{"id":680294,"date":"2026-07-08T11:49:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T11:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/680294\/"},"modified":"2026-07-08T11:49:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T11:49:08","slug":"tony-bellew-says-former-heavyweight-champions-fight-was-the-low-point-of-2026-i-was-furious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/680294\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Bellew says former heavyweight champion’s fight was the low point of 2026: “I was furious”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tony Bellew<\/a> has admitted to feeling uncomfortable and furious, seemingly in equal measure, while watching 12 chaotic rounds between Deontay Wilder<\/a> and Derek Chisora<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n

The two heavyweight veterans squared off in April, entering their respective 50th professional outings, with Chisora insisting that this would be his last dance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Prior to their showdown, the Brit had claimed back-to-back points victories over Otto Wallin and Joe Joyce, perhaps indicating that he was enjoying something of a purple patch.<\/p>\n

Given the beatdown he endured against Tyson Fury in 2022, however, it could be said with certainty that, even back then, Chisora was far removed from his prime.<\/p>\n

But the same, of course, could be said of Wilder, who had suffered punishing defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang in 2023 and 2024, respectively.<\/p>\n

Much like with Chisora, though, many suspect that the American\u2019s third encounter with Fury \u2013 which resulted in a gruelling 11th-round stoppage defeat in 2021 \u2013 was what ultimately put him on a steep decline.<\/p>\n

Yet the 40-year-old nonetheless scored two knockdowns and defeated Chisora by split decision<\/a>, keeping himself in the mix for another lucrative opportunity.<\/p>\n

As for Chisora, former world champion Bellew has told BBC 5 Live Sport<\/a> that witnessing his close friend in Manchester was a particularly low point of 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout a shadow of doubt, the low point\u2019s Wilder and Derek. I wasn\u2019t comfortable. I didn\u2019t like it. I didn\u2019t like what I [saw].<\/p>\n

\u201c[Chisora\u2019s] gonna kick off at me; he\u2019s gonna go mad at me when he sees this, but I was furious on the night. That wasn\u2019t Derek Chisora in that ring.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Wilder, too, is well past his best, it seems the former WBC champion is nonetheless closing in on a clash with Oleksandr Usyk<\/a>.<\/p>\n