LONDON – David Haye knocked out Dereck Chisora in the fifth round of their all-British heavyweight fight at Upton Park on Saturday.
Five months after they brawled in Munich at a news conference, Haye put Chisora down for good with a left hook, but Haye (26-2, 24 KOs) was coming under severe pressure until the knockout in an exciting fight before 30,000.
The fight panned out as expected. Former world cruiserweight and heavyweight champ Haye had speed and a harder punch, while Chisora (15-4, 9 KO) used his extra 37 pounds to crowd Haye and land threatening blows.
They continued hitting after the bell in the second and third rounds, and Chisora avoided trouble in the fourth when Haye let up. In the decisive round, Chisora survived an eight count but another Haye left hook dropped Chisora and referee Luis Pabon waved it all over.
No world titles were at stake in the scheduled 10-rounder which was sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation because the British Boxing Board of Control wouldn't license either fighter after their antics in Munich.
The pair traded insults and blows after Chisora lost to WBC champion Vitali Klitschko on Feb. 19 and then taunted Haye during the post-match news conference over the loss of his world title.
The BBBC stripped Chisora of his license after the incident. Haye relinquished his license last year when he retired following the loss of his WBA title to Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's brother.
The dislike between Hayes and Chisora helped to attract a large crowd in London — more than attended the Lennox Lewis-Frank Bruno heavyweight title bout in 1993.
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