Teddy Atlas is selecting Sergiy Derevyanchenko to defeat unbeaten, extremely hyped Christian Mbilli of their conflict this Saturday evening on ESPN on the Videotron Centre in Quebec Metropolis, Canada.
Derevyanchenko’s Expertise a Key Issue
Atlas feels that the 2008 Olympian Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs) has an excessive amount of expertise for the #1 WBC and #2 WBA-ranked Mbilli (27-0, 23 KOs).
The 29-year-old Mbilli was born in Cameroon and moved to France in 2006. Like Edgar Berlanga, his promoters have matched him rigorously with out ever giving him a take a look at till now.
While you see stuff like that, it’s a crimson flag that the fighter is flawed as a result of promoters wouldn’t deliberately maintain an Olympian again till he’s pushing 30 earlier than stepping him up.
Mbilli getting damage by fringe contender Rohan Murdock final January was an indication that he’s not the fighter that followers had thought he was, which explains why his promoters have saved him within the gradual lane his whole profession.
Derevyanchenko has already been in fights in opposition to these gifted fighters to realize expertise after competing within the Olympics for Ukraine:
– Gennadiy Golovkin
– Jermall Charlo
– Jaime Munguia
– Carlos Adames
Does Derevyanchenko Have Sufficient left?
“He’s had a whole lot of powerful fights. I feel he could have overwhelmed GGG,” mentioned Teddy Atlas on his YouTube channel, discussing Sergiy Derevyanchenko’s combat in opposition to Gennadiy Golovkin in October 2019. “I like GGG, however he may need beat him.”
Many followers felt that Derevyanchenko deserved the win in opposition to Golovkin as a result of he was arguably dropped, however he might keep upright as a result of the referee held him up as he fell. Derevyanchenko continued to pound GGG and faculty him for the rest of the combat however wound up dropping on the scorecards in opposition to the favored fighter.
“He’s 38-years-old, Derevyanchenko. Right here’s what it comes all the way down to. What does he have left?” mentioned Atlas. “I don’t know. Is he shopworn just a little bit? Most likely. How a lot? As a result of if he’s to not a level the place it exhibits, he’ll take a look at Mbilli like he was a couple of fights in the past [against Rohan Murdock], however even better as a result of Derevyanchenko is a greater fighter than the one who examined him.”
Derevyanchenko’s efficiency in opposition to Jaime Munguia final June confirmed he has quite a bit left within the tank. He fought properly sufficient to deserve the victory.
The combat was determined when Derevyanchenko was dropped within the twelfth by a physique shot from Mungunia, however he nonetheless fought properly sufficient to deserve the win. The judges went with the youthful fighter, Munguia, and it’s comprehensible why. He had a big-money conflict in opposition to Canelo Alvarez at stake.
“He [Derevyanchenko] is healthier than that; he’s extra gifted than that,” mentioned Atlas. “Derevyanchenko isn’t an enormous puncher, however he doesn’t cease punching. He’s a punching machine. Mbilli is a punching machine. That’s why I say you bought to observe this.”
Derevyanchenko is a technical fighter with abilities that nearly all tremendous middleweights would die for, together with Canelo. His nickname, ‘The Technician,’ is for a motive. He’s an unimaginable expertise, and he’s not proven age like different fighters, which owes quite a bit to his technical means.
Atlas’ Prediction: Derevyanchenko Wins
“It ought to be a barnburner. It’s coming from Quebec, Canada; it’s a house sport for Mbilli. I’m going to take a shot that he’s not shot, Derevyanchenko. I’m going to take the shot that he’s not used up, that he’s bought sufficient left to outlive what Mbilli goes to throw at him, and he’s going to throw quite a bit at him,” mentioned Atlas.
Mbilli will bum-rush Derevyanchenko and attempt to bang him out with nonstop punches like he’s performed with all of the lower-level fighters his administration has matched him in opposition to throughout his professional profession. He might pay the worth if he fights like that in opposition to Derevyanchenko as a result of he’ll counter him and work him over with hooks and physique photographs.
