Dillian Whyte knocks out Dereck Chisora in a remarkable night for boxing

Dillian Whyte knocks out Dereck Chisora in a remarkable night for boxing. About 90 minutes after knocking out Derek Chisora in the 11 round of their rematch, Dillian Whyte walked unassumingly into a hotel bar a stone’s throw from The O2 Arena that he’d helped ignite.

At first, wearing a cap and big coat, with head slightly bowed, he went unnoticed. But quickly a murmur spread and he was asked for photos and engaged in conversation. He obliged, no braggadocio. In fact, he kept saying “thank you,” in hushed and humble tones - to the fans and media people socialising and unwinding after a pulsating clash. He seemed fresher than most assembled and we’d just been watching!

A few had had a few so what would normally be whispers of, "wow, he doesn’t look like he’s been touched, no swelling,” were audible across the room.

He walked past me and said, “thanks for everything you’ve done this year.” I took this as a reference to me attempting to draw people’s attention to the Body Snatcher’s extraordinary story of disadvantage, resilience, redemption and achievement. The toddler left by his mother at two years old in Jamaica. The boy who came to South London, became a father at 13, was shot and stabbed before finding salvation in first kickboxing then boxing.

The novice boxer whose career was suspended after a banned substance was found in his system. The fighter who rattled his teenage nemesis Anthony Joshua at British level, but found himself on the canvas. He was out in the cold in career terms three years ago.

Now, a 30-year-old man on the cusp of world title tilts in 2019 after rebuilding with nine straight wins from that shuddering loss at the The 02 in December 2015.

Billed the brawl to settle it all, Dillian Whyte’s flashing and thunderous left hook that left Derek Chisora prone on the canvas settled many things. The beef between Brixton’s Whyte and Finchley’s Chisora, settled. They sat and talked together backstage.

Any dispute over who’s the premier contender to the heavyweight division’s towering top three of Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, settled. Whyte’s at the front of the queue. Following on the back of big wins against Lucas Browne and Joseph Parker it capped an impressive 2018.

The nature of the performance settled too any debate over Whyte’s class and skillset. The 2016 match in Manchester was an epic encounter, but somewhat of a slug fest. Both men shipped so many shots in an unrefined battle. But no so Saturday night. It was refined and designed from Whyte.

Some ringside wondered what Whyte was doing in the first round when he clearly hurt Chisora, but declined to follow up and chase an early finish. Whyte’s most bitter rival, Joshua was commentating ringside for Sky and pondered aloud whether Chisora might make the younger man pay.

He nearly did. Despite two points deductions and the cleaner work seemingly coming from Whyte, two of the three judges ringside had Chisora up by a point at the time of the stoppage - the other, Whyte leading by one. It’s not wild to suggest another contentious and complicating draw might have been in the offing had it gone the distance.

If it had, Whyte may have been criticised for choosing to box at range. To move. To jab. To not engage in the same blood and thunder of the first fight. In contrast to the marauding Chisora, who marched forward relentlessly swinging hooks to the body, Whyte seemed cooly detached at times, keeping his powder a little too dry.

Chisora, who turns 35 December 29, looked to have reaped the rewards of the nutritional and fitness plan implemented by his former, foe turned manager David Haye. The body was muscled and glistened under the lights in a way we hadn’t seen before in his 12-year career. Chisora keen to capitalise on his shot at the big time that came about