Sergiy Derevyanchenko addresses the media throughout Aug. 15 press convention in Quebec Metropolis, Canada. Photograph credit score: Mikey Williams, Prime Rank
Historical past means that Sergiy Derevyanchenko should accept the function of high-profile sidekick.
It’s simply not a destiny able to be accepted by the three-time title challenger.
A frightening activity awaits the Brooklyn-based Ukrainian, who faces unbeaten high tremendous middleweight contender Christian Mbilli. Their scheduled 12-round contest headlines an ESPN present this Saturday from Videotron Centre in Quebec Metropolis, Canada.
“As quickly as I heard about this combat, I made a decision I used to be going to signal,” Derevyanchenko insisted throughout Thursday’s closing pre-fight press convention. “That is the primary man.”
Mbilli (27-0, 23 knockouts) is The Ring’s No. 1-rated tremendous middleweight contender. The one fighter above him at 168 is RING, WBC, WBA and WBO champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs).
Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs) has been right here earlier than and has nearly all the time fallen brief.
All 5 profession defeats have come inside his previous eight fights, three for a significant title. He pushed Daniel Jacobs—his longtime stablemate—to the brink of their Oct. 2018 IBF middleweight title combat.
One 12 months later, many felt he deserved the nod over Gennadiy Golovkin with the identical title at stake of their 2019 Combat of the 12 months-level slugfest.
One other Combat of the 12 months entry noticed Derevyanchenko come simply brief versus then-unbeaten Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) final June. Their bout was honored by the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America (BWAA) as the perfect combat of 2023.
Now, it’s time for the 38-year-old gatekeeper to recover from the hump.
“Each combat that I’ve had has helped me get this chance,” insisted Derevyanchenko, who defeated Vaughn Alexander on April 20 in Brooklyn. “I’m prepared for an aggressive combat. I’ve seen him combat. He’s robust. He’s aggressive. However I’m prepared.”
Mbilli has been on a roll, whilst they proceed to advance his competitors. His final combat to go the space was in a ten-round choice over Carlos Gongora final March in Montreal.
Three straight knockout wins have adopted. Included amongst them was a 40-second blitzing of England’s Mark Heffron in his most up-to-date outing on Might 25 in Shawningan, Canada. The Cameroon-born, France-raised boxer has steadily confirmed himself each on the professional and novice stage. He superior to the 2016 Rio Olympic quarterfinals and is now on the doorstep of a significant title combat with a win on Saturday.
In contrast to Mbilli’s prior opponents, Derevyanchenko is set to show he’s extra than simply the following cease on that journey.
“My expertise is a bonus,” insists Derevyanchenko, who was 370-20 as an novice and represented Ukraine in 2008 Beijing. “It has helped me. And we are going to see what occurs.”
