Longtime Ukrainian lightweight contender Denys Berinchyk waits on the division’s undisputed champion Devin Haney to either defend or relinquish his four titles.
Haney jumps up a weight class to challenge Regis Prograis for his WBC super lightweight title on December 9, leaving the rest of the division in some sort of limbo for the rest of the year.
Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs) comes off a unanimous decision victory over Anthony Yigit on the Oleksandr Usyk Vs Daniel Dubois undercard in Wroclaw, Poland just six weeks ago. The Olympic silver medalist has teetered around the rankings positions for half a decade currently finding himself ranked highest at number 3 with the WBO.
ProBox TV spoke exclusively with Berinchyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk to get the latest on the 35 year old from the WBO Congress in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
“I’m here more for Berinchyk than Usyk.” Krassyuk responded as to why he made the long trip to the Caribbean. “This is already a small anniversary for me because this is my fifth year in a row that I am representing Berinchyk here recommending him for the mandatory position. I have asked Paco [Valcarcel] to nominate him as the fighter who has waited the longest possible time to get his shot. He defended the WBO international title nine times already in a row.
“Devin Haney has moved up but not vacated his titles. After he fights Prograis in December he will probably be rendered some certain period of time to define what he does next. As Paco recommends we have to wait those couple of months for that fight to happen, then after that, with the help of God we will nominate Berinchyk for the world title.”
Shakur Stevenson and countryman Vasyl Lomachenko sit ahead of Berinchyk in the WBO ranking. Stevenson fights Edwin De Los Santos for the vacant WBC title next month while Haney becomes a champion in recess. Lomachenko's next move is far from decided anytime soon. A vacant title fight with Isaac Cruz is expected to be mandated if Haney vacates.
