Originally published January of 2019
Upon reflection, events we have attended can sometimes seem a little less special. In the case of a boxing match, some fights might be great live, but they’ll lack that same spark when viewed on TV. However, once in a while, you’ll get those big shows that manage to capture all the elements that make boxing so special, which makes you appreciate what a treat it was to be there live. Dillian Whyte vs. Dereck Chisora II was one of those shows.
Combat sports is more than just two people hitting one another, as David Haye said numerous times in the build-up to December 22nd; “it’s entertainment.” We want big fights, ones that have a narrative behind it. We also want to see emotional moments, controversy, violence, and people lying on the floor unconscious. The big end of year card at the O2 Arena in London had all of this and more.
One thing that was made abundantly clear during this event is how much boxing shows focus on one fight. When people order pay-per-views, it’s almost a tradition to switch on your tellies moments before the main event. Now having seen fans slowly make their way to their seats just before the main event, I can confirm that same “one fight” mentality exists whether people are at home or in an arena.
Halfway through Whyte/Chisora's undercard, empty seats were not hard to spot. In fact, it was only until Charlie Edwards vs. Cristofer Rosales started, one of the final three bouts of the night, that the O2 filled up. Unlike football matches and WWE shows, where fans want to watch every minute, for many boxing fans, it is all about one matchup, even for those that spend hundreds of pounds to be there live. It’s fascinating when you think one fight can last less than a minute, and yet, fans still choose to ignore hours of action for something that may not even last the full thirty-six minutes.
Early Bouts
Before the Sky broadcast began, less than a hundred people were in attendance to witness two interesting performances. The first, Dillian Whyte’s protégé Fabio Wardley, put on a dominant performance finishing Phil Williams with a barrage of punches. After only four years of boxing, Fabio possesses the kind of technique and power that will make him an exciting prospect for the heavyweight division. It’s worth noting that the few that were in attendance were very vocal in their support of Fabio. So perhaps we have a burgeoning superstar on our hands.
Hayemaker Boxing’s middleweight Linus Udofia did not leave us with that same feeling of having watched a potential superstar. Although, he may have given us a first in the sport. As Linus made his entrance for his eventual victory, he did it with WWE superstar The Undertaker’s theme song. And even though his win did not leave any jaws dropped, his walkout still provided some entertainment value early on.
Undercard
Unlike Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte’s rematch, the undercard got off to a slow start. Ryan Walsh started off by successfully defending his British featherweight title for a fifth time by defeating Reece Bellotti. Both men did very little in the early rounds, leaving an enthusiastic crowd waiting for a reason to scream and shout.
Walsh ultimately got going, controlling the pace of the fight, and negating Bellotti effectively. Despite a very loud woman screaming “Come on Reece!” every other minute, there was only so much Reece Bellotti could do. It was in fairness a decent opener.
This pay-per-view was focused on the big boys of boxing, as the main event had an Anthony Joshua sized carrot dangling in front of both men. But before that took place, David Price took on Tom Little in a fight that not only left everyone at the O2 Arena with a bitter taste in their mouth but was also the first time that night a referee took centre stage.
Tom put in a good showing for rounds one, two, and three. However, it only takes one shot to shift a fights momentum. Price was the more popular fighter, so when he had Little hurt in round four, fans were cheering him on. Unfortunately, before we even had a chance to see whether Tom had what it took to survive the onslaught, referee McCann stepped in. A loud chorus of boos came straight for McCann, and when we all saw the replay on the big screen, those boos only got louder. McCann’s decision unfairly made Price leave as somewhat of a bad guy. It also gave us that dose of controversy that we see so often in sports yet is particularly endemic in boxing.
Next up was Carlos Takam vs. Senad Gashi, and basing this off my own and other crowd members reactions, very few people knew Takam was on the card. The former champion’s appearance was a pleasant surprise, and his impressive knockout in the seventh round was the pick-me-up we all needed after the Price/Tom debacle.
There was a little something in each fight up until that point, some good moments, and some bad. But it was not until Charlie Edwards vs. Cristofer Rosales where the crowd really came alive. While the fight was very entertaining, the emotion surrounding the contest was what made this one special. Being there live you got to witness the loyalty of British fans. Charlie Edwards received fantastic support from his entrance to the final bell.
He was calculated and picked his spots perfectly throughout the fight. Although Rosales pushed forward and opened up a nasty gash on Charlie’s head, the Brit kept calm, landing every big shot during the twelve rounds. Overcoming adversity only justified Charlie becoming the new WBC flyweight champion.
His post-fight celebration and interview where he displayed genuine emotion made this moment truly special. Acknowledging his previous title loss, his mother’s health problems, it all made for a memorable experience. Everyone in the O2, whether you were a diehard, casual, or new fan appreciated witnessing this victory live and in-person. No matter what we do in life, that kind of joy and sense of accomplishment is something we all aspire to achieve, making Charlie Edwards win all the more relatable.
Every once in a while, we get these moments, and it’s a nice reminder that even in a gruesome sport like boxing happy endings do exist.
After this feel-good moment, a little fatigue set in amongst the crowd, which meant Joshua Beutsi’s impressive stoppage against Renold Quinlan felt like more of a nuisance because everyone was ready for ‘Del Boy’ and ‘The Body Snatcher’.
Looking back, seeing such an impressive performance from a promising talent was an enjoyable experience and one that might hold greater significance down the road. But even I might be guilty of being a little agitated because I, like everybody else, was ready for “WAR.”
“WAR”
There was a different buzz surrounding this rematch between Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte when compared to other big showdowns of 2018. Whether it was Anthony Joshua vs. Povetkin or Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder, there was a clear favourite, meaning the outcome of those fights was an important part of people’s overall experience. With Whyte and Chisora, even with loud “Oooohhhh, Dereck Chisora” chants ringing throughout the arena, it was clear that the only thing anyone wanted was a fight for the ages. I mean, after their first fight, could you blame us?
The realisation that the main event was next automatically boosted everyone’s energy, and singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ prior to both fighters making their walkouts was an experience in itself. The iconic song captures your enthusiasm, invoking a familial atmosphere and encouraging everyone to come together and share their excitement. Even the ridiculously drunk man in my row felt like kin for a brief moment.
As soon as the opening bell sounded, both men went at it, and within a matter of minutes, we all rose to our feet as Whyte landed a right hand that made Chisora wobble back to a corner. He made a statement early on by telling us all if anyone was walking out with a KO victory, it was ‘The Body Snatcher’.
As a live spectator, you demand nonstop action. Whyte and Chisora gave us that, and in return, we gave them everything we had. I lost count of how many “oohs,” “aahs,” and “f***s” came out of people’s mouths, not to mention the constant movement from myself and other fans as it felt like at any moment we could see something huge!
While our eyes were wide open after Whyte’s impressive start, I can assure you they only grew wider when we saw this newly invigorated Dereck Chisora go to work. Round after round, his momentum grew, and his beautiful body shots would have put down a lesser man. Of course, his opponent is no ordinary man, and as the fight wore on, people in the O2 were sure this was going to a judge’s decision. On more than one occasion, they exchanged heavy blows where we not only saw the sweat fly off, but we could even hear the gloves connecting. We were all blown away that round one was the only sign of someone hitting the mat.
Unfortunately for Chisora, a referee once again made an unpopular decision. In fairness, you could see a couple of Chisora’s shots went below the belt. So his first point deduction was fair, even if everybody was booing. The elbow, however, was difficult to spot, which meant his second point deduction was an extremely unpopular decision. Hearing those boos, people there would have to agree Eddie Hearn was no longer London’s top antagonist.
With a second point deduction, naturally, we all assumed it was going to have an impact on the outcome. However, a knockout was the furthest thing from our minds. Once Chisora was free from the referee’s clutches, he knew it was all or nothing, so he began to throw caution to the wind. Giving Whyte an opportunity to unleash a vicious left hook. As Chisora hit the mat, we jumped to our feet in unison, and just as we got up together, all of us in attendance sat back down seconds later as the realisation hit, “fights over.”
One could debate whether a second point deduction was fair, especially considering Dillian Whyte got off scot-free when he threw a punch after the ref called for a break. But once Anthony Joshua stepped on the apron to square off with Whyte and a rematch was discussed, I think we all came to a conclusion that this outcome was a good one. Whyte continues to improve while also possessing a style capable of troubling any elite heavyweight. His left hook not only gave us a stunning conclusion to this chapter of his career but also allowed this cycle of young fighters taking over to continue.
All in all, as a member of the live crowd, I can say we more than got our money's worth because the show genuinely had it all. A main event that was reminiscent of Hagler vs. Hearns, a new champion emerged, and the results also set up future bouts for us to look forward too. Whyte is in the mix with the big names of the division, while a rematch with Takam might be on the cards for Chisora as the Frenchman called him out after his win. If there’s anything to take away from this piece, it is that one cannot deny Eddie Hearn’s ability to produce a great show. He gave us a “WAR,” and a beautiful night of boxing.
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