Serhiy Derevyanchenko, a Ukrainian middleweight boxer, shared his thoughts on why Vasyl Lomachenko could not win the fight against Devin Haney, the reigning champion of the lightweight division.
Derevyanchenko believes that in such close fights, the contender needs to demonstrate a more noticeable advantage in order to win.
"It was a truly impressive fight. It was close. My initial impression was that Haney was slightly better. But after watching the fight, I came to the conclusion that Lomachenko was superior," he told TYKE MASON's YouTube channel.
"When we discussed the fight in the gym with our trainers, I said that in a close fight they would give Haney the victory. Lomachenko should have been superior, hitting Haney the way he did in the tenth and eleventh rounds," he added.
Derevyanchenko expressed the opinion that business aspects influence referee decisions, especially when it comes to big fights. "It seems to me that they are looking at whose next fight they can sell more expensively... In such fights, you need to win by knockout or with multiple knockdowns," Serhiy shared his opinion.
"Haney against some other boxer. Everyone profits from it; it's a huge market. That's why things happen this way," said Derevyanchenko, analyzing the modern boxing industry.
Derevyanchenko urged boxers participating in close fights to demonstrate more convincing actions in the ring. "Lomachenko should have boxed two, three heads higher..." he emphasized.
Obviously, all members of the boxing community demand honesty and justice in refereeing decisions, but, as Derevyanchenko notes, the reality may be different. Contenders for the titles need not only to be better in the ring but also to show it so convincingly that it would be impossible to question it.