Derevyanchenko next for Canelo or Jermall Charlo?

It looks like we’re closer to having an opponent for Canelo Alvarez next fight in September and it may be a familiar middleweight contender. However, that same fighter may also be in demand for PBC’s Jermall Charlo, as well.

Multiple media reports Sunday evening say that Ukranian Sergiy Derevyanchenko  13-2, 10 KOs, who pushed IBF middleweight champion, Gennady Golovkin, to the limit (above) in a 12 round split decision loss last October, is in serious discussions with Alvarez and Golden Boy Promotions about fighting the four division World Champion in September.

Boxingscene.com, senior writer Keith Idec, reported that Canelo and Golden Boy prefer Derevyanchenko over all the other fighters they’ve been in discussions with, including former WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell

Derevyanchenko Has Been Offered Fights With Jermall Charlo & Canelo Alvarez https://t.co/323NNYZADK pic.twitter.com/Dgk0Fajvw4

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) July 5, 2020

Derevyanchenko also previously challenged for the IBF portion of the 160 lb. title and lost another close decision to Daniel Jacobs in 2018. Alvarez subsequently took the IBF belt from Jacobs in May of 2019.

Canelo, 53-1-2, 36 KOs, was to have fought England’s Billy Joe Saunders for his WBO Super-Middleweight title in Las Vegas in May. However, the Coronavirus outbreak stopped the sport and then, Saunders ended up getting suspended indefinitely by the British boxing Board of Control for inappropriate comments he made on a social media video about domestic violence.

Saunders’ status is still not resolved at this point and it has become obvious that Alvarez’s camp no longer wants to fight him.

Idec further reported that DAZN streaming wants to utilize Alvarez in September in a fight that very well may not have fans in attendance, but could help kick-start the subscription service’s fan base rejoining them.

DAZN does not make public it’s subscription information but it is believed that they have lost tens of thousands of them over the course of the last 90 days during the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s as most of those U.S. subscribers were paying for either boxing or Major League Baseball coverage, whose season has never gotten underway April – July.

As for Jermall Charlo, he was last in the ring in December with a 7th round TKO win over Dennis Hogan in his third title defense. And, this would be considered his toughest opponent to date, as a Middleweight.

And, it is likely that PBC would want Charlo, 30-0, 22 KOs, who’s one of its top stars that still holds onto a prominent championship belt, to have a fight with Derevyanchenko in front of some fans with social distancing.

However, PBC has also not had a fight card to date since the pandemic began. But, they’re expected to be back with a July 31st fight involving welterweight contender Jamal James in a bout that will be without fans and reportedly at the Fox Television Studios in Los Angeles.