LONDON – Britain’s Tyson Fury roared out a challenge to rival heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine after retaining his World Boxing Council title with a savage 10th-round stoppage of compatriot Derek Chisora on Saturday.

Fury’s one-sided victory in front of 60,000 fans packing north London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a chilly December night completed a trilogy over a brave but outclassed 38-year-old opponent.

The “Gypsy King” had threatened “carnage” in the ring and he dominated from the opening bell, with Chisora repeatedly on the ropes and taking some punishing blows from his taller and heavier opponent.

Fury, 34, was popping in the jabs freely in the second round, with Chisora unsteady on his legs in the third when both fighters tumbled accidentally to the canvas.

“Total dominance,” said former World Boxing Association champion David Haye, commentating ringside for BT Sport after six rounds of pummelling.

Chisora’s right eye began to close up from the seventh, the challenger receiving attention at the end of the following rounds as the fight became a race between a stoppage and a knockout.

Chisora’s long-time trainer Don Charles was not about to throw in the towel, however, and it needed referee Victor Loughlin to step in – the Scot finally waving a halt with 10 seconds remaining in the 10th of the 12 scheduled rounds.

Fury took his unbeaten professional record to 33 wins and a draw as Chisora suffered a fourth defeat in his last five fights and 13th in 46 career bouts.

The champion also beat Chisora comfortably in their previous encounters in London in 2014 and 2011 and Saturday was really a filler before a much bigger potential fight next year, probably in Saudi Arabia.

“Where’s Oleksandr Usyk, the rabbit?,” Fury roared at the crowd.

The Briton then went face to face with the Ukrainian, the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO champion who had been watching from ringside and was booed by the crowd when his face appeared on the big screen.

“Hey rabbit, you’re next,” screamed Fury.

“Me and you... I’m going to write you off. I’ve already done one Ukrainian (Wladimir) Klitschko and I’ll do you as well. You ugly little man. Let’s get it on...

“Let’s give the fans one champion, one name, one face. He’s not an easy boxer to figure out, he’s slick, a southpaw, moves well, coming in on good form and I look forward to the challenge.”

Usyk smiled without replying.

Fury also took shots at Anthony Joshua, the London 2012 Olympic super heavyweight champion, after talks for a fight fell through, prompting the bout with Chisora.

“I want to fight real men, real challenges,” said Fury. “Usyk came over here and got in my face. We (Fury and Joshua) live in the same country but have you ever seen AJ do that after a fight?”

The war of words was in sharp contrast with Fury’s respect for his beaten friend, the pair touching gloves at the end of the eighth after another bruising round with Chisora again on the ropes and punched at will.

“I needed some rounds,” said Fury, whose last fight was a sixth-round stoppage of compatriot Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April. He had announced his retirement then but could not stay away for long.

“I felt good in there tonight, I was landing my jab and landed some good punches. I take nothing away from Del Boy ‘War’ Chisora. He’s an absolute warrior and it’s been a privilege to fight him three times,” he said.

“We’ve had three epic fights and what a tough man. I was hitting him with shots there that would knock anybody else spark out and he stood up to every one of them.”

Chisora thanked the referee for taking matters into his own hands. “As a fighter you don’t want to stop,” he said.

On a potential unification fight, promoter Frank Warren added: “Both Usyk and Joyce are huge fights but the one I want to see for my satisfaction is Usyk.

“I want Tyson to get what he should be – recognised as the best heavyweight in the world.”

But veteran United States promoter Bob Arum, now working with Warren after being involved in some of heavyweight great Muhammad Ali’s most celebrated bouts in the 1970s, had some words of warning for Fury as he referenced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Usyk is a Ukrainian and Ukrainians fight like no one else in the world, they are knocking the crap out of Russia,” said Arum.

REUTERS, AFP