Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage

Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked out Robert Helenius with a single right hand in Round 7 of a scheduled 12-round bout.

Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) controlled the fight with his jab as he tried for six-plus rounds to set up a punch that would hurt the competitive Helenius (32-5, 21 KOs).

It came midway through the seventh round, when a straight right hand caught Helenius on the chin and he slumped to the canvas, apparently unconscious.

Referee Victor Loughlin didn’t bother to count as it was clear that the Finn couldn’t continue.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:27 of Round 7.

Joshua has now won consecutive fights since he lost back-to-back bouts to Oleksandr Usyk, which cost him his titles and damaged his reputation. He outpointed Jermaine Franklin in April.

Joshua reportedly is in talks to face fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder late this year or early next year.

Helenius took the fight on less than a week’s notice after Dillian Whyte, who failed a drug test, was pulled from the card.

You can read a full report here.

***

Round 7

Fight over! Huge right hand midway through the round puts Helenius down and out instantaneously. He turned a so-so performance into a spectacular one with a single punch.

Round 6

More of the same. Joshua is winning rounds with his jabbing and occasional power shots. He’s just not making a significant statement at all. Waiting doesn’t win fans; punching does. And credit to Helenius: He’s competitive.

Round 5

Better round for Helenius, who landed some eye-catching shots in the first half of the round. However, Joshua took those punches and had a strong second half, landing some power shots of his own. Closer round.

Round 4

Joshua is in control in his way. He continues to jab well and is throwing enough power shots to win rounds, although only a few are landing. AJ is hesitant, though. He doesn’t want to take chances. That’s understandable given Helenius’ power but he’s going to have to let it loose at some point.

Round 3

Boos from an impatient crowd. The pace picked up just a bit. Joshua jabbed well; that’s the best punch of the fight so far. He also landed a good right with about 45 seconds left in the round. That seemed to wake up Helenius to some degree.

Round 2

The fight still hasn’t begun in earnest. Both men are still fighting carefully, jabbing, measuring, waiting for opportunities. Joshua unloaded a big right about a minute in but he missed. Maybe there will be more that coming up.

Round 1

Mostly a feel out round. Both men did a lot of jabbing, with some landing. Both men landed one or two noticeable power shots.

***

Longtime heavyweight contender Derek Chisora survived an early cut above his right eye to defeat Gerald Washington by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout. The official scores were 98-93, 97-94 and 96-94.

Chisora (34-13, 23 KOs) took the fight to Washington (20-6-1, 13 KOs) from the opening bell and outworked him overall, which impressed the judges.

Chisora, 39, was coming off a 10th-round knockout loss to titleholder Tyson Fury this past December, which was his fourth setback in his previous five fights.

The victory over Washington prolongs his career as a relevant fighter in spite of his recent struggles.

Washington, 41, has now lost three in a row and six of his last eight.

***

Heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic stopped Demsey McKean in the final round of a 12-round bout.

Hrgovic (16-0, 12 KOs) seemed to be on his way to a decision victory when he hurt McKean (22-1, 13 KOs) with a right hook and followed with a barrage of shots that prompted referee Marcus McDonnell to stop the fight. The official time of the stoppage was 1:01 of the 12th.

The victor remains the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyks IBF title.

***

Anthony Joshua of the U.K. is scheduled to face fellow heavyweight contender Robert Helenius of Finland on Saturday at O2 Arena in London (DAZN).

Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) will be fighting for the second time since back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Helenius (32-4, 21 KOs) took the fight on short notice after Dillian Whyte, who failed a drug test, was pulled from the card.

Also, in two other heavyweight matchups, Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs) of Croatia will fight Demsey McKean (22-0, 13 KOs) and Derek Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs) of the U.K. will take on Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs) of the U.S.

The featured bouts on the card begin at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post round-by-round updates on the main event and the results of the other featured bouts immediately after they end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage

Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius: LIVE round-by-round updates, results, full coverage.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked out Robert Helenius with a single right hand in Round 7 of a scheduled 12-round bout.

Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) controlled the fight with his jab as he tried for six-plus rounds to set up a punch that would hurt the competitive Helenius (32-5, 21 KOs).

It came midway through the seventh round, when a straight right hand caught Helenius on the chin and he slumped to the canvas, apparently unconscious.

Referee Victor Loughlin didn’t bother to count as it was clear that the Finn couldn’t continue.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:27 of Round 7.

Joshua has now won consecutive fights since he lost back-to-back bouts to Oleksandr Usyk, which cost him his titles and damaged his reputation. He outpointed Jermaine Franklin in April.

Joshua reportedly is in talks to face fellow former titleholder Deontay Wilder late this year or early next year.

Helenius took the fight on less than a week’s notice after Dillian Whyte, who failed a drug test, was pulled from the card.

You can read a full report here.

***

Round 7

Fight over! Huge right hand midway through the round puts Helenius down and out instantaneously. He turned a so-so performance into a spectacular one with a single punch.

Round 6

More of the same. Joshua is winning rounds with his jabbing and occasional power shots. He’s just not making a significant statement at all. Waiting doesn’t win fans; punching does. And credit to Helenius: He’s competitive.

Round 5

Better round for Helenius, who landed some eye-catching shots in the first half of the round. However, Joshua took those punches and had a strong second half, landing some power shots of his own. Closer round.

Round 4

Joshua is in control in his way. He continues to jab well and is throwing enough power shots to win rounds, although only a few are landing. AJ is hesitant, though. He doesn’t want to take chances. That’s understandable given Helenius’ power but he’s going to have to let it loose at some point.

Round 3

Boos from an impatient crowd. The pace picked up just a bit. Joshua jabbed well; that’s the best punch of the fight so far. He also landed a good right with about 45 seconds left in the round. That seemed to wake up Helenius to some degree.

Round 2

The fight still hasn’t begun in earnest. Both men are still fighting carefully, jabbing, measuring, waiting for opportunities. Joshua unloaded a big right about a minute in but he missed. Maybe there will be more that coming up.

Round 1

Mostly a feel out round. Both men did a lot of jabbing, with some landing. Both men landed one or two noticeable power shots.

***

Longtime heavyweight contender Derek Chisora survived an early cut above his right eye to defeat Gerald Washington by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout. The official scores were 98-93, 97-94 and 96-94.

Chisora (34-13, 23 KOs) took the fight to Washington (20-6-1, 13 KOs) from the opening bell and outworked him overall, which impressed the judges.

Chisora, 39, was coming off a 10th-round knockout loss to titleholder Tyson Fury this past December, which was his fourth setback in his previous five fights.

The victory over Washington prolongs his career as a relevant fighter in spite of his recent struggles.

Washington, 41, has now lost three in a row and six of his last eight.

***

Heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic stopped Demsey McKean in the final round of a 12-round bout.

Hrgovic (16-0, 12 KOs) seemed to be on his way to a decision victory when he hurt McKean (22-1, 13 KOs) with a right hook and followed with a barrage of shots that prompted referee Marcus McDonnell to stop the fight. The official time of the stoppage was 1:01 of the 12th.

The victor remains the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyks IBF title.

***

Anthony Joshua of the U.K. is scheduled to face fellow heavyweight contender Robert Helenius of Finland on Saturday at O2 Arena in London (DAZN).

Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) will be fighting for the second time since back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Helenius (32-4, 21 KOs) took the fight on short notice after Dillian Whyte, who failed a drug test, was pulled from the card.

Also, in two other heavyweight matchups, Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs) of Croatia will fight Demsey McKean (22-0, 13 KOs) and Derek Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs) of the U.K. will take on Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs) of the U.S.

The featured bouts on the card begin at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post round-by-round updates on the main event and the results of the other featured bouts immediately after they end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

Weekend Review: Juan Francisco Estrada makes history, Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk next

Weekend Review: Juan Francisco Estrada made history, Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk next,

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Juan Francisco Estrada defeated Roman Gonzalez a second time. Christian Petersen / Getty Images

Juan Francisco Estrada – Take a minute a think about what the Mexican star has accomplished. Roman Gonzalez is considered one of the best lighter weight fighters of all time and Estrada beat him in two out of three meetings. OK, the second fight was a disputed decision. And Estrada’s majority-decision victory on Saturday also was tight. The fact is Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) has fought “Chocolatito” on at least even terms two times after losing their first fight when he was relatively inexperienced. Gonzalez deserves all the accolades he receives. So does Estrada, a special all-around fighter and future Hall of Famer. He demonstrated that once again on Saturday, surging to an early lead and then holding off a fierce rally from his rival to have his hand raised once again. Only a great fighter could’ve weathered that storm and emerged victorious.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II

Tyson Fury – Forget Fury’s 10th-round stoppage of pathetically overmatched Derek Chisora in their third fight Saturday in London. That was a combination workout and showcase for the WBC heavyweight titleholder, who drew 60,000 to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And, oh yeah, he walked away with another eight-figure payday. That makes him a winner right there. However, it gets better. The fight Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) and every boxing fan on the planet wants is now on the horizon. It became obvious at the moment that Fury and Oleksandr Usyk stood nose-to-nose on the ring apron after the fight Saturday that they intend to meet next year for the undisputed championship. I don’t see how Usyk, a former cruiserweight, can beat a huge man with Fury’s ability but everyone will be a winner if they can make the ultimate heavyweight fight happen.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

Roman Gonzalez – Imagine fighting as well as “Chocolatito” did in two fights with his arch rival and coming up short both times. That’s his reality. Most observers thought he deserved the nod in their second fight, in March of last year. And the judge who scored Saturday’s fight a draw might’ve had the best tally. That’s why the two setbacks will be hard for Gonzalez (51-4, 41 KOs) to swallow. Of course, he must blame the guy in the mirror for the most recent result. He lost the first five rounds on two scorecards and four on the third, meaning he didn’t start fighting in earnest until Round 6. A fighter can’t give away that many rounds and expect to get the nod. He might’ve been preserving energy for a late rush because of his age, 35. That would make sense. Nevertheless, no one can complain about losing a close decision under those circumstances.

 

MOST FORTUNATE

Derek Chisora – The veteran contender was fortunate in more than one way. One, he should be grateful that he was given the opportunity to take home a seven-figure payday. Fury selected him as his opponent in part because he knew the popular Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs) would sell tickets and generate pay-per-view revenue. He didn’t earn the chance, though. He was 1-3 in his previous four fights. And, two, he was fortunate that he walked out of the ring under his own power. He took the kind of prolonged beating that sometimes results in tragedies. Chisora acknowledged that he had entered the danger zone when he thanked the ref for stopping the fight afterward. How often does that happen? Chisora, 38, has had a long, productive career. It couldn’t be more clear that it’s time for him to move on to the next phase of his life.

 

MOST DEBATABLE?

Estrada-Gonzalez scoring – The 115-113 (Dennis O’Connell) and 114-114 (Chris Tellez) cards seem to reflect what happened in the ring in what turned out to be a close fight. 116-112 (Tim Cheatham)? That score is debatable. Cheatham gave Estrada four of the first five rounds and the 12th, which was acceptable. However, he also gave the winner three of the six rounds that Gonzalez dominated (6-11) to make it eight rounds to four for Estrada, which doesn’t make as much sense. Cheatham probably didn’t have his best night as a judge. However, the bottom line is that there is no great controversy. I scored it 115-113 for Estrada. So, in my opinion, the right man had his hand raised.

 

FASTEST TURN AROUND

Daniel Dubois – The young contender’s future as a relevant heavyweight seemed to be in the balance when he went down three times in the first round against Kevin Lerena on the Fury-Chisora card. Two rounds later he had his hand raised after putting Lerena down twice and then stopping him. The opening round was bizarre. Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) put Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) down and hurt him with a punch to the top of the head. Dubois was able to get up and continue. However, evidently still shaky, he intentionally went down two more times in an effort to fully recover. It appeared he might be finished as a rising star at that moment, particularly after his knockout loss to Joe Joyce 2020. Well, Dubois had other ideas. He did recover and then stormed back, overwhelming the former cruiserweight to turn defeat into a satisfying victory at the end of Round 3. I wonder about Dubois’ punch resistence but his determination can’t be questioned.

 

MOST BIZZARE

Samuel Carmona – The 2016 Olympian from Spain boxed well for a few rounds against flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez on the Estrada-Gonzalez card, demonstrating his skill set and athleticism. Then he injured his right hand, at which point a fight became a track meet. Carmona must’ve run a marathon in the ring to protect the hand. He threw lefts here and there but almost no rights. His trainer implored him to get busier if he hoped to win his first title shot but the advice fell on deaf ears, at least until he stood his ground a bit more in final few rounds. Carmona (8-1, 4 KOs) lost a majority decision. Could he have won? Possibly. Jabbing incessantly, moving and just touching Martinez (19-2, 14 KOs) with his right hand occasionally might’ve done the trick. Instead, he did next to nothing for most of the fight and it cost him.

Weekend Review: Juan Francisco Estrada makes history, Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk next

Weekend Review: Juan Francisco Estrada made history, Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk next,

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Juan Francisco Estrada defeated Roman Gonzalez a second time. Christian Petersen / Getty Images

Juan Francisco Estrada – Take a minute a think about what the Mexican star has accomplished. Roman Gonzalez is considered one of the best lighter weight fighters of all time and Estrada beat him in two out of three meetings. OK, the second fight was a disputed decision. And Estrada’s majority-decision victory on Saturday also was tight. The fact is Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) has fought “Chocolatito” on at least even terms two times after losing their first fight when he was relatively inexperienced. Gonzalez deserves all the accolades he receives. So does Estrada, a special all-around fighter and future Hall of Famer. He demonstrated that once again on Saturday, surging to an early lead and then holding off a fierce rally from his rival to have his hand raised once again. Only a great fighter could’ve weathered that storm and emerged victorious.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II

Tyson Fury – Forget Fury’s 10th-round stoppage of pathetically overmatched Derek Chisora in their third fight Saturday in London. That was a combination workout and showcase for the WBC heavyweight titleholder, who drew 60,000 to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And, oh yeah, he walked away with another eight-figure payday. That makes him a winner right there. However, it gets better. The fight Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) and every boxing fan on the planet wants is now on the horizon. It became obvious at the moment that Fury and Oleksandr Usyk stood nose-to-nose on the ring apron after the fight Saturday that they intend to meet next year for the undisputed championship. I don’t see how Usyk, a former cruiserweight, can beat a huge man with Fury’s ability but everyone will be a winner if they can make the ultimate heavyweight fight happen.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

Roman Gonzalez – Imagine fighting as well as “Chocolatito” did in two fights with his arch rival and coming up short both times. That’s his reality. Most observers thought he deserved the nod in their second fight, in March of last year. And the judge who scored Saturday’s fight a draw might’ve had the best tally. That’s why the two setbacks will be hard for Gonzalez (51-4, 41 KOs) to swallow. Of course, he must blame the guy in the mirror for the most recent result. He lost the first five rounds on two scorecards and four on the third, meaning he didn’t start fighting in earnest until Round 6. A fighter can’t give away that many rounds and expect to get the nod. He might’ve been preserving energy for a late rush because of his age, 35. That would make sense. Nevertheless, no one can complain about losing a close decision under those circumstances.

 

MOST FORTUNATE

Derek Chisora – The veteran contender was fortunate in more than one way. One, he should be grateful that he was given the opportunity to take home a seven-figure payday. Fury selected him as his opponent in part because he knew the popular Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs) would sell tickets and generate pay-per-view revenue. He didn’t earn the chance, though. He was 1-3 in his previous four fights. And, two, he was fortunate that he walked out of the ring under his own power. He took the kind of prolonged beating that sometimes results in tragedies. Chisora acknowledged that he had entered the danger zone when he thanked the ref for stopping the fight afterward. How often does that happen? Chisora, 38, has had a long, productive career. It couldn’t be more clear that it’s time for him to move on to the next phase of his life.

 

MOST DEBATABLE?

Estrada-Gonzalez scoring – The 115-113 (Dennis O’Connell) and 114-114 (Chris Tellez) cards seem to reflect what happened in the ring in what turned out to be a close fight. 116-112 (Tim Cheatham)? That score is debatable. Cheatham gave Estrada four of the first five rounds and the 12th, which was acceptable. However, he also gave the winner three of the six rounds that Gonzalez dominated (6-11) to make it eight rounds to four for Estrada, which doesn’t make as much sense. Cheatham probably didn’t have his best night as a judge. However, the bottom line is that there is no great controversy. I scored it 115-113 for Estrada. So, in my opinion, the right man had his hand raised.

 

FASTEST TURN AROUND

Daniel Dubois – The young contender’s future as a relevant heavyweight seemed to be in the balance when he went down three times in the first round against Kevin Lerena on the Fury-Chisora card. Two rounds later he had his hand raised after putting Lerena down twice and then stopping him. The opening round was bizarre. Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) put Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) down and hurt him with a punch to the top of the head. Dubois was able to get up and continue. However, evidently still shaky, he intentionally went down two more times in an effort to fully recover. It appeared he might be finished as a rising star at that moment, particularly after his knockout loss to Joe Joyce 2020. Well, Dubois had other ideas. He did recover and then stormed back, overwhelming the former cruiserweight to turn defeat into a satisfying victory at the end of Round 3. I wonder about Dubois’ punch resistence but his determination can’t be questioned.

 

MOST BIZZARE

Samuel Carmona – The 2016 Olympian from Spain boxed well for a few rounds against flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez on the Estrada-Gonzalez card, demonstrating his skill set and athleticism. Then he injured his right hand, at which point a fight became a track meet. Carmona must’ve run a marathon in the ring to protect the hand. He threw lefts here and there but almost no rights. His trainer implored him to get busier if he hoped to win his first title shot but the advice fell on deaf ears, at least until he stood his ground a bit more in final few rounds. Carmona (8-1, 4 KOs) lost a majority decision. Could he have won? Possibly. Jabbing incessantly, moving and just touching Martinez (19-2, 14 KOs) with his right hand occasionally might’ve done the trick. Instead, he did next to nothing for most of the fight and it cost him.

Photos: Tyson Fury knocks out overmatched Derek Chisora in 10 rounds

Photos: Tyson Fury knocked out overmatched Derek Chisora in 10 rounds to retain his heavyweight title Saturday in London.

Heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury successfully defended his belt by knocking out Derek Chisora in 10 rounds Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Here are images from the fight. All photos by Warren Little of Getty Images and Ben Stansall of AFP via Getty Images.

Tyson Fury pummels, stops Derek Chisora in 10 to set up showdown with Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury pummeled and then stopped Derek Chisora in 10 rounds to set up potential showdown with Oleksandr Usyk next year.

Now comes a genuine challenge.

Tyson Fury did what he was expected to do against Derek Chisora on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, stopping the tough, but overmatched 38-year-old in the 10th-round of a one-sided fight to retain his heavyweight belt.

The victory appears to set up a showdown for the undisputed championship with Oleksandr Usyk, who was at ringside watching the slaughter.

Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) chose to fight Chisora a third time when Usyk – the two-time conqueror of Anthony Joshua – made it clear he wouldn’t see action again until next year and a prospective meeting with Joshua never took hold.

Hardcore fans moaned when it was announced that Chisora would fight Fury even though he was 1-3 in his last four fights. Still, a reported 60,000 braved the cold in the outdoor venue to watch the two popular athletes do battle, if that’s what it was.

Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs) came out aggressively and never stopped trying to win the fight. However, he did nothing but eat hard punches the entire fight.

Fury landed almost at will, patiently picking apart and wearing down an almost defenseless opponent from a safe distance from beginning to end. And when Chisora got inside, the only place where he could hope to land punches against his 6-foot-9 foe, Fury tied him up.

That’s how it went round after round, Fury giving a boxing clinic and Chisora demonstrating nothing but his admirable determination.

Finally, in Round 10 of a scheduled 12, referee Victor Loughlin recognized that there was no point in allowing Chisora to absorb more punishment and he mercifully stopped the fight. The official time was 2:51.

Fury had nothing but praise for his friend afterward.

“I felt good in there tonight,” said Fury, who defeated Chisora in all three of their fights. “I felt like I was landing my jab, landing some good punches. Listen, I take nothing away from Derek ‘Del Boy, War’ Chisora. He’s an absolute warrior. It’s been a privilege to fight him three times. He’s an absolute British folk hero.”

Fury then started singing, “Ohhh, Derek Chisora! Ohhh, Derek Chisora!” At that moment the beaten challenger walked up to Fury and the microphone.

“Thanks to the ref,” Chisora said. “As a fighter you don’t want to stop, you go out on your shield. He said, ‘If you don’t throw punches, I’m going to pull you out.’”

Chisora then said what everyone was thinking: It’s time for Fury vs. the talented Usyk for heavyweight supremacy.

“Everyone wants to see one heavyweight champion,” he said.

Usyk climbed onto the ring apron when his name was mentioned and found himself almost nose to nose with Fury, who instinctively went into marketing mode only minutes after finishing off Chisora.

“Usyk, you’re next, little b—-!,” he yelled. “You’re next. You are next. Me and you. You 15-stone (210-pound) (expletive). He’s a bodybuilder. Well, I ain’t no body builder. I’m going to write you off. I already [beat) one Ukrainian, [Wladimir] Klitschko. And I’ll get you, too.

“You ugly little man, you ugly little man. … Let’s get it on.”

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Tyson Fury pummels, stops Derek Chisora in 10 to set up showdown with Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury pummeled and then stopped Derek Chisora in 10 rounds to set up potential showdown with Oleksandr Usyk next year.

Now comes a genuine challenge.

Tyson Fury did what he was expected to do against Derek Chisora on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, stopping the tough, but overmatched 38-year-old in the 10th-round of a one-sided fight to retain his heavyweight belt.

The victory appears to set up a showdown for the undisputed championship with Oleksandr Usyk, who was at ringside watching the slaughter.

Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) chose to fight Chisora a third time when Usyk – the two-time conqueror of Anthony Joshua – made it clear he wouldn’t see action again until next year and a prospective meeting with Joshua never took hold.

Hardcore fans moaned when it was announced that Chisora would fight Fury even though he was 1-3 in his last four fights. Still, a reported 60,000 braved the cold in the outdoor venue to watch the two popular athletes do battle, if that’s what it was.

Chisora (33-13, 23 KOs) came out aggressively and never stopped trying to win the fight. However, he did nothing but eat hard punches the entire fight.

Fury landed almost at will, patiently picking apart and wearing down an almost defenseless opponent from a safe distance from beginning to end. And when Chisora got inside, the only place where he could hope to land punches against his 6-foot-9 foe, Fury tied him up.

That’s how it went round after round, Fury giving a boxing clinic and Chisora demonstrating nothing but his admirable determination.

Finally, in Round 10 of a scheduled 12, referee Victor Loughlin recognized that there was no point in allowing Chisora to absorb more punishment and he mercifully stopped the fight. The official time was 2:51.

Fury had nothing but praise for his friend afterward.

“I felt good in there tonight,” said Fury, who defeated Chisora in all three of their fights. “I felt like I was landing my jab, landing some good punches. Listen, I take nothing away from Derek ‘Del Boy, War’ Chisora. He’s an absolute warrior. It’s been a privilege to fight him three times. He’s an absolute British folk hero.”

Fury then started singing, “Ohhh, Derek Chisora! Ohhh, Derek Chisora!” At that moment the beaten challenger walked up to Fury and the microphone.

“Thanks to the ref,” Chisora said. “As a fighter you don’t want to stop, you go out on your shield. He said, ‘If you don’t throw punches, I’m going to pull you out.’”

Chisora then said what everyone was thinking: It’s time for Fury vs. the talented Usyk for heavyweight supremacy.

“Everyone wants to see one heavyweight champion,” he said.

Usyk climbed onto the ring apron when his name was mentioned and found himself almost nose to nose with Fury, who instinctively went into marketing mode only minutes after finishing off Chisora.

“Usyk, you’re next, little b—-!,” he yelled. “You’re next. You are next. Me and you. You 15-stone (210-pound) (expletive). He’s a bodybuilder. Well, I ain’t no body builder. I’m going to write you off. I already [beat) one Ukrainian, [Wladimir] Klitschko. And I’ll get you, too.

“You ugly little man, you ugly little man. … Let’s get it on.”

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Daniel Dubois survives three knockdowns to stop Kevin Lerena

Daniel Dubois survived three knockdowns to stop Kevin Lerena in three rounds Saturday in London.

Daniel Dubois turned pending defeat into victory on Saturday. Quickly.

The heavyweight contender survived three first-round knockdowns to stop Kevn Lerena at the end of Round 3 in a wild heavyweight fight on the Tyson Fury-Derek Chisora card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium night in London.

The left-handed Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) hurt Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) with a left to the top of the head in the opening round, which put Dubois down for the first time. The Londoner, apparently still dazed and unable to defend himself, then intentionally went down two more times.

The 25-year-old contender was in serious trouble. However, Lerena failed to take advantage of his opponent’s condition, instead boxing carefully.

That allowed Dubois time to regain his footing and storm back. In the final round, Dubois put Lerena down and hurt him with a straight right. The South African was able to get up but collapsed under a barrage of followup punches near the end of the round, prompted the referee to stop the fight.

Dubois has now won four consecutive fights since he was stopped by Joe Joyce in the 10th round in November 2020.

Lerena, a former cruiserweight, hadn’t lost a fight since 2014. This was the 30-year-old’s fourth fight as a full-fledged heavyweight.

Daniel Dubois survives three knockdowns to stop Kevin Lerena

Daniel Dubois survived three knockdowns to stop Kevin Lerena in three rounds Saturday in London.

Daniel Dubois turned pending defeat into victory on Saturday. Quickly.

The heavyweight contender survived three first-round knockdowns to stop Kevn Lerena at the end of Round 3 in a wild heavyweight fight on the Tyson Fury-Derek Chisora card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium night in London.

The left-handed Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) hurt Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) with a left to the top of the head in the opening round, which put Dubois down for the first time. The Londoner, apparently still dazed and unable to defend himself, then intentionally went down two more times.

The 25-year-old contender was in serious trouble. However, Lerena failed to take advantage of his opponent’s condition, instead boxing carefully.

That allowed Dubois time to regain his footing and storm back. In the final round, Dubois put Lerena down and hurt him with a straight right. The South African was able to get up but collapsed under a barrage of followup punches near the end of the round, prompted the referee to stop the fight.

Dubois has now won four consecutive fights since he was stopped by Joe Joyce in the 10th round in November 2020.

Lerena, a former cruiserweight, hadn’t lost a fight since 2014. This was the 30-year-old’s fourth fight as a full-fledged heavyweight.