Middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko is shooting for a ring return in the spring, according to promoter Lou DiBella.
“We’re looking to come back March or April,” DiBella told Boxing Junkie.
Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) is coming off a vacant title shot against Gennadiy Golovkin in October, dropping a controversial decision. By all accounts, Derevyanchenko raised his stock in the loss. Afterward, his handlers called for an immediate rematch, but Golovkin moved toward fighting one of his mandatories.
Nevertheless, Derevyanchenko should have a few attractive options. He is something of a network free agent. He has fought on DAZN but is managed by Al Haymon, so it’s possible that he could fight on a Premier Boxing Champions card on either Fox or Showtime.
According to Derevyanchenko’s co-manager Keith Connolly, Derevyanchenko has not renewed his promotional contract with DiBella but is open to working with him as long as the right fight is lined up.
Derevyanchenko was recently spotted at Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the Jermall Charlo-Dennis Hogan PBC card. Charlo is another possible opponent.
Asked what direction he’d like Derevyanchenko to go, DiBella said the best choices are at DAZN.
“Obviously most of the options are over on DAZN, with the Canelo fight and and ‘Triple G’ rematch,” DiBella said.
DiBella also said Derevyanchenko would have no problem moving up to 168, where the likes of Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith reside.
“Ideally 160,” DiBella said, “but we would move up for the right fight.”