Zuffa Boxing continues to add talent in bulk through manager Keith Connolly. Dana White has signed two Ukrainian fighters currently training in the United States and represented by Connolly: super middleweight Sergiy Derevyanchenko (16-6, 11 KOs) and heavyweight Vladyslav Sirenko (22-1, 19 KOs).
Zuffa Boxing’s push into the sport picked up more momentum this week, with Ukrainian veterans Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Vladyslav Sirenko both landing new deals with Dana White’s company while training in the United States. The signings add proven names at super middleweight and heavyweight as White continues building a roster that appears aimed at fast credibility as much as long-term depth.
That strategy matters in the U.S. market, where new boxing ventures rarely get the benefit of the doubt unless they can immediately put recognizable, battle-tested fighters on meaningful cards.
Keith Connolly has been central to that effort. He previously helped bring Conor Benn into Zuffa Boxing, a move that reportedly frustrated Benn’s former promoter Eddie Hearn. Connolly has also played a role in adding other names to White’s ambitious boxing project, including Edgar Berlanga and IBF junior welterweight titleholder Richardson Hitchins.
For Derevyanchenko (16-6, 11 KOs), the move comes late in a respected career built almost entirely in the U.S. The 40-year-old, a two-time world title challenger based in New York, last fought in July 2024, stopping veteran Jeremy Ramos in the sixth round. Before that, he dropped a unanimous decision to Christian Mbilli. Even with the losses on his record, Derevyanchenko still carries name value because of the level of opposition he has faced, and at super middleweight he gives Zuffa a dependable veteran who can test contenders or be positioned in high-visibility fights.
He acknowledged the signing on Instagram, writing: “A new chapter has begun. I have many plans to finish unfinished business.”
Sirenko (22-1, 19 KOs), who also lives in New York, is in a different spot. At 31, he is still trying to reestablish himself after suffering the first loss of his professional career against Solomon Dacres on the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois undercard at Wembley Stadium in July 2024. He lost a unanimous decision while fighting under Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions banner.
He also confirmed the deal on Instagram: “I signed a contract with Zuffa Boxing. This is an ambitious project in the world of professional boxing. Stay tuned for news, bright fights and confident victories are ahead.”
For Zuffa Boxing, these aren’t just depth signings. Derevyanchenko brings credibility, and Sirenko gives the company a heavyweight with rebuilding upside. The next step is the important one: getting both men into fights that show whether White’s boxing project is assembling a roster or actually building momentum.
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