This Saturday night from Quebec City, Christian Mbilli takes on his toughest test to date, Sergiy Derevyanchenko. This event will be live on ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes. Mbilli is one of the most active boxers in the sport at the contender level. Saturday’s main event is the perfect time to take another step on the ladder of Super Middleweight. The headliner is a ten-round bout with Osleys Iglesias vs. Sena Agbeko and Makhmudov vs. Vinaello on the undercard.
This will be Mbilli’s 8th fight since 2022 and his 3rd fight this year so he should be primed and ready to go. Fighting in the country north of the America’s border, the Frenchman has built a nice face base. Christian’s style is fan-friendly, no doubt. He will be pushed to the limit, fighting an experienced contender. Mbilli’s exciting style may be chicken fodder for a skilled boxer such as Serigy. Will that face-first, wide-swinging aggression be just what the doctor ordered for Derevyanchenko?
15-5 as a pro is a very misleading record for Mbilli’s opponent. Sure, Derevyanchenko has won just three times since 2018, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story. He lost to Daniel Jacobs via split decision. Many thought he did enough to earn a victory over Gennadiy Golovikin. Another loss to Carlos Adames came by majority decision. Jaime Munguia needed a late body punch to seal the deal last summer. The only guy to beat him widely is Jermall Charlo in 2020. Charlo’s power jab controlled the fight but Sergiy still managed to get his licks in.
This boxing podcaster believes Derevyanchenko’s heart, chin, and solid fundamentals give him a legitimate chance to pull the upset. The experience of facing so many quality boxers, even on the short end of the stick, is priceless. Sergiy is no longer in his prime, and we all know a boxer can grow old overnight. That said, the shorter, more accurate punches during what should be numerous exchanges are a recipe for victory.
Regardless if Sergiy is over the hill, this boxing junkie will give Mbilli full credit if he can score a stoppage. Don’t get me wrong, Derevyanchenko will have to walk through hell and dig deep to overcome adversity that is undoubtedly coming his way. In a dog fight featuring back-and-forth action throughout, Sergiy will find a way to change the battle in his favor for good with cleaner shots. From a gambling perspective, one can still get a plus number for Mbilli by decision, around +450 and above for Sergiy via Decision, and -123 for the fight to go the distance, which is also a good bet.
My Official Prediction is Sergiy Derevyanchenko by Split-Decision.
PODCAST LINK: http://tobtr.com/12362213
Side Note: Watch for the return of one of the hottest prospects in boxing, Abdullah Mason, on the prelims.
Written by Chris Carlson, Host/Producer of The Rope A Dope Radio Podcast Available at www.blogtalkradio.com/ropeadoperadio Follow on Twitter @RopeADopeRadio
