Ukrainian boxer Sergey Derevyanchenko has officially confirmed his return to the ring. The 40-year-old athlete, known in the professional community as "The Technician," will compete in his next bout in the middleweight division (up to 72.6 kg). His opponent will be the promising American Jalil Geckett.
Information about the upcoming event was confirmed by RBK-Ukraine, citing the authoritative publication The Ring. The fight will be part of the Zuffa Boxing 09 show, scheduled for July 26 in New York. The event will take place at the Infosys Theater, located on the grounds of the legendary Madison Square Garden arena. This bout will open the main card of the evening and will be available to viewers on the Paramount+ streaming platform.
Return to Middleweight and the Veteran's Career
For Derevyanchenko, this fight marks a return to the middleweight division, where he has not competed since July 2022. In his last four bouts, the Ukrainian fought in the super middleweight division (up to 76.2 kg). He last stepped into the ring on July 1, 2025, defeating American Jeremy Ramos by knockout in the sixth round. Previously, in August 2024, Sergey suffered a points loss to Frenchman Christian Mbilli, after which he took a long break.
The Madison Square Garden arena holds special significance for the Ukrainian. It was here that key title fights of his career took place: the dramatic bout for the vacant IBF belt against Daniel Jacobs in 2018 and the high-profile fight against Gennady Golovkin in 2019.
About the Opponent: Jalil Geckett
Derevyanchenko's opponent will be 23-year-old American Jalil Geckett, who fights under the nickname "Black Mexican." The boxer began his career in the welterweight division but was forced to move up in weight due to weight-cutting issues. He has 12 wins and one loss (9 by knockout) to his name.
Geckett's only loss in his career occurred at the end of 2024 against Puerto Rican Jose Roman Vasquez. Following this, the American moved to the middleweight division and secured three consecutive victories, making him a dangerous opponent for any veteran.
The Path to the Top
Sergey Derevyanchenko, a native of Feodosia, is a bright representative of the Ukrainian boxing school. In amateur sports, he was part of a legendary national team, where his teammates included Oleksandr Usyk, Vasyl Lomachenko, Denys Berinchyk, and Oleksandr Gvozdyk. He made his professional debut in 2014.
The Ukrainian has 16 wins and 6 losses, with 11 finished by knockout. He has challenged for the IBF world middleweight title three times but lost to Daniel Jacobs, Gennady Golovkin, and Jermall Charlo. In amateur sports, he is a bronze medalist of the 2007 World Championships and a participant of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.