Super middleweight contender Christian ‘Solide’ Mbilli 27-0 (23) will return to action against three-time world title challenger Sergiy ‘The Technician’ Derevyanchenko 15-5 (10) over 10 rounds at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada on August 17.
The fight announcement comes just days after Mbilli’s first-round blowout of Mark Heffron. The 29-year-old Canadian-based Frenchman sunk England’s Heffron with a body shot just 40 seconds into the opening session.
Derevyanchenko promises to be a much more durable opponent. All five of his losses have come at the top level and he has never been knocked out, even by fearsome puncher Gennadiy Golovkin.
“It’s an honor to fight Sergiy Derevyanchenko,” said the Cameroon-born Mbilli, who represented France at the Rio Olympics in 2016. “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.”
Derevyanchenko, a 2008 Olympian for Ukraine, won nearly 400 fights as an amateur. Now a 10-year professional, he fell short in three middleweight title opportunities, including a split decision defeat to Danny Jacobs in 2018 and a razor-thin unanimous decision loss to Gennadiy Golovkin the following year.
Derevyanchenko moved up to super middleweight last year and lost to Jaime Munguia in a spirited Fight of the Year candidate. In April, he returned to the win column with a one-sided decision over Vaughn Alexander.
“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,” the 38-year-old Derevyanchenko said.
“I’m fighting a tough opponent in Christian Mbilli, who’s ranked number one 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 card will be co-promoted by Eye of the Tiger and Top Rank.
“There are few fighters I enjoy watching more than Christian Mbilli and I can’t wait to see him perform in front of the tremendous Quebec City fans,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
“That being said, he has a difficult task with Sergiy Derevyanchenko, one of the great action fighters in the sport. This will be a Fight of the Year contender for however long it lasts.”
“Derevyanchenko’s achievements speak for themselves. This is a very dangerous fight, but extremely necessary for Christian Mbilli’s progression,” said Eye of the Tiger president Camille Estephan.
“A victory is not only crucial for the continuation of his career but also for Quebec boxing, which, with a significant victory, would be in an excellent position to host important fights.”
