The friendly relationship between longtime heavyweight contenders Deontay Wilder and Dereck Chisora will be put aside when they meet in the ring on April 4 at the O2 Arena in London.
Despite their mutual respect outside the ring, Wilder says he expects nothing less than total war when the opening bell rings in their DAZN Pay-Per-View main event. Speaking with The Ring, the former WBC champion made his mindset clear. “I’ve already told him, ‘I want you to try to kill me, you understand me?’”
Wilder emphasized that the two fighters remain friends but believes the best fights happen when both competitors are willing to fully commit once the fight begins. “We can be friends on the outside, but when it’s time to fight, we’re gonna turn that off.”
The American knockout artist said that mentality is necessary to bring out the best performance from both fighters.
Wilder Looking to Rebuild Momentum
Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) remains one of the most devastating punchers in heavyweight history. The Alabama native held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020, making ten successful defenses before losing the belt to Tyson Fury in their 2020 rematch.
After a difficult stretch that saw him lose four of five fights, Wilder bounced back with a seventh-round stoppage of Tyrrell Herndon in June, giving him renewed momentum heading into the Chisora fight.
Chisora’s Final Fight
For Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs), the bout is expected to be the final fight of his long career.
The British veteran has shared the ring with many of the division’s elite, including:
-
Oleksandr Usyk
-
Joseph Parker
-
Agit Kabayel
Despite several close losses to top contenders, Chisora has enjoyed a late-career resurgence and enters the fight on a three-fight win streak, most recently defeating Otto Wallin in February 2025.
Respect After the War
Even with the brutal tone ahead of the fight, Wilder insists the respect between the two fighters will remain. He believes sharing the ring will actually strengthen their friendship. “When you fight your friend… your relationship is even stronger.”
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
