NEW YORK (AFP) — Gennady Golovkin takes on Sergiy Derevyanchenko for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) middleweight title, aiming to launch a second reign at the age of 37.

Golovkin’s trainer, Jonathon Banks, is confident the hard-hitting Kazakh has plenty of ring life left.

“I would consider his age a factor if this were 1995 through 1998,” says Banks, who was in Golovkin’s corner for the first time for his fourth-round stoppage of Steve Rolls on 8 June.

“But with the medicine and technology, it’s different. I really think he could fight until he was 75 if he wanted to, and I’m serious.”

“He lives really clean. His 37 is not the average 37.”

Golovkin, who brings a record of 39-1-1 with 35 knockouts to the bout at Madison Square Garden, said he has been re-energized by the tutelage of Banks as he seeks to regain a belt he first won in 2015.

Golovkin defended the title with wins against Dominic Wade, Kell Brook and Daniel Jacobs and with a draw with Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez.

Golovkin was stripped of the IBF title last year when he failed to make a mandatory defense against Ukraine’s Derevyanchenko, opting instead for a rematch with Alvarez, who handed Golovkin the first defeat of his career.

Derevyanchenko said he believes he can upset Golovkin to seize the belt and perhaps dim the prospects for a third Golovkin-Alvarez bout in 2020.

“I don’t care that I’m underdog,” said Derevyanchenko, who owns a record of 13-1 with 10 knockouts.