By Jim Dower: In a predictable outcome, 2008 Olympian Sergiy Derevyanchenko (9-0, 7 KOs) remained unbeaten in stopping 42-year-old former IBF middleweight champion Sam Soliman (44-14, 18 KOs) in the 2nd round on Thursday night in an IBF title eliminator bout at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
The Derevyanchenko vs. Soliman fight was televised on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN. Derevyanchenko, #4 IBF, knocked #8 IBF Soliman down three times in the fight. Derevyanchenko dropped Soliman once in round one and two more times in the 2nd round. The fight was halted after the second knockdown in round 2.
Derevyanchenko dropped Soliman with a left to the head early in round two. Soliman was hurt from the shot and he scurried away to the ropes where Derevyanchenko quickly caught up to him. Derevyanchenko then nailed Soliman with two clubbing right hands to the head followed by a big left hook that dropped Soliman down on his back on the canvas. Referee Johnny Callas then stopped the fight at 2:41 of the round.
Soliman has had knee problems in the last couple of years. He had two surgeries on his right knee. Despite the surgeries, Soliman’s knee did not look stable tonight, as he fell several times while moving around the ring and dealing with exchanges from the younger, stronger 30-year-old Derevyanchenko.
For Soliman, this was his third straight defeat in the last two years. It’s unclear why the International Boxing Federation had Soliman ranked #8 with their organization, because with two straight losses coming into the fight, he probably shouldn’t have been ranked at all in the top 15.
Soliman hadn’t fought in over a year since losing to Dominic Wade by a 10 round split decision in June 2015. Before that fight, Soliman had lost to Jermain Taylor by a 12 round unanimous decision in October 2014. Taylor knocked Soliman down four times in that fight.
The win for Derevyanchenko locks him in as the IBF mandatory challenger to IBF middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. Derevyanchenko is a good fighter, but he’s not in the class to where he would have a chance of beating a talented guy like Golovkin. We can’t know how good Derevyanchenko is from tonight’s fight due to Soliman’s advanced age and his knee problems.
About the best that Derevyanchenko can hope for against Golovkin is maybe being able to go the distance with him. I doubt that Derevyanchenko will be able to hang with Triple G. At 30, Derevyanchenko isn’t all that young despite having been a pro for just two years since 2014. Derevyanchenko spent a great deal of time in the amateur ranks, and that’s why he got a late start on his career.
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In other results on the card, unbeaten #8 WBC middleweight contender and 2012 Olympian Ievgen Khytrov (14-0, 12 KOs) defeated Paul Mendez (19-3-2, 9 KOs) by a 9th round stoppage. Khytrov battered Mendez with heavy shots until the referee stepped in to stop the fight at 1:20 of the round. Khytrov looked powerful but very slow of hand and feet.
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Other action on the card:
‘Marvelous’ Mykey Williams UD 4 Issac Johnson
Alantez Fox TKO 6 Paul Valenzuela, Jr.