Pros Make Their Pick For Jermall Charlo-Sergiy Derevyanchenko Clash
Ahead of this weekend’s SHOWTIME PPV event (Saturday, September 26) notable trainers and boxers have given their thoughts on the two main events.
The night’s first card will be headlined by a clash between WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo (30-0, 22 KO) and the challenger for his crown Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KO).
Here is what people are saying about this weekend’s upcoming fight.
Fight Predictions
Shawn Porter, two-time welterweight champion
Charlo W 12: Jermall Charlo demonstrated in his fight with Matt Korobov that he has trouble with fighters who can move, box, and think in the ring. So that’s what he’s up against with Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Derevyanchenko lost two close fights to Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin, and it looked like he may have even beaten Golovkin. But in the end, I have Jermall winning this fight by a close decision.
Oleksandr Usyk, former undisputed cruiserweight champion, and current heavyweight contender
Derevyanchenko UD 12: Sergiy Derevyanchenko is our guy and has been waiting for a title opportunity like this for a long time. His experience gained against Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin have prepared him for victory over Jermall Charlo. Sergiy by unanimous decision.
Nonito Donaire, four-division world champion
Charlo W 12: Jermall Charlo gets in there and establishes that he is the ring general, which is key going into a fight with anybody. You put your feet in cement, and you claim the ring and make them adjust to what you’re doing.
Sergiy Derevyanchenko will bring the pressure, but Charlo is a very crafty fighter, and when he smells blood, he goes in on him, knowing how to work a fighter along the ropes and at the same time using the ring. I see him winning by a decision if not by knockout.
Jarrett Hurd, former unified super welterweight champion
Derevyanchenko UD 12: Sergiy Derevyanchenko had a really good fight against Gennadiy Golovkin, and, in fact, I thought he won. I think that he’ll carry that momentum into this fight with Jermall Charlo, winning a unanimous decision.
Erislandy Lara, WBA Super Welterweight Champion
Charlo UD 12: Sergiy Derevyanchenko likes to come forward, and I think that plays into Jermall Charlo’s hands, who has the power to keep him honest. I just think Jermall is the better fighter with the superior boxing skills, and he will come out victorious. Jermall by unanimous decision in a very entertaining fight.
Tony Harrison, former super welterweight champion
Charlo SD 12: Jermall Charlo will win based on his size in a tough fight similar to how Danny Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin did. I know Sergiy Derevyanchenko comes to fight, and I think it’s going to be Charlo’s most difficult fight to date, but I see him winning close, maybe by a split-decision.
Adam Kownacki, heavyweight contender
Draw: This is a difficult fight to pick, and I believe that it can go either way. I know both guys, and they’re each very tough, so I’ll say it’s going to end in a draw.
Danny Roman, former unified super bantamweight champion
Charlo SD 12: Sergiy Derevyanchenko looked very tough against Gennadiy Golovkin, and he really gave him some problems in a fight that a lot of people believe Golovkin lost.
Jermall Charlo will have Derevyanchenko applying pressure on him for the entire fight, but I believe that he will use his speed, height, and reach to win a split-decision.
Brandon Figueroa, Undefeated WBA Super Bantamweight Champion
Charlo TKO 10: Jermall Charlo’s going to want to go out there and perform at his best against Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Charlo has power in both hands, and he’s going to show it. I believe Charlo is going to stop Derevyanchenko by TKO in the 10th.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk, former light heavyweight champion
Derevyanchenko W 12: Sergiy Derevyanchenko has great stamina, great conditioning and applies a lot of pressure. I don’t believe that Jermall Charlo will be able to maintain a safe distance for the full 12 rounds.
I believe that Sergiy will be the one with his hands raised in the end, either by going the distance and applying constant pressure or winning by stoppage in the later rounds. But either way, I believe that the Ukraine is going to have another world champion.
Robert Guerrero, former three-time world champion
Charlo UD 12: I think that Jermall Charlo wins against an aggressive fighter in Sergiy Derevyanchenko, whose style plays right into Charlo’s. Derevyanchenko is a pressure fighter, and anytime you get someone who can box, work behind a jab and deliver power like Charlo can, I believe that makes Derevyanchenko an easier target. I see Charlo winning by unanimous decision.
Taras Shelestyuk, undefeated welterweight contender
Derevyanchenko KO: Sergiy Derevyanchenko versus Jermall Charlo will be a tough fight. Their two different styles make this fight a hard one for both boxers. I believe that Sergiy will get the victory, but he will need to stop Charlo by knockout or technical knockout. If the fight goes through all rounds, it will be difficult for Sergiy to get a victory on points.
Robert Garcia, trainer of four-division world champion Mikey Garcia
Charlo W 12: I believe that Jermall Charlo will win a decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a very good fight. Derevyanchenko will bring the pressure, but the game-changer is the skills that Charlo possesses, and I believe that he will use them to outbox Derevyanchenko.
Jamal James, interim WBA Welterweight Champion
Charlo W 12: Jermall Charlo is the stronger fighter, and he has more skill than Sergiy Derevyanchenko as far as speed and general ring savvy as well, so I feel as if it’s going to be a wide decision, if not a knockout win, for him.
Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar, featherweight contender
Derevyanchenko 12: It’s a tough fight for both Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Jermall Charlo. I know Derevyanchenko from the amateurs, and he will pull it off in this one. But I believe it’s a 50/50 fight. The best man will come out on top.
Sergey Lipinets, former super lightweight champion, and welterweight contender
Charlo TKO 8: Sergiy Derevyanchenko has a rugged style, and he’s coming off of a close loss to Gennadiy Golovkin, so we know he’s capable of giving people problems. But I’ve known Derevyanchenko for a long time, and he’s gotten busted up before, and Charlo places his punches really well.
So if Derevyanchenko gets caught by a big punch from Charlo in the middle of the fight, it’s going to get nasty, it’s going to be a wrap, and they are going to stop it on cuts in about the eighth round.
Charles Mooney, Olympic Silver Medalist, and trainer of Matt Korobov
Derevyanchenko W 12: Jermall Charlo is trained by Ronnie Shields, whom I believe is the best in the business. Charlo’s jab, combinations, reaction time, and defensive skills are excellent. But so are Sergiy Derevyanchenko’s, and he demonstrated against Gennadiy Golovkin that he has the abilities to dominate this fight.
Still, Charlo’s a hittable target, and it takes an aggressive guy like Derevyanchenko to beat him. Charlo doesn’t have the amateur international history that Derevyanchenko has, and Derevyanchenko can really fight, so I’m leaning toward him to win a close one by decision.
How do you see this fight unfolding?
