By Agencies

LONDON: Derek Chisora (39) picked up a unanimous decision victory in a gruelling contest against Gerald Washington that once again proved that boxing is a young man’s sport.

Chisora (34-12, 23 KOs) had to contend with a nasty cut by his right eye from early in the fight, but his aggression was enough to see him win by scores of 98-93, 97-94 and 96-94.

After being stopped in 10 rounds by Fury in December 2022, Saturday’s win puts Chisora in line possibly for a fight on the undercard of Joshua-Wilder in Saudi Arabia.

Chisora, who has lived in north London since he moved from Zimbabwe in childhood, has won as many as he has lost in recent years, and despite being slower than he was, his relentless aggression still produces good results like this one.

Washington (20-6-1, 13 KOs), from California, has now lost four of his past five fights but he produced some good moments.

Chisora, who walked to the ring with his two young daughters, was quickly on the front foot and a right hand briefly unsteadied Washington in the first round.

But Chisora was left bleeding from a cut around the right eye caused by a clash of heads early in the second round and, as the blood began to flow, he was caught by an uppercut.

Washington, 41, who lasted five rounds against Wilder for the WBC world title in 2017, began to find more opportunities to land in the third round as Chisora’s work became ragged.

Chisora absorbed a straight left in the fourth round as Washington picked counter shots, but Chisora responded with a big fifth round. Chisora’s aggression got him back in the fight, and in the sixth he caught Washington with a big right hand.

But Washington finished the seventh on top, when he landed a left while on the ropes before the fight swung back to Chisora in the later rounds.