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DEREK CHISORA teed up his 50th and final fight with a trademark bloody win over Otto Wallin.
The 41-year-old fans’ favourite dropped the Swedish southpaw in the ninth and last round but was slashed around both eyes and soaked in his own blood – just how he likes it.
https://twitter.com/boxingontnt/status/1888372151196975287
Getty
ReutersThe victory leaves him free to arrange a final swansong so grateful fans no longer have to watch his incredible bravery.
The judges at the new Co-Op Live arena in Manchester called it: 117-109, 114-112 and 116-110.
Chisora said: “When I arrived I said I wasn’t going to cry, but I bawled like a baby.
“I love the sport, I love the fans. It was a very emotional day.
“It was a hard fight. Both of my ears have popped, I didn’t tell my trainers. It was tough.”
He surprised us all, as usual, by starting in the southpaw stance as he tried to bob and weave his way into range and throw haymakers.
Wallin’s 34-year-old ribs got an early peppering as the Finchley hulk slashed at his torso.
One head shot got the first big roar of the night but Wallin brushed it off and kept his distance.
Having arrived for his Last Dance in full cowboy gear, Chisora was desperate for a shootout.
Getty
GettyBut Wallin kept on his backfoot and jabbing down on his opponent.
The second round slipped by with little action apart from Chisora stalking and Wallin doing his best to stay out of danger.
Wallin ended the third round with a clever lead left hook that landed on Chisora’s beard.
But the fearless veteran just stuck his tongue out as he marched back to his blue corner hungry for more action.
Chisora ate two big Wallin uppercuts in the fourth and started looking his age as he gulped for air in between swinging his fists in the leftie’s direction.
Chisora landed a trademark right hand in the fifth but he was cut around his right eye and kept blinking, in an effort to stop the blood affecting his vision.
The referee stopped the action in the sixth to have the doctor inspect Chisora’s damaged right eye and the crowd got restless that the fight would be waved off early. They roared when it was allowed to reconvene.
And Chisora’s corner had to work on the gash in the break, with master cutman Russ Anber doing his best to stem the flow.
Chisora kept huffing and puffing in the seventh but Wallin was telegraphing all of his assaults.
Finally, right on the bell, he backed the visitor into his red corner and unloaded to head and body and Wallin was hurt for the first time.
And the old warhorse went on the rampage in the eighth when he unleashed dozens of hooks on Wallin and the crowd was fuming when the ref broke up the action and let the visitor get a much-needed break.
Chisora’s big breakthrough came in the ninth when a right hook only seemed to graze Wallin but it clipped his chin and robbed him of his senses.
The first time Wallin slumped to the floor was borderline comical
Reuters
GettyThe giant stumbled back the length of the ring and fell to the floor for an eight count.
Wallin looked to be gun shy, off the back of his 2013 knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. In round ten, when Chisora was shattered and resting in the corner, Wallin still rejected the chance to unload.
But by the eleventh both sides of his face were caked in blood with a second cut opening up under his left eye.
Chisora kept hurling shots and with just ten seconds left Wallin was decked again and the bell saved him from any more savagery.
The Brit chose to celebrate victory in his own special way – inviting rappers Skepta, Lethal Bizzle and Tinie Tempah into the ring and handing them all pictures.
The three men in the frames? Potential rivals Daniel Dubois, Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
Chisora then asked the audience who they want him to meet next – with AJ getting the loudest roar of approval.
Reuters
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