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SPORTS Monday 7 october 2019

Golovkin edges Derevyanchenko to regain a middleweight title

By BRIAN MAHONEY straight win after he had the second, when the cut
AP Sports Writer a draw and a loss in his opened that would be fre-
NEW YORK (AP) — Gen- two fights with Alvarez, quently checked by doc-
nadiy Golovkin is a cham- close bouts in which many tors between rounds.
pion again, though just people thought he won Derevyanchenko got him-
barely. at least one of them. But self into the fight with a
The powerhouse who used plenty more thought he good third but took some
to look invincible looked could have lost this one, af- more punishment in doing
beaten up by the end of ter Derevyanchenko rallied it, then kept up the good
Saturday night. strongly from a bad start to work in the next couple
Golovkin held on to regain the fight.Golovkin wants a rounds while wiping away
one of his old middleweight third fight with Alvarez but the blood around his eye
titles, edging Sergiy Derevy- he would have to be much that was staining Golovkin’s
anchenko in a unanimous sharper if he gets it — or white shorts.
decision to take the IBF if he has a rematch with Golovkin landed some
championship at Madison Gennadiy Golovkin raises his arm after defeating Sergiy Derevyanchenko — than hard shots late in the sixth
Square Garden. Derevyanchenko by decision in their IBF middleweight he was Saturday. to slow the Ukrainian’s mo-
Golovkin knocked down championship title bout at Madison Square Garden in New York He was frequently beaten mentum a bit. Golovkin
Derevyanchenko in the first on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. to the punch by Derevy- then seemed to get the
round, opened a cut near Associated Press anchenko, who ignored better of a great exchange
his right eye in the second, belt that was vacated by needed a boost in the 10th the cut and Golovkin’s at the end of the seventh
and then held on from Canelo Alvarez, who hand- as Derevyanchenko rained vaunted power to nearly as the area under his left
there in a fight where the ed Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 combinations to his head pull off the upset. eye swelled.
longtime 160-pound ruler KOs) his only loss. booed the decision. “The cut really changed Derevyanchenko landed
absorbed plenty of the The Associated Press scored Golovkin was credited with the fight. I couldn’t see at a good three-punch com-
type of punishing shots he it 115-112 for Golovkin. a 243-230 advantage in times,” Derevyanchenko bination in the eighth and
used to deliver. Derevyanchenko (13-2) fell punches by Compubox, said. “And he was target- Golovkin just shook his
“This was a tough fight,” just short in his second at- which said Derevyanchen- ing the eye. But no excuses, head, then landed one of
Golovkin said. “I need a tempt to win the middle- ko landed the most punch- it is what it is, I was trying my his patented body punch-
little bit more. I need to still weight title, having lost by es in any of the 25 Golovkin best.” es later in the round to slow
get stronger in my camp. split decision to Danny Ja- fights it had tracked. Golovkin started cautious- down the Ukrainian, but
Just more serious. I need to cobs last year, also at Mad- “Right now it’s bad day ly, seemingly willing to just only temporarily. Derevy-
work hard. I need a little bit ison Square Garden. for me. It’s a huge day for establish his jab in the first anchenko resumed the
more focus.” Many of the same fans Sergiy, his team,” Golovkin round, before suddenly un- pressure again in a back-
But the 37-year-old did who cheered Golovkin said. “This is huge experi- leashing a flurry of punches and-fourth ninth round but
just enough to win 115-112 wildly before the fight and ence for me. Right now I that sent Derevyanchenko didn’t have enough for the
on two cards and 114-113 chanted “Triple G! Triple know what I need exactly.” to the canvas. Then he finish, losing the 12th on all
on the other, claiming the G!” when it looked as if he It was Golovkin’s second had another good round in three cards. q

Adesanya floors middleweight

champion Whittaker at UFC 243

By GREG BUCKLE then ended the fight in the no one like me. No one.”
Associated Press second of the five-round The 30-year-old said he had
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) contest with a left hook. soaked up everything Whit-
— Israel Adesanya de- Adesanya was interim taker could throw at him in
feated UFC middleweight champion before claiming the short bout.
champion Robert Whittak- the title against Whittaker “He caught me with a nice
er with a stunning knock- and improved his UFC re- one, but I returned,” Ad-
out in the second round cord to 7-0. esanya said. “I eat it, but
of their highly anticipated After doing a cartwheel give it back two times. I’m Robert Whittaker of Australia, right, is kicked by Israel Adesanya
185-pound unification bout during his entry to Dock- tough and smart.” of New Zealand as they compete during UFC 243 in Melbourne,
which headlined UFC 243 lands Stadium, Adesanya The attendance of 57,127 Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019.
on Sunday. New Zealand- said he was determined to set a world record for UFC, Associated Press
based, Nigerian-born Ad- put on a show. surpassing the 56,214 at the said immediately after the while Whittaker was a rising
esanya landed a booming “I’m a dancer. I’m an enter- same venue in 2015. fight in reference to that UFC star on the card at that
right hook which floored tainer, I have to give them “I was in the nose bleeds, 2015 event where he was event. The New Zealand-
Whittaker in the final sec- a show and set the tone,” and now I’ve made his a spectator in the upper born Australian Whittaker
onds of the first round and Adesanya said. “There’s nose bleed,” Adesanya reaches in the stadium won his fight that night. q