crop_bernardhopkins_1El púgil ruso Sergey Kovalev venció por decisión unánime al veterano estadounidense Bernard Hopkins y unificó los tres títulos del peso semipesado, versión de la AMB, la FIB y la OMB. (AFP / Don Emmert)

Houston – El púgil ruso Sergey Kovalev venció la pasada noche por decisión unánime al veterano estadounidense Bernard Hopkins y unificó los tres títulos del peso semipesado, versión Asociación Mundial de Boxeo (AMB), Federación Internacional (FIB) y la Organización Mundial (OMB).

El combate más esperado del año dentro de la categoría de los pesos superiores sirvió para confirmar el gran momento por el que atraviesa Kovalev, y que sus 18 años más joven también fueron al final el factor que hizo que la balanza cayese de su lado.

La cita fue en Atlantic City y ninguno de los dos defraudó con su entrega y boxeo, aunque fue Kovalev, de 31 años, e invicto, el que impuso siempre su poder de puños, rapidez y mayor fondo físico.

La superioridad de principio a fin de Kovalev quedó reflejada en las tarjetas ofrecidas por los tres jueces que le fueron ampliamente favorables.

Carlos Ortiz Jr. y Clark Sammartino le dieron ganador con cartulinas de 120-107 y Lawrence Layton lo tuvo todavía más claro y puso una puntuación de 120-106 favorable a Kovalev.

El gran triunfo moral para Hopkins, de 49 años, que el próximo enero cumplirá 50, fue que al final, en los 26 años que lleva de profesional, nunca ha perdido por nocáut.

El ruso, sin embargo, conectó temprano una derecha en la cabeza de Hopkins que hizo que éste tocara la lona en el primer asalto y recibiera la cuenta de protección por parte del árbitro de la pelea David Fields.

Pero, una vez más, Hopkins, hizo honor a su condición de luchador incansable, inteligente y mañoso, que le permitió hacer el milagro de concluir los 12 asaltos sin volver a la lona y quedar el combate concluido por la vía rápida y más en una pelea de la categoría de los semipesados y ante un rival de una gran pegada.

Por si lo anterior no hubiese sido ya todo un logró para Hopkins, en el duodécimo asalto, Hopkins quiso vender cara su derrota y se enfrascó en un durísimo intercambio de golpes que pasará a la historia como uno de los más espectaculares que se haya podido ver entre dos púgiles con 18 años de diferencia.

“Es un hombre duro”, declaró Kovalev al concluir la pelea. “Hay que respetarlo, pero ya tiene que parar de pelear. Ha hecho mucho por el boxeo y es hora de que le de paso a los jóvenes que vamos subiendo”.

Kovalev campeón invicto de la OMB (26-0-1, 23 nocáuts), ahora posee también los cinturones de la FIB y de la AMB, que estaban en poder de Hopkins, que los logró a la edad de 48 y 49 años, respectivamente.

Pero Hopkins, que dejó su marca en 55-7-2 y 32 combates ganados por la vía del nocáut, dijo que hasta el final tuvo la posibilidad de haber conseguido la victoria.

“La clave de la victoria estuvo en que mi rival llegó con un gran plan, golpeaba y se iba para atrás, además de tener una gran derecha que la combinó a la perfección”, señaló Hopkins. “Lo que hice en el último asalto fue de loco, pero se lo merecían los aficionados que quieren ver buenas peleas”.

El propio Kovalev, aunque dijo que a Hopkins ya le había llegado la hora de la retirada, también reconoció que es mucho mejor que el actual campeón del Consejo Mundial de Boxeo (CMB), el canadiense Adonis Stevenson, que ha evitado en varias ocasiones enfrentarse al monarca ruso.

http://www.elnuevodia.com/kovalevacabaconelsuenodealienhopkins-1888756.html

1392337155000-USP-Boxing-Garcia-vs-Burgos

By Yuri Tarantin –

WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) is full focused on his upcoming assignment, a March 29th defense against Cedric Agnew. If Kovalev is successful, he will move another step forward to a unification with WBC champion Adonis Stevenson (23-1, 20KOs), who likely returns on May 24th against Andrzej Fonfara.

Stevenson’s team, now with powerful adviser Al Haymon, is still negotiating a multi-fight deal with HBO. The network would like to have both fighters meet each other in the month of September.

“Right now I have my match against Cedric Agnew, and that’s the only thing I’m focusing on. And Stevenson, I can only say that if he refuses to fight with me [after I beat Agnew], then he is a coward and not a world champion,” Kovalev said.

http://www.boxingscene.com/kovalev-if-stevenson-says-no-me-he-coward–74870

kovalev

By Keith Idec –

Adonis Stevenson’s resistance thus far hasn’t discouraged Sergey Kovalev from thinking they’ll fight sometime later this year.

Russia’s Kovalev said on a conference call Thursday to promote his March 29 fight against American Cedric Agnew that he believes public pressure eventually will lead to a meeting between the light heavyweight champions.

“He will go to the fight because the public, fans and everybody wants this fight,” Kovalev said. “Everybody will push him if he doesn’t want this fight. In this year, we will fight, I’m sure.”

Among the “everybody” to which Kovalev referred are HBO Sports executives that aren’t likely to continue cutting sizeable checks for broadcast rights to Stevenson’s fights if he doesn’t agree to face Kovalev in what would be one of the most appealing clashes the network could televise this year. They’ll do so at least once more, though, as the Haitian-born, Quebec-bred Stevenson (23-1, 20 KOs) appears headed toward a May 24 defense of his WBC title against Chicago’s Andrzej Fonfara (25-2, 15 KOs, 1 NC) at Bell Centre in Montreal.

The 30-year-old Kovalev, meanwhile, wants to stay busy and defend his WBO light heavyweight title while waiting for a showdown with Stevenson.

Jolene Mizzone, matchmaker for Main Events (Kovalev’s promoter), said on the conference call Thursday that the unknown Agnew (26-0, 13 KOs) was the only available, ranked light heavyweight willing to face Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) for the money offered to participate in this HBO “Boxing After Dark” main event at Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom in Atlantic City. Chicago’s Agnew, 27, is ranked No. 3 by the IBF and No. 15 by the WBO.

Kathy Duva, Main Events’ chief executive officer, added that she shares Kovalev’s confidence regarding an eventual Stevenson showdown.

“As far as Stevenson [goes], I’m very confident we’re going to get that fight made,” Duva said. “Now we have to think about the one that’s in front of us.”

The Kovalev-Agnew fight will mark Kovalev’s third HBO appearance since Aug. 17. Stevenson’s fight against Fonfara will represent his fourth HBO bout in less than a year, a run that began with the strong southpaw’s stunning first-round knockout of former champion Chad Dawson (31-3, 17 KOs, 2 NC) on June 8 in Montreal.

Kovalev and Stevenson appear to be on a collision course, but Kovalev and his handlers are trying to remain patient.

“The bigger name fights take time to make,” Duva said. “That fight will get made. But our goal is for Sergey to stay active and Sergey’s goal is to stay active.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/kovalev-still-confident-adonis-stevenson-fight-him–74657

kovalev_champ_dc747

By Bill “Two Scoops” Emes –

Promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events, who handles WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs), is confident a deal will get reached for an HBO televised unification with WBC kingpin Adonis Stevenson (23-1, 20KOs). Fans have been clamoring for the fight with HBO doing their part by showcasing the two fighters on several dates last year. The fight is going to happen this year, says Duva. As both boxers are going to fight in the first half of 2014, their inevitable showdown is probably going to happen around the fall.

“We have actually been negotiating very seriously in the last days, hours even. The fight is going to get made…..just not next. The negotiations are ongoing with the people from Montreal and HBO. We are talking. I’ve been involved in a lot of big deals in my life. I can tell when something is going to work and not going to work, and it’s going to work,” Duva told BoxingScene.com.

Kovalev’s return is being targeted for March 29th in Atlantic City. One possible opponent being discussed is undefeated Cedric Agnew (26-0, 13KOs). Stevenson appears set for May 24th at the Bell Centre in Montreal, against Andrzej Fonfara (25-2, 15KOs) of Poland.

http://www.boxingscene.com/stevenson-kovalev-negotiations-heating-up-hbo–74113

SergeyKovalev6_Fotor_Collage

By Keith Idec

Sergey Kovalev wants to fight Adonis Stevenson next, but the unbeaten Russian realizes Stevenson doesn’t share his desire to make a unification fight between the hard-hitting light heavyweight champions.

If Canada’s Stevenson changes his mind, Kovalev wouldn’t waste any time signing a contract.

“We can fight, but it’s up to him,” Kovalev told BoxingScene.com. “That question has to be posed to Stevenson, not to me. He probably doesn’t want to fight me, but if we fought it would be a great fight.”

HBO Sports executives showcased Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and Stevenson (23-1, 20 KOs) in separate bouts Nov. 30 in Quebec City to build momentum toward an eventual Kovalev-Stevenson showdown. Both boxers scored impressive knockouts that night, but Stevenson scoffed at the suggestion of a looming Kovalev clash.

Before the powerful southpaw stopped England’s Tony Bellew (20-2-1, 12 KOs) in the sixth round and Kovalev knocked out Ukraine’s Ismayll Sillakh (21-2, 17 KOs) in the second round last month, Stevenson told BoxingScene.com that Kovalev needs to beat better boxers before he’d consider Kovalev a worthy adversary. The Haitian-born Stevenson noted that he is a much bigger draw than Kovalev as well.

Kovalev, who dismissed Stevenson’s criticism of his resume, considers Stevenson’s supposed disinterest as a negotiating ploy.

“He just wants to get more money,” Kovalev said. “But if he’s a real fighter, he’ll fight me. I’m not going to say, ‘Give me more money, more money, more money.’ I want good money, too, but I’m ready to fight him right now.”

Even if Stevenson’s interest intensifies, the 30-year-old Kovalev won’t wait around for the WBC light heavyweight champion. His handlers plan to schedule at least four fights for Kovalev in 2014 and want the WBO 175-pound champion’s first fight of the year to take place as soon as possible.

“We’re not going to chase Stevenson,” said Egis Klimas, Kovalev’s manager. “Other opportunities are going to come up for us to fight other guys, just like what happened with Bernard Hopkins and [Nathan] Cleverly. We had a mandatory [against Hopkins], but Hopkins was going back and forth, trying to put unification fights together, and he never answered us.

“Then the opportunity came up to fight Cleverly and we fought Cleverly. We didn’t care. This is the same thing with Stevenson. If he doesn’t want to fight, we’re not going to wait. If another opportunity comes up for us to fight, we’re not going to wait.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/kovalev-if-stevensons-real-fighter-hell-fight-me–73227

441

By Bill “Two Scoops” Emes-

WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20KOs) plans to impress when he faces dangerous challenger Ismayl Sillakh (21-1, 17KOs) at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada. Kovalev makes the first defense of the title he captured in August from Nathan Cleverly. He wants to make a statement against Sillakh, and then hopes to secure unification bouts against the likes of IBF champion Bernard Hopkins, WBA champion Beibut Shumenov and WBC champion Adonis Stevenson.

 

“This is very important for me to get a win and get a great win. I want to show the people a very good fight, the people who will spend money on tickets and the people who will be watching on TV, I want to give them a good fight,” Kovalev told BoxingScene.com

 

“This division is more interesting. Hopkins, at 48-years-old, he just got a win over Murat. That would be an amazing fight. I like this fight. Beibut Shumenov, for a long time I haven’t seen him in the ring and I’m wondering when he will get in the ring to show what he can do. And then there is Stevenson. Right now Stevenson is very popular. A lot of people want this fight [between me and him] and I want this fight and I hope it can happen in the future.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/sergey-kovalev-aims-impress-eyes-unification-bouts–71310

HOBOKEN, New Jersey (May 30, 2012) – American boxing fans will once again have an opportunity to watch some of the most promising prospects from North of the border as FIGHT NOW! TV TM – America’s only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel – airs the fifth and final edition of the popular “Fast & Furious Boxing Series” on June 8 live from the famed Bell Centre in Montreal. Viewers may also watch on Ustream – ordering information is available at ustream.tv and fightnow.com.

Unbeaten World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) North American Boxing Organization (“NABO”) light heavyweight champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (8-0, 5 KO) makes his first title defense against Native American challenger Shawn “The Sioux Warrior” Hawk (23-1, 19 KO) in the 12-round main event.

 

“Promoter Yvon Michel (GYM Boxing) always delivers top fighters in entertaining, competitive fights,” says Mike Garrow, Co-Founder and General Manager of FIGHT NOW! TV. “Our FIGHT NOW! TV viewers always enjoy GYM (Groupe Yvon Michel) events. We’re very happy to be working again with this quality promotion to bring the best of Canadian boxing to the United States.

“The 28-year-old Alvarez, who lives in Montreal, was a 2008 Colombian Olympian who captured the NABO title last December, stopping Emiliano Cayetano in the opening round. Rated No. 15 by the WBO, Alvarez won all eight rounds in his most recent fight this past April against Rayco Saunders.

Hawk, who fights out of Atlantic City, New Jersey, is riding a five-fight win streak, four of which have come at light heavyweight after campaigning most of his professional career as a cruiserweight. Hawk, 27, has defeated top light heavyweights Henry Buchanan (20-2), Otis Griffin (23-8-2) and Rubin Williams (29-10-1) for the Sovereign Nations title.

In the co-feature, Montreal middleweight David Lemieux (25-2, 24 KO) makes his long-awaited comeback to the ring, after being sidelined since December from a right hand injury against Joachim Alcine (33-2-1, 19 KO). The wildly popular Lemieux, who is ranked No. 23 by the World Boxing Council (“WBC”), takes on tough Mexican-American Jaudiel “Negro” Zepeda (12-5-1, 9 KO) in an eight-round match.

Also fighting on a power-packed undercard is a trio of undefeated heavyweights in eight-round bouts: Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (10-0, 6 KO) vs. Sylvera Louis (4-1, 1 KO), Eric Barrack (7-0, 6 KO) vs. Sheldon Hinton (11-8-1, 4 KO), and Didier Bence (4-0, 2 KO) vs. Stéphane “Brutus” Tessier. Gutsy middleweight Ahmad Cheikho (6-4-2, 5 KO) is also scheduled to be in action. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For more information visit www.fightnow.com or www.groupeyvonmichel.ca.
About FIGHT NOW TV: With offices in New Jersey, Las Vegas and Toronto, FIGHT NOW TV is a cross-platform media company that creates and distributes content through its television, video on demand, and online outlets.

Founded by Channel Zero, Inc. and media entrepreneur Mike Garrow, FIGHT NOW! TV is the only 24 hours a day, seven days a week combat sports channel in the nation. The network’s mandate is to bring the best battles, fiercest fights and stunning knockouts to America. FIGHT NOW! TV caters to fight fans of every genre, giving them a front row seat to compelling coverage of MMA, boxing, wrestling/grappling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other combat sports. FIGHT NOW TV is the place for the best analysis, live and current events, documentaries and news coverage of the biggest PPV events and matchups from around the globe.

FIGHT NOW! TV has also enlisted one of the fight game’s biggest names to join its camp, 5-time UFC champion and MMA legend Randy Couture, who serves as both spokesperson and analyst for the channel.

FIGHT NOW! TV, It’s ON! Call Your Television Provider To Order

For more information about FIGHT NOW! TV visit www.fightnow.com, or follow them on Twitter @fightnowtv and Facebook.com/fightnowtv.

 

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/05/fast-furious-on-fight-now-tv/

It is a fight series is billed as “Fast and Furious” by promoter Yvon Michel and that’s exactly what was delivered by headliner Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (18-1 15KO) who stopped WBC Silver belt holder Noe Gonzalez (28-2 20KO) at 1:40 of the 2nd round in front of 2853 Bell Centre fans. After being the aggressor and establishing a solid body attack in the first round, Stevenson let his hands go in the second and didn’t stop. A left hand early in the barrage seemed to stun the Argentine fighter and from there on it was bombs away as the hometown fighter pressured and didn’t let up. After several consecutive head shots, referee Michael Griffin stepped in and stopped the action.

Gonzalez who seemed hurt several times during the barrage did little to protest the referee’s decision, walking meekly back to his corner one the contest was called.

“The punch that originally hurt his opponent wasn’t even a clean blow,” said Stevenson’s trainer Emanuel Steward. “It was a half-blocked blow and that is an attribute to the punching power of Adonis Stevenson.”

“It was my left hook I caught him with,” confirmed Stevenson, “I was like a snake. I saw him shaking and I just finished him.”

“He was always in balance and placed his punches really well,” said Steward. “He finished him off with well placed punches, very short accurate punches so he got caught with a lot of clean blows.”

It was Steward’s second fight with the Haitian born Stevenson and marked the first time the trainer has had a chance to give instructions between rounds. “It’s been two fights and he hasn’t got a drop of water on his trunks yet. I told him he was fighting a masterpiece and to continue what he was doing. He was getting anxious or overly aggressive just be patient and try to make him back up more. He wasn’t a counter puncher, he was a strong guy with his muscles all greased up to try and look impressive, but I noticed he could only fight coming forward so I said try and back him up and get him in a corner.”

With the win, Stevenson adds the WBC silver belt to his ever growing prize closet of hardware including the NABO, NABA and IBF Intercontinental. But while the WBC is a very real possibility the IBF #2 fighter still has his eyes set on fellow Montrealer Lucian Bute. Promoter Yvon Michel will keep the fighter on the shelf till at least after Bute’s May 26 bout with Carl Froch so the fighter will be available for any potential fight for mandatory challenger. “We expect a fight two days after the Froch fight to see if we’re free to fight for the number one position. The other think is that Ward already said that he is not fighting Anthony Dirrell. By having the silver if that title ever becomes vacant, he will be chosen along with Dirrell to fight for it. So right now we have a bit of a waiting game before scheduling his next fight. He’s in the position everywhere right now.”

For the fighter himself, the goal is still clear, “It doesn’t matter the WBC or the IBF, I want to fight Bute in Montreal” Stevenson said, “In Montreal you need big fights like that, me and Bute.”

By Dave Spencer
Photos Herby Whyne

http://www.fightnews.ca/mtl120420.cfm

MONTREAL (April 16, 2012) – Rising light heavyweight star Eleider “Storm” Alvarez takes on battled-tested veteran Rayco “War” Saunders in this week’s ESPN Friday Night Fights co-feature at the famed Bell Centre in Montreal.

WBO NABO Super Middleweight champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (17-1, 14 KOs) headlines another installment of the popular Fast and Furious Series, presented in Montreal by Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, in a 10-round unification bout with World Boxing Council (“WBC”) No. 2-ranked Noe “El Carbonero” Gonzalez (28-1, 20 KOs).

 Alvarez (7-0, 5 KOs), a 2008 Colombian Olympian who now lives in Montreal, is the undefeated North American Boxing Organization (“NABO”) champion on a fast track to stardom. He captured the NABO title in his seventh pro fight, knocking out Emiliano Cavetano (21-3) in the opening round last December, and Eleider is already ranked No. 15 by the World Boxing Organization (“WBO”).

“Storm” faces Saunders (22-15-2, 9 KOs), who has been stopped only once in his pro career, in an eight-round, non-title fight. Saunders has defeated world-title challenger Tommy Karpency and fought three-time world title challenger Danny Santiago to a draw. World-class fighters such as Ismayl Sillakh, Edison Miranda, Marcus Oliveira and Chris Henry have been unable to stop the crafty boxer from Pittsburgh.

Another Colombian Olympian also living in Montreal, unbeaten heavyweight prospect Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (9-0, 6 KOs), meets veteran Kendrick “The Apostle” Releford (22-16-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

Adonis Stevenson

“In addition to a legitimate Fight of the Year candidate in Stevenson-Gonzalez,” promoter Yvon Michel (GYM) commented, “boxing fans at Bell Centre and those watching on ESPN will see two top prospects in Alvarez and Rivas. They both have unlimited potential but this Friday evening will each face the stiffest tests of their young careers.”

Also fighting on the undercard is super featherweight Baha Laham (8-0, 3 KOs) vs. Leonis Francois (8-6, 2 KOs) in an eight-round bout, heavyweight Eric Barrack (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Sandy Pembroke (2-4, 1 KO) in a six-round match, and Montreal light heavyweight Schiller Hyppolite (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Martin Desjardins. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The Officials for the Stevenson/Gonzalez Unification are:

Supervisor: Mike George, Rhode Island, USA

Referee: Michel Albert Griffin, Canada

Judges: Jack Woodburn, Canada

Claude Paquette, Canada

Richard Flaherty, Massachusetts, USA

 

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/04/storm-rising-as-alvarez-battles-saunders-in-this-weeks-espn-fnf-co-feature-stevenson-gonzalez-unification-title-fight-headlines-montreal-show/