THE FIRST QUARTER
Gennady Golovkin gets the nod over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in controversial fashion!
Before the DAZN main event at Madison Square Garden ever started the story line was set. Most thought that Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KO’s) would shoot his normal and overwhelm his fundamentally sound opponent Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KO’s) with consistent pressure.
The first round supported this notion and saw GGG begin strong and purposeful. He was able to score a quick knockdown with a glancing blow to the head. True enough, Derevyanchenko found his feet quickly, and was not seriously wobbled, however the damage on the scorecards was done.
The second round didn’t get any better for the Technician who would suffer a cut due to a headbutt. Despite the cut being rather deep and long, Derevyanchenko’s cut man did a great job and largely neutralized the blood flow.
There was a clear shift in the fight during the third period when the Technician really fell into a good boxing groove. Derevyanchenko seriously upped his punch output and troubled GGG by constantly turning and spinning him in the ring. The momentum that began in the third period continued to blossom over the next few rounds.
MIDDLE ROUNDS
By the midpoint of the prizefight, the former unified champion was looking more vulnerable in the ring than he ever has. In fact, during the fifth round, he was seriously bothered by a wind-stealing body shot. Although, referee Harvey Dock quizzically jumped in to admonish his opponent about going low. The brief fuss session provided Golovkin a much needed breather.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS
Down the final stretch of the bout, the underdog took the fight to the favorite with immense success. Golovkin definitely continued to land big shots, but they were few and far in between. Not only was GGG not landing with regularity he was not pushing the Technician back or cutting the ring off for which he is notorious for.
On top of not performing with his typical dominance, Golovkin gave the impression that he wilted and in need of a break.
Throughout the final round, the former champion did throw hard shots, but he initiated as many clinches, if not more, than he did punches.
THE DECISION
Regardless of his arduous night in the ring, Golovkin would be rewarded with a unanimous decision when the score cards were read. The judge’s decision was meet with mixed reactions. During his post-fight interview, he was vigorously booed by the audience on hand.
With the victory, the Kazakh once again became a middleweight champion by capturing the vacant IBF and IBO middleweight titles. It will be very interesting to see who he signs up to fight next.
There is little doubt that following this performance, his fellow middleweight champions are foaming at the mouth to get him in the squared-circle with him. However, there will be those who start the chant for “Sergiy Derevyanchenko” to receive an immediate rematch!
By: Bakari Simpson
