brawl with Haye, controversy followed him throughout.

In the end, Chisora will leave the sport as a warrior, a gatekeeper and a showman inside the ropes, but also a deeply polarising figure whose behaviour outside them at times cast a shadow over his career.

There was a period when Wilder almost single-handedly kept American heavyweight boxing visible on the global stage.

But for those who have watched him in recent years, the signs of decline have been clear.

He has never quite looked the same since his trilogy with Fury - a brutal rivalry in which he was floored five times and stopped twice.

Against Chisora there were fleeting reminders of the fighter who once terrified the division.

The trademark right hand still carried threat, but the explosiveness, timing and confidence that once made him so dangerous were not as prevalent.

Earlier this year Usyk floated Wilder as a potential future opponent, and a victory here at least keeps that possibility alive.

In the modern boxing landscape there may also be crossover opportunities, perhaps against the likes of Francis Ngannou.

Despite the win, at this stage of his career the margins are thin and Father Time has also almost crept up on the Bronze Bomber.