“HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO CALL HIMSELF MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION!”
Since turning pro in July 2014, former Ukrainian amateur standout Sergiy Derevyanchenko (9-0, 7KO’s) (32-1 including the World Series of Boxing) has let his fists do the talking for him in the ring, as he has climbed the rankings of the middleweight division at a blistering pace. Already rated #2 in the IBF world ratings, Derevyanchenko has looked absolutely sensational with each passing performance and is honing in on the opportunity to fight for his first world title. Upon hearing recent reports that the winner of the Gabriel Rosado-Willie Monroe Jr. bout this Saturday on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s world title match against Liam Smith, the usually quiet and well-mannered Derevyanchenko couldn’t help but voice his disgust with Canelo.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous. There is no other way to describe it,” said Derevyanchenko. “If you count the loss against J’Leon Love, Rosado is 2-5 in his last seven fights and has been stopped twice in that time. He has nine losses on his record in total. Monroe was absolutely dismantled by Golovkin and has a loss to Darnell Boone. With all due respect to Rosado and Monroe, I would beat them both on the same night. They could have a tag team match against me alternating rounds and it wouldn’t matter. If these are the fighters that you want to face, you should be ashamed to call yourself middleweight champion!”
Derevyanchenko had an astounding amateur career, which saw him compile a 390-20 record, as well as represent his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympics and win a bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships. Derevyanchenko also competed in the World Series of Boxing, where he posted a 23-1 overall record and was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. Derevyanchenko earned the number two ranking in the IBF in his last bout, when he obliterated former middleweight champion Sam Soliman, dropping him once in the first and twice more in the second before the referee mercifully called a halt to the contest. No other fighter had ever dominated Soliman in his career in such easy fashion, and it was only the second time he had ever been stopped.
Canelo’s next bout is tentatively scheduled for December 10, and Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo’s promoter, has said that they would like the fight to take place in New York. Derevyanchenko, who lives and trains in Brooklyn, would love the opportunity to take on the Mexican superstar in his adopted home of New York City.
“I would love to welcome Canelo here in New York, in his NYC debut. This is my adopted home and with his fan base and mine, it would make for a tremendous atmosphere,” stated Derevyanchenko.
Of course, the one fight that the boxing world wants to see is Canelo against GGG. Canelo has made it clear that that fight is not happening next. To this point, Canelo, like so many other middleweights, has done everything to avoid the fight with GGG, frustrating boxing insiders and fans alike. Derevyanchenko, though, is one fighter who is looking forward to and anticipating fighting the middleweight kingpin in the future.
“I would love the fight against GGG in the future. I have known GGG since his amateur days. He is a tremendous fighter and a world champion. Right now, he is the best that there is in the middleweight division, and that’s the crown I am aiming for. To be the best in this division, you have to beat him. I am number two in the IBF right now and GGG has that belt. I anticipate that I will be challenging for that belt in the not-so-distant future, and it would be an honor to share the ring with such a terrific fighter. Beating GGG makes me a superstar, and that’s what I am striving for.”