One of HBO's last boxing events of 2019 will have the network return to Madison Square Garden for a world championship tripleheader.
The card, taking place on October 27 will crown a new IBF middleweight champion as Daniel Jacobs and Sergiy Derevyanchenko are fighting for the vacant belt in the main event.
The belt was previously held by Gennady Golovkin, but the organization stripped him of the title due to him not pursuing a fight against Derevyanchenko. Derevyanchenko has been the mandatory challenger for the IBF title since last year and the former amateur standout will not get to compete for a title in just his 13th pro fight.
Jacobs has been looking for a world title fight since his loss to Golovkin in March 2017, even signing with HBO and Matchroom Boxing in the hopes of getting the rematch or a fight against Canelo Alvarez. While Jacobs hasn't received either, he still will get a chance to become a world champion once again and potentially be on the short list of fighters that could fight either superstar in 2019.
In the co-main event, Alberto Machado will defend his WBA "regular" super featherweight title against Yuandale Evans.
Machado becomes the latest Puerto Rican champion to fight at Madison Square Garden although the status of his title has been the subject of some controversy. Machado won the WBA "super" version of the 130-pound title last year, but his title was demoted to "regular" status as Gervonta Davis won the WBA "super" version that Machado held and never lost. Now Machado is aiming to fight the likes of Davis, Tevin Farmer and Miguel Berchelt lin 2019 should he successfully defend his title for the second time this year.
Evans, a relatively unknown boxer from Cleveland, has bounced back well from his first-round TKO loss to Javier Fortuna winning his last four fights. His most recent win was perhaps his toughest yet as it was a split decision win over previously unbeaten fighter Luis Rosa. But now, Evans is competing in a world title fight for the first time in his career against the toughest opponent he's faced since Fortuna.
As for the opening fight, a rare sight on HBO television is two women fighting in a boxing match. Heather Hardy and Shelly Vincent are facing each other in a rematch of their 2016 women's boxing classic, but this time, a world title is at stake.
Hardy won the first encounter against Vincent and there is still no love lost. Now the two are set to settle the score once and for all at Madison Square Garden. Hardy recently had a stint as an MMA fighter, competing three times for Bellator, but returned to boxing in order to win her first world title.
Vincent, who has won the IBA and UBF women's titles in the past, is looking to win a world title from one of the four major governing bodies for the first time in her career. Since losing that majority decision to Hardy, Vincent has won her last five fights, including a victory against former world title challenger Edina Kiss.
The fight will be for the vacant WBO women's featherweight title and it is the second time in the history of HBO that a women's boxing fight is aired live on the network,
Below is the full television card, set to be shown on HBO on October 27 starting at 10 p.m. ET:
- Daniel Jacobs vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko: Vacant IBF Middleweight Title
- Alberto Machado (c) vs. Yuandale Evans: WBA "Regular" Super Featherweight Title
- Heather Hardy vs. Shelly Vincent: Vacant WBO Women's Featherweight Title
Tale of the Tape: Daniel Jacobs vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko:
Daniel Jacobs:
Record: 34-2 (29 KO)
Age: 31
Height: 5'11.5"
Reach: 73"
Titles Won: WBA "Regular" Middleweight, WBC Continental Americas Middleweight, WBO-NABO Middleweight, NABF Middleweight Titles
Notable Fights: Maciej Sulecki, Gennady Golovkin, Sergio Mora, Peter Quillin, Caleb Truax, Dmitry Pirog
Sergiy Derevyanchenko:
Record: 12-0 (10 KO)
Age: 32
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 67.5"
Titles Won: None
Notable Fights: Tureano Johnson
Tale of the Tape: Alberto Machado vs. Yuandale Evans:
Alberto Machado:
Record: 20-0 (16 KO)
Age: 28
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 72"
Titles Won: WBA "Super" Super Featherweight, WBA "Regular" Super Featherweight, WBA-NABA Super Featherweight, WBO-NABO Super Featherweight, WBC USNBC Super Featherweight Titles
Notable Fights: Jezreel Corrales, Rafael Mensah
Yuandale Evans:
Record: 20-1 (14 KO)
Age: 29
Titles Won: WBC Continental Americas Featherweight, Interim WBA-NABA Super Featherweight, Interim WBC Youth Intercontinental Super Featherweight Titles
Notable Fights: Javier Fortuna
Tale of the Tape: Heather Hardy vs. Shelly Vincent:
Heather Hardy:
Record: 21-0 (4 KO)
Age: 36
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 64"
Titles Won: UBF International Women's Super Bantamweight, WBC International Women's Super Bantamweight, WBC International Women's Featherweight Titles
Notable Fights: Shelly Vincent, Edina Kiss
Shelly Vincent:
Record: 23-1 (1 KO)
Age: 39
Height: 5'1"
Reach: 61.5'
Titles Won: IBA International Women's Super Bantamweight, UBF Women's Super Bantamweight, IBA Women's Super Bantamweight Titles
Notable Fights: Heather Hardy, Edina Kiss
Betting Odds (Provided by PaddyPower.com):
Daniel Jacobs vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko:
Daniel Jacobs Win: 4/9 (Betting Favorite)
Sergiy Derevyanchenko Win: 7/4 (Betting Underdog)
Fight Ends In A Draw: 20/1
Alberto Machado vs. Yuandale Evans:
Alberto Machado Win: 1/10 (Betting Favorite)
Yuandale Evans Win: 11/2 (Betting Underdog)
Fight Ends In A Draw: 22/1
Heather Hardy vs. Shelly Vincent:
Heather Hardy Win: 4/6 (Betting Favorite)
Shelly Vincent Win: 5/4 (Betting Underdog)
Fight Ends In A Draw: 10/1
