For the vacant IBF, IBO middleweight titles, Gennady Golovkin survived a huge test from Sergiy Derevyanchenko with a close twelve round unanimous decision on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The judges scored it 115-112, 115-112 and 114-113 in favor of Golovkin.
Derevyanchenko had to deal with a knockdown in round one and then a bad cut above his right eye in the second.
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After the second, Derevyanchenko really poured on the pressure and the hard combinations to the head and body of Golovkin.
The fight was razor close for most, with many seeing Golovkin or Derevyanchenko as the winner by a point or two.
Derevyanchenko explained that the knockdown did not bother him at all, but the cut was a real obstacle to overcome as the blood was going down in his eye throughout the entire contest, which made him a one eyed fighter during certain moments of the contest.
“The cut really changed the fight. I couldn’t see at times. And he was targeting the eye. But no excuses, it is what it is, I was trying my best. When I started moving, I felt like I was giving him room and I was getting hit with those shots that he threw and that’s why I started taking the fight to him and getting closer and not giving him room to maneuver," Derevyanchenko said.
"He hit me in the back of the head [when I went down in the first]. He hit me behind the ear. I didn’t really see the punch but it didn’t really affect me that much. I got up and I wasn’t really hurt so I continued to fight, so it was nothing, nothing too bad.
“I would like the rematch if it’s possible, I’m ready.”
