Former WBC heavyweight champion looks to build on consecutive win with high-profile bout at O2 Arena in first Misfits Pro event
Deontay Wilder is back. The former WBC heavyweight champion announced Friday that he will face Derek Chisora on April 4 at London’s O2 Arena in the headline bout of Misfits Boxing’s first professional event. The fight will stream live on DAZN, marking Wilder’s return to the United Kingdom for the first time in 12 years and his second consecutive victory as he attempts to rebuild his career after one of the roughest stretches of his professional life.
Wilder, 40, carries a record of 44-4-1 with 43 knockouts. Those numbers tell two very different stories. He started his career 42-0-1, an extraordinary run of dominance that established him as one of the most feared heavyweight punchers in boxing. Then came 2020, and everything changed. From 2020 to 2024, Wilder went 1-4, a devastating collapse that included back-to-back knockout losses to Tyson Fury, knockout losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, and a knockout win over Robert Helenius that provided a rare bright spot during his dark period.
That 1-4 stretch represents the reality of professional boxing at the highest level even the most talented fighters can fall from grace. Even a former champion can find himself questioning whether he still has what it takes. For Wilder, those four years were a journey through doubt, defeat, and the struggle to find his way back.
But he’s been working his way back. In June, Wilder knocked out Tyrrell Herndon, a victory that suggested he might still have something left in the tank. Now, with the Chisora fight, he’s taking a significant step up in competition. Chisora is a legitimate heavyweight who has faced some of the best fighters of this generation.
“The Bronze Bomber” is looking to establish himself as a genuine heavyweight threat again, not just another aging former champion trying to cash checks. The April 4 fight represents his opportunity to do that against a formidable opponent who respects the weight class and the sport.
When Experience Meets Opportunity
Chisora brings credibility to this matchup. The 42-year-old veteran carries a record of 36-13 with 23 knockouts. He’s not a household name, but he’s faced elite competition throughout his career. He went toe-to-toe with Oleksandr Usyk, one of the best heavyweight fighters on the planet. He’s fought Joseph Parker, Dillian Whyte, and Vitali Klitschko a murderer’s row of heavyweight talent. More recently, he’s won three consecutive fights against Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce, and Otto Wallin since losing by knockout to then-WBC heavyweight champion Fury in 2022.
That win-streak matters. It suggests Chisora has found a rhythm and is performing well. He’s not coming into this fight as a desperate filler opponent. He’s coming in as someone who’s won his last three fights and believes he belongs in the conversation with top-tier heavyweights.
For Wilder, fighting Chisora is a calculated move. It’s not an easy fight, but it’s also not fighting someone at Usyk’s level. It’s a step up from Herndon that allows Wilder to test himself against proven competition while still being winnable. That’s the kind of matchup that separates genuine comeback attempts from just collecting paychecks.
The Return to England
The location adds another layer of significance. Wilder hasn’t fought in the United Kingdom since 2013, when he faced Audley Harrison. That’s 12 years. For a fighter of Wilder’s stature, that’s an extraordinary gap. The O2 Arena is one of the most prestigious venues in boxing, and performing there against a worthy opponent represents a statement that Wilder still belongs at heavyweight’s highest levels.
This isn’t a fighter being exiled to some secondary venue. This is a high-profile announcement on a major streaming platform in one of the world’s premier boxing destinations. Misfits Boxing is putting significant resources behind Wilder’s comeback, which suggests they believe he can still draw an audience and still compete at a level that matters.
The April 4 date gives Wilder roughly two months to prepare. That’s sufficient time for a fighter of his experience to get sharp for a significant bout. It’s time to train, to refocus, and to remind the heavyweight division that Deontay Wilder, even at 40, is still capable of being dangerous.
Whether he can actually compete with the elite of the heavyweight division remains to be seen. Usyk and Fury have clearly moved beyond him. But against Chisora, with the right preparation and the right mindset, Wilder has a genuine opportunity to prove that his comeback is real and not just a nostalgia tour.
