How to bet Thursday's PBC bouts
Johnny WildsSpecial to ESPN.com
ESPN INSIDER
On Thursday, ESPN's Premier Boxing Champions returns with rising middleweight contender Sergiy "The Technician" Derevyanchenko (8-0, 6 KOs) taking on former world champion Sam "King" Soliman (44-13, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event live from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, at 8 p.m. ET.
Derevyanchenko, a native of Ukraine who fought in the 2008 Olympics was a decorated amateur, is now fighting out of and living in Brooklyn, New York. He stopped five of his first six opponents when he turned pro in 2014. In 2015, he holds wins over Alan Campa, Elvin Ayala and a third-round KO over Jessie Nicklow (his most impressive win).
Derevyanchenko has landed 39 percent of his total punches in past four fights, according to CompuBox (middleweight average is 31 percent). Even though he has had only eight pro fights, he holds a strong amateur career record of 390-20 and went 23-1 in the World Series of Boxing. On paper, he might appear raw, but he is actually very seasoned. Standing across the ring will be his toughest test yet in former champion Sam Soliman.
Soliman, the Australian native, has lost his last two fights with a split decision loss to Dominic Wade and a decision loss to Jermain Taylor when he lost his IBF 160-pound title in October 2014. He's been in the ring with some of boxing's best like Anthony Mundine, Sakio Bika, Felix Strum and Taylor. The challenge here is Soliman is past his prime and facing a young, rising star who seems to be on a fast track for a middleweight title bout.
In the overseas market, Derevyanchenko is a -700 favorite for the fight at William Hill, while Soliman is +400.
In the co-feature, middleweight prospect Ievgen Khytrov (13-0, 11 KOs) faces off against Paul Mendez (19-2-2, 9 KOs). Khytrov is a 27-year old also out of the Ukraine and now fighting and living in Brooklyn, will put his perfect record on the line against the Delano, California, fighter Mendez. From all reports, Khytrov can bang and should have his way in this exciting middleweight bout.
According to William Hill, Khytrov is a -800 favorite, while Mendez is +450 for the fight.
I think both Ukraine natives keep their records perfect and look forward to seeing more of them down the road.
Johnny WildsSpecial to ESPN.com
ESPN INSIDER
On Thursday, ESPN's Premier Boxing Champions returns with rising middleweight contender Sergiy "The Technician" Derevyanchenko (8-0, 6 KOs) taking on former world champion Sam "King" Soliman (44-13, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event live from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, at 8 p.m. ET.
Derevyanchenko, a native of Ukraine who fought in the 2008 Olympics was a decorated amateur, is now fighting out of and living in Brooklyn, New York. He stopped five of his first six opponents when he turned pro in 2014. In 2015, he holds wins over Alan Campa, Elvin Ayala and a third-round KO over Jessie Nicklow (his most impressive win).
Derevyanchenko has landed 39 percent of his total punches in past four fights, according to CompuBox (middleweight average is 31 percent). Even though he has had only eight pro fights, he holds a strong amateur career record of 390-20 and went 23-1 in the World Series of Boxing. On paper, he might appear raw, but he is actually very seasoned. Standing across the ring will be his toughest test yet in former champion Sam Soliman.
Soliman, the Australian native, has lost his last two fights with a split decision loss to Dominic Wade and a decision loss to Jermain Taylor when he lost his IBF 160-pound title in October 2014. He's been in the ring with some of boxing's best like Anthony Mundine, Sakio Bika, Felix Strum and Taylor. The challenge here is Soliman is past his prime and facing a young, rising star who seems to be on a fast track for a middleweight title bout.
In the overseas market, Derevyanchenko is a -700 favorite for the fight at William Hill, while Soliman is +400.
In the co-feature, middleweight prospect Ievgen Khytrov (13-0, 11 KOs) faces off against Paul Mendez (19-2-2, 9 KOs). Khytrov is a 27-year old also out of the Ukraine and now fighting and living in Brooklyn, will put his perfect record on the line against the Delano, California, fighter Mendez. From all reports, Khytrov can bang and should have his way in this exciting middleweight bout.
According to William Hill, Khytrov is a -800 favorite, while Mendez is +450 for the fight.
I think both Ukraine natives keep their records perfect and look forward to seeing more of them down the road.
