The Mexico City-headquartered organization originally ruled a final eliminator between Munguia (38-0, 30KOs) and Derevyanchenko (13-3, 10KOs), with both parties agreeing to delay talks until after both proceeded with already agreed upon separate fights. Munguia is coming off of a 12-round, unanimous decision win over Philadelphia’s Gabriel Rosado (26-14-1, 15KOs) on November 13 at The Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Derevyanchenko—a three-time title challenger from Brooklyn by way of Ukraine—agreed to allow Munguia to proceed with the Rosado fight while taking a dangerous stay-busy fight of his own versus Dominican Republic’s Adames. The middleweight bout serves in supporting capacity to a December 5 Showtime Pay-Per-View event at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Headlining the show, Gervonta Davis (25-0, 24KOs) faces streaking contender Isaac Cruz (22-1-1, 15KOs) in a WBA “World” lightweight title fight.
The hope by Derevyanchenko is to provide momentum into a potential title eliminator with Munguia. All three career defeats have come in title fights, beginning with a competitive points loss to longtime stablemate Daniel Jacobs in their October 2018 vacant IBF title fight. Derevyanchenko fought for the same available belt roughly one year later, with many considering him to have been robbed of a win over Gennadiy Golovkin (41-1-1, 36KOs) in their October 2019 Fight of the Year-level thriller at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
A far more convincing defeat to Charlo represents Derevyanchenko’s last ring appearance, dropping a 12-round, unanimous decision last September 26 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Munguia has fought three times since then, all at middleweight after having debuted at the weight with an 11th round stoppage of Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan last January. Since then has come back-to-back stoppage wins over Tureano Johnson last October and former title challenger Kamil Szeremeta this past June before going the distance with Rosado earlier this month.
Eric Gomez, Mungiua’s co-promoter and president of Golden Boy Promotions revealed that preliminary talks have already begun with Derevyanchenko’s team. The two sides are hopeful of meeting as early as March 2022.
Because of the cooperation between the teams for Munguia and Derevyanchenko, the WBC has agreed to keep the matchup in play but with an amendment—though a moot point as long as Derevyanchenko does his job in December.
“The WBC ordered a final elimination between Jaime Munguia and Sergiy Derevyanchenko,” noted Sulaiman. “Munguia had a commitment which he won. Sergiy has a fight as well December 5. We will revise the order for Munguia to face the winner of that fight.”
The development leaves Charlo with room for a voluntary title defense, or even the opportunity to test the waters at super middleweight.
By Jake Donovan
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