WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo underlined his status as a force in the 160lbs division with an accomplished, 12-round decision over a spirited Sergiy Derevyanchenko at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Saturday night
Scores were 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112.
“He was tough, but I knew he was going to be tough,” said Charlo afterwards. “I knew he’d come to fight, I just didn’t know how and when he’d try to turn it up. I felt like I never really let him turn it up and that was the gameplan. I studied well and I didn’t let the pandemic affect my training. I just want to keep fighting and not let any negative interrupt the positive.
“We stood toe-to-toe and we didn’t back down from anything. It was supposed to be one of the hardest fights of my career and we passed the test. He had a puncher’s chance and, of course, the fight could have changed at any moment. I listened to my corner and executed the gameplan and got the win.
“The big fights are out there. I’m steady, learning and growing and stepping up in competition. The whole world understands that I can fight in there with the best of them. [Derevyanchenko] gave [Gennady Golovkin] a harder test than he gave me so I think the levels showed. I’m the best middleweight in the world.”
Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) looked the complete package here, illustrating a commanding jab, exquisite shot selection and rock-solid chin against the gritty Ukrainian who never relented in a gutsy display. The Houston dynamo won the first five rounds on all three judges’ cards then stemmed Derevyanchenko’s late rally.
The tall, rangy Charlo was too simply smooth and accurate. He wobbled the challenger with a right hand to the temple in the third and opened a cut over Derevyanchenko’s right eyelid in the fifth. By the end of the sixth, Derevyanchenko had to contend with a swelling around his left eye as facial damage threatened to end his night early.
The Ukrainian kept coming regardless. Charlo stunned him with a right in the eighth and came out firing whenever Derevanchenko (13-3, 10 KOs) pulled him into the trenches. In the final minute of the fight they traded feverishly as a bloodied Derevyanchenko made one last gasp attempt to turn the tables, but yet again Charlo came out on top with his stiffer artillery.
If anyone had doubts, he proved he’s the real deal.
On the undercard, WBA Regular champion Brandon Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) broke down a game Damien Vazquez (15-2-1, 8 KOs) to score a 10th round stoppage win after pressure and persistence prompted the referee’s intervention.
“He was taking a lot of punishment,” said Figueroa. “He was just throwing a jab and trying to survive. But, you know, he’s tough. I’ve got to give him credit where credit is due. He came to fight and he proved that he deserves to be in the ring with me. And he was very tough, but I knew that with pressure, he wasn’t going to last 12 rounds.”
Main image and all photos: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.