By: Sean Crose
In a classic battle between a seasoned veteran and a rising star, Sergiy Derevyachenko takes on Christian Mbilli in front of ESPN cameras on Saturday night in Montreal. The 15-5 Derevyanchenko, who has failed in multiple attempts to win a world title, is looking to be considered a force once again. Mbilli, on the other hand, is looking to prove he’s the real deal after amassing a 27-0 record. The fight is scheduled for 10 rounds at super middleweight.
Using excellent footwork and aggression, Mbilli immediately began to stalk his older opponent (Derevyanchenko is nearly a decade older than his younger opponent) in the first round. Some sharp shots to the body ensured the opening chapter belonged to Mbilli. The second round saw Mbilli cut the ring off effectively while landing well on him. Derevyanchenko certainly fought the fight, but it was clear that Mbilli was the stronger and sharper of the two fighters.
Derevyanchenko did better in the third round, occasionally disrupting Mbilli’s rhythm with straight punches and clean combinations. But did he do enough to win the bout? The two fighters traded blows in the fourth, setting up an interesting chapter. With that said, the ESPN broadcast team noted that Derevyanchenko was only throwing right hands. However, Derevyanchenko held his ground and even threw a left hand in the fifth. Indeed, the man had real success against Mbilli. However, towards the end of the round, Mbilli was throwing vicious punches at Derevyanchenko.
Mbilli was able to get through the sixth round by constantly attacking his man with tight shots. However, the seventh round was a surprise, as Derevyanchenko appeared to have hurt Mbilli. And while Mbilli seemed to have weathered the storm, there is no denying that Derevyanchenko can still be a dangerous opponent as he approaches his forties. However, that did not stop Mbilli from knocking Derevyanchenko out at the bell.
The eighth round began with a slip from Drevyanchenko. The veteran got back to his feet, but his team admitted to ESPN that Derevyanchenko was essentially fighting with one hand. The former world title contender continued to fight aggressively, but it was clear that he was losing to his younger, stronger opponent. By the ninth round, Derevyanchenko deserved credit for choosing to fight against what had become nearly insurmountable odds.
However, it was Mbilli who emerged victorious in the tenth and final round, and he was later rewarded with a deserved victory by a unanimous decision from the judges.
