Unbeaten Christian Mbilli is back in the ring on August 17, when he faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada. The pair battles it out in the main event live on ESPN. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds at super middleweight.
Montreal-based Mbilli (27-0, 23 KOs) is fresh off the win by knockout in 40 seconds against Mark Heffron this past Saturday. The Cameroonian-French boxer made his second successful ring appearance for the year.
29-year-old Mbilli, who represented France at the 2016 Summer Olympics, is currently ranked No. 1 by the WBC, No. 2 by the WBA and No. 3 by the WBO and IBF.
“It’s an honor to fight Sergiy Derevyanchenko,” Christian Mbilli said. “I’ve been hearing about him since I was 16, in the amateur ranks, where he defeated several Frenchmen. In the pros, he has only fought big names, so this will definitely be my biggest fight to date. I can’t wait for it. It’s going to be a war.”
2008 Olympian Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs) won his previous bout in April by unanimous decision against Vaughn Alexander on the Haney vs Garcia undercard. With the victory, the 38-year-old native of Feodosia, Crimea, Ukraine returned to winning ways, after dropping a UD against Jaime Munguia last June.
Earlier in his career Brooklyn, New York-based Derevyanchenko challenged Jermall Charlo, Gennadiy Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs for the middleweight titles, but didn’t succeed to become world champion.
“I made the decision to move up to 168 to win a world title. During my entire career, I have always fought the best in the world, and on August 17, it will be no different,” Sergiy Derevyanchenko said. “I’m fighting a tough opponent in Christian Mbilli, who’s ranked No. 1 in the WBC. If I win this fight, I expect to fight for a world title next, which has always been my ultimate goal. I expect August 17 to be a war and a Fight of the Year-type candidate, and I will be the winner.”
The bouts featured on the Mbilli vs Derevyanchenko undercard are expected to be confirmed shortly.
