Good, bad worse: GGG, Derevyanchenko gave us another thriller

GOOD

Only a few weeks ago we were talking about how 2019 was a down year, one without the kind of wars that fans remember fondly. Well, things are different now.

On September 28, Errol Spence and Shawn Porter gave us what to me was the obvious Fight of the Year to that point in Los Angeles. And Saturday, Gennadiy Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko might’ve outdone Spence-Porter in New York, providing a stunning example of skill and perseverance.

Golovkin said he expected to receive a tough challenge from Derevyanchenko but who expected this? I don’t know whether the 37-year-old GGG is in decline or whether his indefatigable opponent is simply an excellent fighter. It’s probably some of both, which resulted in a matchup that was about as evenly matched as you’ll ever see.

Someone compared the fight to the Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward wars but at a higher level of skill. I’ll buy that. If any fight cries out for a rematch, this is it.

BAD

I have no problem with the official scoring for Golovkin-Derevyanchenko: 115-112 (7-5 in rounds), 115-112, 114-113. I think anywhere between 115-112 for GGG and the same score for Derevyanchenko would’ve been acceptable as five or six rounds could’ve gone either way. This certainly wasn’t a robbery.

That said, I scored it 114-113 (7-5 in rounds) for Derevyanchenko. And, to me, the fight had the feel of a Derevyanchenko victory. He outworked GGG.

That’s not why this is categorized as “bad” here, though. The fact that Derevyanchenko overcame a first-round knockdown and a cut that bothered him most of the fight to give THAT performance yet come up short on the scorecards is heartbreaking.

The good in this? After strong performances against Daniel Jacobs and now GGG, everyone knows how good the 33-year-old Ukrainian is.

And if there’s any justice in boxing – big if – Golovkin will give Derevyanchenko that rematch rather than fight Canelo Alvarez next. I wouldn’t count on that, though: GGG (as well as DAZN) obviously wants a third fight with Canelo.

One more bad, this one directed at the New York State Athletic Commission: Adopt instant replay. Replays seemed to show that a punch caused the cut above Derevyanchenko’s eye, but, because the NYSAC doesn’t use replay, it had to rely on the apparently incorrect ruling of referee Harvey Dock.

That could’ve resulted in the wrong winner had things developed differently.

WORSE

I understand that the fans at the Garden were upset over the decision in the main event but booing Golovkin during his post-fight interview was out of line. The guy has given so much to the sport. And he fought his heart out on Saturday, leaving nothing in the ring. He didn’t deserve that kind reaction from the crowd.