By Matt Lieberman: Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs) is ready to send Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) down to another crushing defeat tonight when the two talented middleweights square off on DAZN for the vacant IBF belt. Derevyanchenko has been carrying himself like a winner all week long. It’s as if he’s the champion already, and Golovkin the challenger.
Derevyanchenko’s trainer Andre Rozier has obviously spotted a flaw in Golovkin’s armor that he believes they can exploit tonight. Take your pick what that flaw could be. Golovkin’s defense has been porous recently, and his hand speed has slowed.
Golovkin wanted Canelo trilogy fight on DAZN
This isn’t the fight that DAZN, Golovkin and the boxing world wanted, but it’s what they’re left with after Saul Canelo Alvarez balked at facing GGG on September 14. For whatever reasons, Canelo didn’t wish to fight Golovkin, and chose another path for his next fight by negotiating to challenge WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev on November 2.
2008 Olympian Derevyanchenko isn’t at all intimidated by Golovkin one bit. He sees what a lot of boxing fans see in Golovkin with him beginning to look beatable at age 37. Although the power is still there for Golovkin, his speed, timing and reflexes have taken a big hit.
Banks notes how confident Derevyanchenko is looking
“Sergiy is like super confident walking around here, and ready to go,” said Golovkin’s trainer Johnathon Banks to Fighthype in talking about Derevyanchenko. “This is going to be an awesome fight. “He does have an awesome worth ethic, but he’s naturally 160,” said Banks about GGG. “So when you’re naturally 160, you don’t have to fight too hard to make the weight.
“Not too many people have turned down from fighting him [Golovkin], but GGG has never ducked or dodged anybody that wants to fight him, and they come to the table, and make some kind of agreement. My only argument is when people say, ‘why hasn’t he fought all these people?’, then you have no idea what these people disagreed to not to make the fight. No one has any idea. So as far as I’m concerned, he’s [GGG] never ducked or dodged anybody,” said Banks.
Derevyanchenko, 33, is fighting Golovkin at the perfect time. GGG has faded just enough for him to be vulnerable to fighters like Derevyanchenko, and he might be in trouble tonight. Golovkin is used to crushing his opponents with his power. He couldn’t do that in his fights against Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs, and he likely won’t be able to against Derevyanchenko. If GGG doesn’t have a Plan-B to fall back on tonight, he could be sent sputtering down to his second career defeat. Derevyanchenko has the talent to give Golovkin his first true defeat.
GGG is excited about Derevyanchenko fight
“He’s coming to fight,” said Banks of Derevyanchenko. He’s coming to go blow for blow. I think it’s awesome. GGG is looking forward to it. He’s very excited about the fight. When this is a lifestyle for you, you have no issues. Every day is a good day. It’s as simple as 1-2-3. GGG is the most fierce fighter. GGG is the better fighter. In every aspect you can go, you can check off all the good spots for GGG except for one spot. They say, ‘Well, who’s the youngest?’ Okay, he’s the youngest.
“Everywhere else it’s GGG. That’s the whole point of me being here on this journey,” said Banks when asked how Golovkin can get his his lost IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles. “When I seen him I said, ‘Let’s go get these titles back.’ We’re here and when we leave New York, GGG will leave with the titles. That’s the whole reason we come here. Don’t get me wrong; we love New York. We love being here, but the main reason we’re here is not just to visit. It’s to come and get what’s rightfully his, and we can go back,” said Banks.
Derevyanchenko isn’t going to stand still so that Golovkin can hit him with his best power shots. He didn’t do that in his fights with Tureano Johnson or Jacobs. Derevyanchenko will be using movement to limit the amount of shots Golovkin hits him with. If Derevyanchenko gets inside on Golovkin, he could give him problems tonight.
Fight day 🥊 pic.twitter.com/UkPxfxlHhv
— Gennadiy Golovkin (@GGGBoxing) October 5, 2019
