NEW YORK CITY — In the main event from Madison Square Garden, Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (40-1-1, 35KO) scored a unanimous decision (114-113, 115-112×2), edging past Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10KO) to recapture the IBF middleweight title he once owned in an all action Fight of the Year candidate streamed live on DAZN.
It was a bombs-away affair from the get-go and similar to Dervenyanchenko’s title fight against Daniel Jacobs, the Ukranian came out of cold and was caught and dropped by a Golovkin right on the top of the head midway through the first round. GGG carried his momentum into the second round and landed a vicious lead left hook that opened a nasty gash over Derevyanchenko’s right eye that immediately sent blood running down the 33 year-old’s face.
Perhaps spurred on by a sense of urgency brought on by the cut, Derevyanchenko stepped up pressure in the third round and started taking the fight to Golovkin, committing heavy shots to the 37 year-old’s body which immediately started to pay dividends.
Credit Derevyanchenko’s cutman, Mike Bazzel, who worked on the gruesome cut round after round, and did a good enough job to satisfy the ringside physicians who continually inspected the Ukranians eye throughout the fight.
Derevyanchenko noticeably hurt Golovkin for the first time in the fight late into the fifth with a left hook to the liver that produced a wince from GGG and sent him backpedaling in retreat. The following round witnessed Golovkin sucking wind, breathing deeply through his mouth, while the bloody Derevyanchenko applied more pressure.
After dropping the early-middle rounds, Golovkin dug in in the seventh and rallied, landing huge left hooks that targeted the worsening cut over Derevyanchenko’s eye.
The eight and ninth played host to wild exchanges where both fighters were willing to take punches to land their own shots.
But in the tenth, a surefire Round of the Year candidate, Derevyanchenko came out of his corner guns-a-blazin’ and wailed away on GGG, who found himself in a world of hurt. But the Kazakh once again found something within himself, withstood Derevyanchenko’s onslaught, and scored with his own huge shots as the round progressed.
The championship rounds witnessed back and forth action with GGG besting Derevyanchenko during the most meaningful exchanges.
At the end of twelve, judge Kevin Morgan scored the bout 114-113 and both Eric Marlinski and Frank Lombardi had it 115-112, all for Golovkin. 15Rounds.com also scored it 115-112.
Golovkin now reclaims ownership to the IBF world title he once held and the one that rival Saul “Canelo” Alvarez was stripped of earlier this year after Alvarez and Golden Boy Promotions failed to make a fight with Dereveyanchenko, the IBF mandatory challenger, by a set deadline.
Tonight marked the second fight GGG worked with trainer Jonathan Banks in his corner. Banks entered the picture after Golovkin and longtime trainer Abel Sanchez went through an ugly public divorce earlier this year.
For Derevyanchenko, tonight marked the second straight fight he had his longtime trainer, Andre Rozier operating as his corner’s chief second. Derevyanchenko, who is co-trained by Rozier and Gary Stark, was forced to split from Rozier and work solely with Stark for his title clash with Daniel Jacobs, who is also trained by Rozier. It was the second time the Ukranian came up short in a title bout, the other being to Jacobs earlier this year.
It was Golovkin’s second consecutive fight and fifth overall inside the main room at the “World’s Most Famous Arena”, where he’s amassed a record of (4-0, 3KO). He last fought at the Garden in June when he knocked out Steve Forbes in 4 rounds.
Golovkin’s lone defeat remains his controversial MD defeat to Canelo Alvarez in 2018. The two rivals also fought to a draw in 2017 in a fight that many believe Golovkin deserved to win.
Madrimov Batters Barrera En Route To 5th Round TKO
In the co-feature from Madison Square Garden, unbeaten Uzbeki junior middleweight Israil “The Dream” Madrimov (4-0, 4KO) destroyed Mexican veteran Alejandro Barrera (29-6, 18KO), scoring a fifth round TKO in a contest initially slated for ten rounds.
Madrimov, 24, set the tone early when he landed a leaping left hook that floored Barrera early in the first. Instead of headhunting the foggy Barrera, Madrimov make a conscious effort to batter Barrera’s body for the remainder of the opening round.
Madrimov, who is one of a seemingly endless number of Uzbeki fighters training out of Joel Diaz’s gym in Indio, CA, fought a level above Barrera, who did his best to slip and counter the forward-pressing Madrimov. Madrimov kept coming though, altering from orthodox to southpaw, pouring in jabs to the body and head, and consistently working his way inside to unload.
By the fifth round, Madrimov’s body shots began to take their toll on the 33 year-old Barrera, whose movement and reflexes significantly slowed. It then became open season for the Matchroom Boxing prospect, who potshotted Barrera with head-snapping blows until referee Benjy Esteves stepped in to stop the punishment at the 2:36 mark of the fifth round.
Madrimov now joins Errol Spence Jr. as the only other fighter to have stopped Barrera inside the distance.
Baranchyk Blasts Bracero, Scores TKO3
Former IBF junior welterweight champion Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk (20-1, 13KO) bounced back from his World Boxing Super Series semi final defeat to Josh Taylor, scoring a fourth round TKO against veteran Gabriel Bracero (25-4-1, 6KO) in a contest originally scheduled for ten rounds.
It was bombs away for Baranchyk in the opening round, as the 26 year-old threw haymaker after haymaker, hoping to land a fight-ending blow early. Credit the crafty Brooklynite, Bracero, who was able to remain composed during Baranchyk’s early bursts, and pepper in counter shots that would momentarily halt the Beast’s momentum.
In the second, Baranchyk began connecting with his power shots. Using his jab only to set up hooks and crosses, Baranchyk landed a huge left hook early in the round and briefly staggered Bracero. The two engaged in numerous exchanges throughout the remainder of the round, and at times Bracero would land clean, but his punches did little to deter the forward momentum of Baranchyk who would open a cut over Bracero’s right eye before round’s end.
In the fourth round, Baranchyk planted a heavy left hook to Bracero’s liver that forced him against the ropes. Baranchyk immediately followed the body shot with a clean jab and a huge right cross that sent Bracero stumbling forward to the mat. A dazed Bracero beat referee Arthur Mercante Jr.’s ten count but his corner stepped in to stop the contest before action resumed. The official time of the stoppage came at the 1:30 mark of the fourth round.
Akhmadev Walks Through Hernandez, Stops Him In One
Khazak-born super middleweight Ali Akhmadev (16-0, 12KO) needed just :44 seconds of a scheduled ten rounds to land a fight-ending right cross to Andrew Hernandez’s (20-8-2, 9KO) temple.
The GGG stable-mate, who is also trained by Jonathan Banks, set the right hand up nicely by throwing it behind a stiff jab.
It was Akhmadev’s second straight win inside the distance, and just the fourth time Hernandez has been stopped in his thirty fight career.
Ceballo Disposes Of Amanov In 3
In a battle of unbeatens, former five-time New York Golden Gloves Champion Brian Ceballo (11-0,6KO) scored a third round TKO over fellow welterweight Ramal Amanov (16-1, 5KO), handing the Azerbaijan native his first pro defeat.
The 25 year-old Ceballo dominated from the onset, proving to be too quick and too slick for the 35 year-old Amanov.
Early on, a Ceballo left opened a bothersome cut over Amanov’s right eye. In the third round, Ceballo, who was fighting for the fifth time in 2019, landed another left that knocked Amanov off-balance. The Fort Greene Brooklyn native Ceballo followed up the left with a flurry of shots that prompted referee Arthur Mercante, Jr. to step in and stop the contest at the 1:20 mark of the third round.
Szeremeta Shines In US Debut, Scores TKO2 Over Cortes
In his US debut, unbeaten Polish middleweight Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5KO) scored a second round TKO over Mexican veteran Oscar Cortes (27-5,14KO).
The 29 year-old Szeremeta asserted himself early, dropping Corets with a beautifully thrown left hook to the chin in the opening round. The tattooed Pole kept the heat on in the second, hurting Cortes with an overhand right, before finishing him off with a final left-right combo. With doctors clamoring on the apron, referee Benjy Esteves Jr. called a halt to the bout at the :45 second mark of round two.
It was the fourth time in Cortes’ career that he’s been stopped inside the distance and just Szeremeta’s win via stoppage in his last nine contests.
Injury Spoils Irishman Joe Ward’s Pro Debut, Suffers TKO Loss
Former 2016 Irish Olympian Joseph Ward (0-1) had his pro debut spoiled when he suffered a gruesome knee injury midway through the second round of a scheduled six round light heavyweight clash that resulted in his opponent, Marco Delgado (6-2, 4KO), being awarded a TKO victory.
The end came suddenly in the second when a Delgado feint drew a reaction from Ward, whose knee twisted awkwardly and immediately gave out, leaving Ward reeling in pain on the mat. Referee Eddie Claudio ruled the injury “self-imposed”, and therefore Delgado received a win by TKO. The time of the stoppage came at the 1:00 mark of round 2. After doctors tended to Ward’s knee, the gritty Irishman — who is trained by Buddy McGirt — walked out of the ring under his power.
Ababiy Kicks Off MSG Card In Style; Stops Seldon In One
Twenty year-old Matchroom Boxing super middleweight prospect Nikita “White Chocolate” Ababiy needed less than one of a scheduled six rounds to up his already perfect record to 7-0, 6KO, earning a first round TKO against 31 year-old veteran Isiah Seldon (13-3-1, 4KO).
Ababiy, who trains under Aureliano Sosa and fights out of Brooklyn, NY, was relentless, battering Seldon’s body, before coming upstairs to deliver a definitive blow that left Seldon unable to continue as the bout was waved off at the 1:45 mark of the opening round.
It was the fifth stoppage in six career wins for the Keith Connolly managed fighter.
On the flip side, tonight’s TKO marked just the second time in seventeen pro bouts that Seldon had been stopped inside the distance.
The Ababiy stoppage kicked off a night of fights from Madison Square Garden that will culminate when former middleweight king Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko clash for the vacant IBF middleweight title in a bout that will be streamed live on DAZN.
