Joseph Parker overcame a first-round knockdown to defeat Derek Chisora by a split decision following a brutal heavyweight boxing battle in Manchester on Saturday night.

The New Zealander had a disastrous start, hitting the canvas in the opening seconds, but Parker showed grit along with his classy combinations to secure victory with tallies of 115-113 and 116-111, while Zimbabwe-born British boxer Chisora received a score of 115-113.

Chisora ruled out retirement and called for an immediate rematch after his split decision points loss to Parker in Manchester.

Chisora (37) felt aggrieved by the scoring and said: "I'm beyond getting upset now. It's difficult. I train hard. I put pressure on, this is the treatment I get from boxing.

"I was bringing it. I was doing more power punches and inside work. I won't let them slow me down. I will go again. I will not let them win. They want to see me retiring but I am not yet."

Chisora struggled to contain his frustration, insisting that Parker should grant him a second fight.

"This is horrible," said Chisora.

"I train hard every day, I give everything in the gym, and when I put it all in there, these are the results I get.

"But Joe said he wants to give me a re-match. If he wants to give me a re-match, I'll take the rematch easy, but this is unbelievable. I won the fight, even his coach Andy Lee said I won the fight."

Derek Chisora Calls Split Decision

Lee responded: "After the fight, Joseph Parker came back and said, "I'm not sure I'm going to get this."

"We will give you a re-match. We'll have to do a re-match straight away."

Parker also welcomed a return bout by saying: "We could do it next fight."

The former WBO champion admitted that he had to overcome a ferocious early assault from Chisora to keep alive his hopes of receiving another world title shot.

"Derek is a very tough opponent," said Parker.

"He came forward, put pressure on me from the beginning. Threw big bombs and landed a lot.

"The boxing skills won me some rounds towards the end. It was a very close fight. I thought it could go either way, and I'm very thankful and blessed to get the win today.

"He brought the smoke. If you want to feel it, jump in the ring with him.

"It's very achievable (another world title fight). I just have to get back to training. There's a lot of things I have to work on."

Chisora had been convinced by his mother to go ahead with the fight, amid a row over the ring walks, although his desire for battle could not be questioned in a dramatic opening round.

Parker was floored after just seven seconds by a clubbing right hand from a rampant Chisora.

Source - SkySports.