Saturday at the Centre Vidrotron in Quebec City, Canada, sees rising star Christian Mbilli in action, and the world title contender makes a defence of his WBC Continental Americas middleweight title against the teak-tough Sergiy Derevyanchenko over ten rounds.
ESPN and Sky Sports televise Mbilli vs Derevyanchenko, whilst Bob Arum’s Top Rank co-promote alongside local outfit Eye Of The Tiger.
Mbilli (27-0, 23 KOs) won this title way back in 2021, and the Frenchman has defended seven times. After outscoring Vaughn Alexander and Carlos Gongora, Mbili has won three times inside schedule since, starting with a fourth round knockout of Demond Nicholson in September 2023.
He then forced Rohan Murdock to retire after six rounds in January, and the 29-year-old warmed up for this one in May, scoring a facile first round knockout win against Mark Heffron.
Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KOs) will easily be the biggest test of Mbili’s career. ‘The Technician’ has a deceiving record, having lost five of his last eight bouts, but he has mixed in elite company. After losing a tight split decision to Daniel Jacobs in 2018, the Ukrainian also went down on the cards in world title clashes with Gennady Golovkin in 2019, and Jermall Charlo in 2020
Derevyanchenko also dropped a majority verdict to Carlos Adames in 2021, and gave Jaime Munguia a stern argument last June, but was dropped in the final round that cost him a draw against the Mexican. The 38-year-old was on the winning side in his last fight, a wide points win against Vaughn Alexander in April.
Prediction: This will be a real acid test for Mbili, and I think he will endure some rocky moments under fire from Derevyanchenko, but I think he will come out the winner via close decision.
Makhumdov continues rebuild against Vianello
Heavyweight hope, Arslanbek Makhmudov saw his stock plummet in a stunning fourth round loss to Agit Kabayel last December, and he takes on Guido Vianello.
Makhmudov (19-1, 18 KOs) did return to winning ways in May, knocking Miljan Rovcanin out in two rounds, but he does look fragile. Vianello (12-2-1, 10 KOs) is coming off a split decision loss to Efe Ajagba.
Prediction: Although vulnerable, Makhmudov should have enough to win this one against Vianello via stoppage.
Full undercard preview
Osleys Iglesias (11-0, 10 KOs) has only heard the final bell once in 11 fights, and he should win early again in his super middleweight contest against Sena Agbeko (28-3, 22 KOs).
KO DEL AÑO!!!
Osleys Iglesias 🇨🇺 a Shvedenko para retener el Título IBO supermedio #ESPNKnockOut #ButlerVolny pic.twitter.com/cOSesOyQlQ
— ESPN KnockOut (@ESPNKnockOut) June 7, 2024
The vacant WBO International super featherweight title is at stake, and Leila Beaudoin (11-1, 1 KO) can go ten rounds for the first time, and take the title with a points win against Lizbeth Crespo (15-7, 4 KOs), a former world title challenger.
In eight rounders, Jahi Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KOs) should be able to outscore Santiago Fernandez (8-1-1, 4 KOs) at middleweight, and at lightweight, Abdullah Mason (14-0, 12 KOs) can take the early route to see off Mike Ohan Jr (19-2, 9 KOs).
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Canadian super featherweight prospect Thomas Chabot (10-0, 8 KOs) can be the first to stop Argentina’s Matias Ezequiel Guenemil (10-3-1, 5 KOs), and Belarussian Dzmitry Asanau (7-0, 3 KOs) can take an inside schedule win over Alexis Gabriel Camejo (8-3-2, 1 KO), also from Argentina.
In the sole six rounder, Wilkins Mathieu (9-0, 6 KOs) can win on points in his super middleweight meeting with Facundo Nicolas Galovar (15-11-2, 9 KOs).
