Headlining on August seventeenth at Le Centre Vidéotron du Québec. WBC Continental Americas super middleweight title on the line, eighth defense of the organization's top ranked contender M'billi. Derevyanchenko is WBC #7. A height advantage of ½″ for the Ukrainian-Brooklynite is offset by a 4½″ reach advantage for the Cameroonian-French-Canadian. Derevyanchenko has fought the far better opposition but has a reputation for never quite winning the big ones. M'billi remains professionally undefeated, and is nine years the younger man. They have one common opponent: Vaughn Deandre "The Animal" Alexander - both pitched a shutout UD against him; M'billi two years earlier. Derevyanchenko scored a KD in his.
Though it might be uncharitable to call SD shot, I think it's eminently fair to conclude his best days are long gone.
Mbilli is a physical beast, at this point I don't think Derevyanchenko has enough left to keep him off. I'll wait to see the odds and might place a bet on Mbilli
Derevyanchenko is too old and war torn at this point, and he’ll be up against a stronger, younger, and fresher fighter that’s also relentless. Most likely outcome would be M’billi coming out on top, but the question would be if SD still has enough fight left in him to give yet another valiant performance and making it a close fight. Hoping to see a yet another all out war. Win or lose Derevyenchenko always gives his all.
Mbilli intrigues me. For a guy with such an extensive amateur background, he sure doesn't fight like someone who's ever comfortable winning on points. Mbilli fights look like what movies think boxing looks like. He should beat Derev though. The pressure, volume, and pace will probably overwhelm an ageing Derevyanchenko and Mbilli will get him out of there sometime in the middle rounds imo.
This content is protected This content is protected This is his fight against Arlen Lopez in the Rio games. Very entertaining fight. Similar to the Khyzniak fight, where Lopez was up against a non-stop pressure fighter. I think Mbilli should win against Derev. Him versus Canelo in Japan would be quite the spectacle.
You are right he could have achieved more, but he will be remembered by purists as a true warrior who gave us a host of great fights