ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Following 11 rounds of utter domination, the only thing left for Sergey Kovalev to accomplish early Sunday morning was to become the first opponent in Bernard Hopkins’ 26-year career to knock him out.
If Kovalev had 10 more seconds at his disposal in Round 12 of their light heavyweight title unification fight at Boardwalk Hall, he might’ve accomplished that feat, too.
The Russian knockout artist instead settled for handing Hopkins the most lopsided loss of his Hall-of-Fame career, a 12-round unanimous-decision defeat so thorough the 49-year-old Hopkins acknowledged afterward that it’s “50-50” whether he’ll fight again. Regardless, as Hopkins’ legendary career nears its conclusion, the most impressive victory of Kovalev’s five-year pro career should thrust him toward stardom.
“He did just what I knew what he would do,” said John David Jackson, Kovalev’s trainer. “Tonight he was the teacher.”
Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 knockouts), who hadn’t boxed beyond eight rounds in any of his first 26 professional fights, easily demonstrated that he was prepared to win championship rounds against the most accomplished, experienced opponent he has faced. All three judges – New Jersey’s Lawrence Layton (120-106), New York’s Carlos Ortiz (120-107) and Rhode Island’s Clark Sammartino (120-107) – credited Kovalev with winning each of the 12 rounds.
Kovalev took Hopkins’ IBF and WBA light heavyweight titles and retained his WBO 175-pound championship. He also won the respect and admiration of boxing experts who wondered whether his record was more the byproduct of his opposition than Kovalev’s skills and power.
“I don’t care how old he is,” Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins’ promotional partner, said. “To beat somebody like Hopkins, Kovalev did a tremendous job. He executed his game plan perfectly, and that’s not easy to do against a legend like Bernard Hopkins.”
Kovalev, 31, dropped Hopkins with a right hand to the side of his head with a little less than a minute to go in the first round. Hopkins reached his feet quickly and made it to the end of the round, but mostly employed a cautious approach for the rest of the fight. Hopkins opened up in Round 12, but his aggression only encouraged Kovalev to unload an array of power punches that hurt him, left him stumbling all around the ring and pushed the Philadelphia native dangerously close to getting knocked out.
“I’ve just got a great chin,” Hopkins said. “I can take a punch.”
Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs, 2 NCs) took 166 of Kovalev’s 585 overall punches, according to unofficial CompuBox statistics. Kovalev landed 38 punches in Round 12 alone, the most connected on Hopkins in any single round of the 41 Hopkins fights CompuBox has worked.
“He’s 49 years old,” Kovalev said. “To go 12 rounds with me, I was very surprised. … Really big respect to him.”
Hopkins now respects Kovalev’s boxing ability, not just his vaunted power.
“He had a really good game plan,” Hopkins said. “When he got hit with some of my shots, he would step back. But he used his reach and distance and that was the key to his victory tonight. He has very good mechanics and patience. Because after I hit him, he would step back. That would cause me to have to reset. He had a good game plan, I’ll give him that. He’s a good technical fighter. He would counter his right hand over my jab. I give him a lot of respect.”
Credit: Photo by DON EMMERT / AFP –
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Sergey Kovalev roughed up Bernard Hopkins from the opening bell, winning a unanimous decision early Sunday to stake his claim as the best light heavyweight.
Kovalev has three versions of the 175-pound belt after taking two from the 49-year-old Hopkins in the decisive victory. Kovalev is 26-0-1 with 23 knockouts.
Kovalev received winning scores of 120-107 from two judges and 120-106 from the third. The 31-year-old Russian won the IBF and WBA light heavyweight belts to go with his own WBO title.
Two months shy of 50, Hopkins (55-7-2) could face retirement after a rare title bout where he was never a factor. Kovalev knocked down Hopkins in the first round and never backed off his punishing pace.
Kovalev hadn’t fought past the eighth, but was at his best against Hopkins in the 12th. He wanted the KO and battered Hopkins against the ropes, making the Philadelphia fighter at last look his age.
“I wanted to show fans that I know how to box and I did,” Kovalev said. “I tried to go for the knockout in the 12th round. He has great defense. He’s the best boxer in my division.”
Hopkins felt every single one of Kovalev’s blows in the 12th. And there were plenty of them in that final round. Kovalev landed 38 punches in the final round, the most ever against Hopkins in 41 fights tracked by CompuBox.
The pro-Hopkins crowd chanted “B-Hop!” and “U-S-A!” to rally the veteran driver. It didn’t work.
Kovalev dropped Hopkins with a solid right early in the first round, but the veteran hopped right up. Kovalev smelled blood and became focused on finishing off Hopkins with a knockout.
He pummeled Hopkins in the final 45 seconds of the third round. Kovalev was at his best when he backed Hopkins into a corner and unloaded body shots that left him reeling.
Hopkins just wouldn’t go down for good. He had his best round in the seventh, landing a couple of rights that had little meaning in the long run.
Kovalev answered in the eighth with a hard right that wobbled Hopkins. Kovalev kept it up until the 12th. Respect for Hopkins’ Hall of Fame resume was about the only thing that kept the referee from stopping the fight.
“I give him a lot of respect, we both would fight anyone,” Hopkins said. “That’s how we ended up here tonight. That’s what brought us together.”
But did it bring Hopkins to his professional end?
“I really don’t want to say anything,” Hopkins said. “It’s been 50-50 for the last nine years.”
Hopkins lost his professional debut to Clinton Mitchell at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City in 1988. Kovalev was just 5 years old and living in Chelyabinsk, Russia at the time. Hopkins took 15 months off before fighting again, defeating Greg Paige at Philadelphia’s Blue Horizon, the first of 22 straight victories that wouldn’t end until he lost to Roy Jones Jr. in 1993. The 45-year-old Jones was on HBO’s broadcast team for the fight.
Never a stylistically crowd-pleasing fighter, Hopkins hasn’t knocked out an opponent since Oscar De La Hoya in September 2004.
De La Hoya was at the fight, too. Hopkins is a minority partner with De La Hoya in Golden Boy Promotions.
De La Hoya said after the fight Hopkins will fight again and still has options in a lower weight class.
At 46, Hopkins became the oldest fighter to win a major world championship in 2011 when he defeated Jean Pascal. He dropped the WBC version of the light heavyweight belt to Chad Dawson in 2012, setting him up again to break his own record of oldest fighter to win a championship in 2013 with a unanimous decision victory over Tavoris Cloud.
Hopkins was 48 for that bout. He won his next two bouts to set up the unification fight with Kovalev.
Now, it’s Kovalev’s turn to stand atop the division.
El 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
Date: Saturday, November 8, 2014
WBO/WBA/IBF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT
Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions (Oscar De La Hoya) / Main Events (Kathy Duva)
Supervisor: Francisco Valcarcel, Esq.
Referee: David Fields
Judges: Larry Layton (120-106); Carlos Ortiz Jr. (120-107); Clark Sammartino (120-107)
Results: WBO Champion Sergey Kovalev retains the WBO Light Heavyweight Title and obtained the IBF/WBA belts against Bernard Hopkins by Unanimous Decision. The WBA Champion Hopkins down in round 1.
TV: USA HBO
World Boxing Organization (WBO), by president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel, announced today the officials who will work this Saturday, November 8, in the fourth title defense of the light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, from Russia, against Bernard Hopkins, from United States, to be held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States, in a Main Events presentation.
For this fight, when Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs) will defend his WBO 175 pounds belt in an unification bout versus the WBA and IBF champion Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs), the referee will be David Fields, from New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the judges for the Kovalev-Hopkins will be Carlos Ortiz Jr., from New York, Clark Sammartino, from Rhode Island, and Lawrence Layton, from New Jersey.
The WBO supervisor for this fight will be the President Paco Valcarcel.
Kovalev, selected the WBO Boxing of the Year, won his title on August 17, 2013, with a fourth round TKO win over Nathan Cleverly, and got victories over Ismayl Sillah (KO2), Cedric Agnew (KO7) and Blake Caparello (TKO2) on his tree defenses.
This fight will be broadcasted on HBO at 10:45 p.m. (ET).
http://www.boxingnews24.com/2014/11/hopkins-kovalev-officials/
Photo: Timeline photos by Sergey Kovalev /facebook.com/thekrusher –
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – World Boxing Organization (WBO) Light Heavyweight campion, Sergey Kovalev, was awarded tonight as the Fighter of the Year at the Gala Dinner of the WBO 27th Annual Convention, which were honored former WBO champions and International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductees Joe Calzaghe and Oscar de la Hoya, in an event el at the Caesar’s Palace Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The 27th Convention ended this evening with an emotional ceremony honoring the careers of Calzaghe and De La Hoya, who were present to receive the tribute.
“We want to honor these two great champions WBO and now immortal Hall of Fame International Boxing Calzaghe and De La Hoya, always faithful to our body and two of the best of his era and history,” said WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel.
After a video with part of their most important bouts, the fighters were introduced by the famous ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., who served as master of ceremonies of the activity. Both former world champions got a special WBO belt in honor of their careers.
Meanwhile, Kovalev, who will defend his 175 pounds WBO belt on November 8 against also world champion Bernard Hopkins in a unification bout, won his belt in August 2013 and has successfully defended three times with KO wins over Ismayl Sillah, Cedric Agnew and Blake Caparello.
Other winners on the night were the promoter Bob Arum, who received the WBO Promoter of the Year award, the fight between WBO Lightweight Champion Terence Crawford and Yuriorkis Gamboa as the WBO Fight of the Year, the WBO featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko as Fighter with Brightest Future, while the WBO female bantamweight world champion Carolina Duer was awarded with the WBO ring for her 10 defenses of the title.
Also in attendance were WBO junior lightweight champion Orlando Salido, junior welter champion Chris Algieri, Japanese female world champions Nao Ikehara and Kimiko Seeser Ikeyama, former world champion Ruslan Provodnikov, former world champion James Toney, former women’s world champion, Hanna Gabriels, unbeaten prospect Felix Verdejo, among others.
Photo by Rich Kane Hogan
It’s fight week, with Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev and Sadam Ali vs. Luis Carlos Abregu taking place this weekend in Atlantic City. The final fighter workouts were held today at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, and right here, you can check out all the photos & quotes.
Credit: Hogan Photos / Golden Boy –
BERNARD HOPKINS
“There are so many things I’ve done that the world of boxing has witnessed. It’s going to be difficult for the boxing people to pick one of my performances as the best.
“I’ve done so many unpredictable things and so profoundly. Even the people who want to go against me, are afraid to go against me. They’ve been wrong so many times. A lot of them are just being mum right now. They must feel I can still do things.
“This is a great position to be in. I don’t really believe there is any fighter, in any decade that can be in my position of luxury that I’ve been in for many years.
“Early on in my career I had the kind of anxious where you couldn’t sleep at night. That anxiousness is like a virus we all have in us. Some you can deal with but some will wipe you out.
“The Pavlik fight was the first time I heard the masses put the word knockout attached to my opponent. I’m real keen on what people say. Ninety percent of it might be garbage, but something in there might be the plan. That woke me up and I knew I wanted to destroy.
“The only thing I can do is be right about what I say. Because I know I’m being watched. I understand what I’m facing. All I can do is put the work behind it.
“I didn’t need to take any fight for the last 10 years. But I’ve always fought the best and I’ve always wanted to prove myself to the best.
“I always not only want push the envelope in my career but I also have an itch for going against the grain.
“Enjoy that you can see me now. I would love to see the great Michael Jordan and Julius Erving in their younger days, but they’re gone. Look at me at 50, I’m going to eat right and live right so I can take less punches and look normal.
“This fight isn’t about boxing, it’s something deeper than that.
“I was made to be where I’m at. I just had to go through some challenges, so that I can educate others later.”
SERGEY KOVALEV
“Fifty is just a number. I think nothing of his age. If he was old he would be retired, but he’s still in there. He’s not an old man, he’s a young alien.
“I’m really excited for this fight. I will do my job and anything I need to do to win.
“Bernard likes to push everybody, inside the ring or outside. We’re ready to begin. We’re ready to fight. I feel like I’ve been fighting him for two months going to the gym every day.
“I don’t know what will happen November 8 because this is sports, this is boxing. But I will be ready. I will get a chance to be undisputed and I’m ready to do it. That is my goal.
“I need to do what I do and do it very well.
“I can think back and remember everything from early in my career, but I don’t want to do that. It was often very terrible and it was hard to get to this stage and this place.
“I was searching around for any promoter but no one would sign me. I fought for three years for free. In 2013, Kathy Duva signed me and my career has gotten much better. Being on a big fight on TV is what I’ve always wanted.
“Egis Klimas paid for everything when I was starting out, my opponents, my clothes and my food. He invested a lot into me.
“This fight is a great opportunity for me to create my history for me and my family. I will do that. When my son grows up he will be able to look at this and say, ‘that is my father.’ He can see that I did it for him.
“I can’t make any predictions. We will see everything on November 8. It’s boxing, it’s a fight. For me, any fight like this is a street fight, anything can happen.
“I’m going to go in to fight. I’m going to box, I’m going to show that I can fight with the best light heavyweight right now.
“From my side everything will be clean and fair. I don’t know what he will be doing.
“My life has already changed but this fight means everything.”
NAAZIM RICHARDSON,
“Sergey Kovalev is an exceptional puncher. We haven’t seen him hurt guys of extreme quality yet, but we can’t take for granted what we’ve seen against the opposition he’s faced. He’s annihilated these dudes, that’s how he wins fights.
“Kovalev is a monster. He’s a beast. He punches harder than Hercules. But I don’t want people to defang him on Sunday. If Kovalev is all of these things that people say he is and Bernard beats him, you better start that car and drive him straight to Canastota and induct him into the Hall of Fame right now.
“We’re too late in the game to overhaul from training camp to training camp. We train Bernard Hopkins. The rest of the world adjusts to Bernard Hopkins. Each camp we strive to get the best Bernard Hopkins we can.
“We don’t even call it training camp. It’s a lifestyle for Bernard. They’re just dates we all get together.
“It’s genetics. It’s lifestyle. There are many variables that mesh together to make Bernard who he is. We just have to appreciate him while he’s here.
“With a win over Kovalev it separates so that now he should go to the Hall of Fame as ‘The Executioner’ and ‘The Alien.’ A win over Kovalev only adds to ‘The Executioner’ but it would also solidify a Hall of Fame career for the ‘The Alien.'”
JOHN DAVID JACKSON
“Sergey’s talent is still untapped. He could be a really special fighter. He needs to get past this fight here first and then the sky is the limit for him.
“His punching power is so unreal it makes him hard to deal with.
“I warned Bernard’s camp a few years ago, don’t fight this Kovalev kid. I don’t know what they told Bernard. But I told them please don’t fight this kid.
“This is business at the end of the day. Bernard can talk about me all night long but I don’t have to get in the ring with him.
“Sergey doesn’t understand English that well so it doesn’t matter what Bernard says. There’s mutual respect, but fight week is here so we’ll see what happens.
“Sergey is ready. Bernard is all he talks about. Beating Bernard is the next phase of the plan. If you beat a fighter of that magnitude it takes you to the next level.”
SADAM ALI
“Luis Carlos Abregu is not someone you should overlook or underestimate. He has power in both hands. He gives you a lot to worry about in the ring because of his tremendous power.
“There is no limit for me. I just want to keep going and going. This is the biggest fight of my career and I just have to be on my A-game.
“I worked on defense a little more than usual in training camp, I think anyone who fights Abregu should. I’ve been training hard and I’m mentally and physically prepared. No weight lifting, but a lot of calisthenics.
“It’s been a long journey to get here. It hasn’t been going as fast as I expected it to but there’s a plan for all of us. This is the biggest fight of my career, I hope there are bigger fights coming but so far it’s the biggest.
“I have a tough opponent and I think a lot of people are underestimating me. I’m the underdog now, which I’m not used to being. I’m putting in the time and the work in the gym and I’m ready.
“Everybody is entitled to their opinion and I honestly like being looked at as the underdog. I want to be underestimated, that way you’re going to be surprised by what I bring to you.
“I’ve put in the time at the gym so I’m not worried about getting tired at all. I have to be heads up in the ring.
“This fight is definitely a bigger step up than people thought I was going to take but after I win this I will prove a lot of people wrong.
“Everybody needs to take this kind of step if they want to be special and I want to be special. I know I am special. Training camp was great and I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
http://www.proboxing-fans.com/bernard-hopkins-sergey-kovalev-workout-photos-quotes_110414/
WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev (Center) speaks wtih members of the media on October 2, 2014 in Big Bear City, California at his media day for his November 8, 2014 world title unification fight against WBA & IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey which will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Photos by Sergey Kovalev/Hoganphotos.
http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-sergey-kovalev-holds-media-day-big-bear–82781
Photo by: Sergey Kovalev/Hoganphotos –
Big Bear City, CA – As current WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev prepares for the fight of his life against Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins next month, he is on the precipice of a life-altering event as his wife, Natalya, is moments away from giving birth to their first child.
The Kovalevs are expecting their son any day now, with the official due date scheduled for October 17. Despite the stress and distractions that come with expectant-parenthood, the 31-year-old Kovalev assured everyone at his media day at Wolf Total Fitness in Big Bear City, Calif. yesterday that his focus is still fixated 100 percent on Hopkins, “I’m living for this fight. Only for this fight. I’m leaving for Florida when my [first] baby is due. I’ll be in training camp in Florida because this is the most important thing in my life right now.”
Sergey is scheduled to conclude his strength and conditioning training in Big Bear on October 9, then he will return to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to begin the sparring portion of his training with his trainer two-division world champion John David Jackson. With this schedule, there is a very good chance he will not be with his wife in Los Angeles when she goes into labor.
“The doctor says my baby is due October 17, but also said that we can plan one week early because in the last week the baby will be one pound more so for my wife it will be harder,” explained Kovalev.
“Right now she’s very afraid she will stay alone in LA. She’s most worried that I won’t see him after [he is born] for one month. She says that for her it’s very important. I said, why? I will see a picture,” joked Kovalev. “I don’t understand yet, but maybe she is 100 percent right that I will see him Thursday and after that I will crush Hopkins. I need to see him first before I give him a name.”
Despite potentially missing out on the birth of his son, Kovalev feels training for this fight is the most important thing he can do for his new family, “I have in my body, I have in my face, I have in my mind, the motivation that I need to get this win because it’s my future.” He added, “My goal still is to be undisputed in this division. This fight is two more titles, it’s my goal. I want all four.”
Sergey knows he is facing no small feat in the 49-year old Hopkins, “Our styles are different. American and Russian boxers are from different boxing schools. Hopkins’ style is old school. He’s doing some things that nobody does. Nobody does it how he does it,” explained ‘The Krusher.’ “This fight for me will be a big test. Hopkins is very good fighter. He is a very tough fighter and very smart. It will be a very good fight. His defense is incredible too. We’re working on everything. I have prepared for twelve rounds because I understand his strategy, what he wants to do and we’ll be prepared for anything.”
Training camp always begins for Kovalev with strength and conditioning in Big Bear. “In Big Bear everything is close. Nobody can touch you, nobody can call you, nobody can disturb you – just you and your mind and your focus on the fight,” said Kovalev. “Big Bear helped me to be focused on my workout, on my job. Florida is boxing training camp. Only boxing, only sparring, not for physical training. Here [in Big Bear] is for strength and condition to be stronger in the ring.”
When asked about his strategy for Hopkins, Sergey said, “I don’t have any strategy. I just go into the fight. What will happen, will happen. I’m not scared to lose, I’m not scared to win. This is a sport. But Hopkins is a legend. He’s a professor of boxing. He’s a very proud man as a boxer. He’s very smart, he’s very technical. It will be very difficult to fight him and for me it will be very big test. I’m ready for any test in my life. I have prepared for this test.”
Sergey is known as “The Krusher” because of his uncanny ability to secure the knockout; 92 percent (23 of 25) of his victories have come via the stoppage. However, according to Kovalev, that is not his game plan going into each fight, “I don’t have a goal to knockout anybody. I just go into the ring and make a fight. When it happens, it’s good for me. Less work, less job in the ring, more happy and more happy for my fans. I don’t have a goal that I need to knock him out.” He added, “When you want to knockout somebody, you can’t do it because your opponent can see your punch. I just go in to do boxing.”
http://www.boxingscene.com/kovalev-not-focused-on-ko-aims-crush-hopkins–82812
NEW YORK, NY – Light heavyweight champions [WBA/IBF] Bernard Hopkins and [WBO] Sergey Kovalev, in anticipation of their upcoming unification fight, attend the final season premiere of ‘Boardwalk Empire’ at Ziegfeld Theatre on September 3, 2014 in New York City. Hopkins and Kovalev will collide on November 8th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
http://www.boxingscene.com/photo-hopkins-kovalev-boardwalk-empire-premiere–81760
Date: Saturday, August 2, 2014
WBO Light Heavyweight Championship Bout
Location: Revel Resort, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Promoter: Main Events / DiBella Entertainment
Supervisor: John Duggan, Esq.
Referee: Sparkle Lee
Judges: Julie Lederman, John Poturaj, Glenn Feldman
Results: Champion Sergey Kovalev retained the WBO Light Heavyweight Title against Blake Caparello on the 2nd. round by KO.
TV: USA HBO
Foto: Boxeo Total.facebook page /
Por: Aleudi Rosario Cotto –
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- La Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB) anuncia los oficiales que estarán trabajando este sábado, 2 de agosto, en la tercera defensa del campeón de peso semicompleto (175 libras), el ruso Sergey Kovalev, frente al australiano Blake Caparello, que cobrará vida en el Revel Resort de Atlantic City en New Jersey, Estados Unidos, en una presentación de Main Events.
El presidente de la OMB, Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, informó que para el combate en el que Kovalev (24-0-1, 22 KOs) expondrá su correa semicompleta ante el décimo clasificado Caparello (19-0-1, 6 KOs), el árbitro será Sparkle Lee de Nueva York.
Entretanto, los jueces que trabajarán el choque Kovalev-Caparello serán los estadounidenses Julie Lederman (Nueva York), Glenn Feldman (Connecticut) y John Poturaj (New Jersey).
El supervisor de la OMB para este encuentro será John Duggan.
Esta pelea podrá verse a través de la telecadena HBO, que comenzará su transmisión a las 9:45 p.m.
Kovalev, quien ganó el título el 17 de agosto de 2013 cuando noqueó en cuatro asaltos a Nathan Cleverly, viene de una victoria por la vía rápida en el séptimo asalto sobre el entonces invicto Cedric Agnew el pasado 29 de marzo, en Atlantic City en la segunda defensa de su cetro.
A QUARTER of a century after Jeff “Hitman’’ Harding scored one of the greatest upsets ever in world championship boxing in Atlantic City, another raw-boned Aussie, Blake Caparello, is confident he can create his own piece of history there next week.
Like Harding against the fearsome, rock-faced Dennis Andries, Melbourne’s unfancied Caparello will fight for a version of the world light-heavyweight title against one of the most dangerous sluggers in the fight game.
The bout takes place at the Revel Resort beside the Atlantic Ocean, just a couple of kilometres from the Atlantic City Convention Centre where Harding, behind on points, knocked out the WBC world champ in the last round in 1989.
Caparello, 27, a carpenter who grew up in Greenvale and attended St Bernard’s College in Essendon, is undefeated in 20 pro fights but will be a heavy underdog against Russia’s WBO champion Sergey Kovalev, who has 24 wins, 22 by KO.
The fight comes just a week after Daniel Geale fights another heavy puncher, middleweight Gennady Golovkin in their world title fight at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon (Australian time).
Back in 1989 I was part of Harding’s team in Atlantic City when the Johnny Lewis-trained fighter rose from the canvas and, with two black eyes closing up around his broken nose, scored a heart-stopping knockout in the last round to take the WBC title.
Few fights involving an Australian have been so intense and dramatic.
Harding’s victory was all about brute strength and an indomitable spirit. He took heavy punishment throughout the fight before his stunning fightback against the West Indian-born British bulldog.
Caparello has a chance to score an upset of similar proportions on Sunday week but it shapes as a far different contest to Harding and Andries 25 years ago.
While Harding was all brawn and brute strength, Caparello is an artist as difficult to fathom as the Continental shelf.
Blake Caparello taunts Allan Green in a Melbourne bout.
He’s a tall rangy southpaw who befuddles and bewilders his opponents instead of battering them.
He’s quick and slick, able to score punches from unusual angles and if he fights at his best can frustrate and confuse the heavy hitting Russian.
He and his trainer Sam Labruna have worked on a number of contingencies for whatever bombs Kovalev hurls their way.
“There’s no pressure for me,’’ Caparello told reporters this week.
“All the hype is about Sergey, so the pressure is on him. I feel fitter, stronger and sharper then ever.
“The good thing about my style is I can adapt to any styles and anything he brings on fight night. I’m very confident because I’ve put in the hard work.’’
No one has ever gone beyond eight rounds with Kovalev, 31, but the Russian gives Caparello plenty of respect.
“Blake is undefeated,’’ Kovalev says. “I am taking him serious. Blake has an advantage because he is coming to get the title. He is hungry and has nothing to lose. It is my job to keep the title.’’
Photos: Emily Harney –
by David P. Greisman
Sergey Kovalev’s fight with Cedric Agnew was originally intended to be a keep-busy bout, showcasing him ahead of a proposed showdown with light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson.
Kovalev might not get the Stevenson bout, but the 175-pound titleholder got his showcase victory, putting Agnew down three times en route to a seventh-round knockout.
It was only the third time in Kovalev’s career that he had been extended past six rounds. And that was in large part because Agnew focused on defense, keeping a high guard to try to block as many of Kovalev’s punches as possible and using movement to attempt to stay away from the rest. Agnew did jump forward on occasion with a few punches in combination, which Kovalev took well.
Kovalev adjusted to Agnew’s high guard by taking the steam off of some of his shots, jabbing between the guard, looping hooks around it, and dedicating more of his attack to Agnew’s body — an investment that would pay off later.
Toward the end of the second round, Kovalev threw a four-punch combination that concluded with a right hand and a left hook that put Agnew on the canvas. The bell rang and Agnew rose, getting an extra minute to recover.
Agnew was able to draw blood from Kovalev in the fourth round, when Kovalev threw a right hand and missed with a left hook, and the ducking Agnew rose up. Their heads clashed, bringing crimson from above Kovalev’s right eye. The referee, Samuel Viruet, wrongly ruled that the cut had been caused by a punch.
Through four, CompuBox had Kovalev landing 60 shots, half of which were to Agnew’s body. Agnew had been credited with landing just 20 at that point.
Kovalev’s cut man went to work, and the fighter didn’t bleed at all in the fifth.
The domination continued in the sixth. It started with a jab to the body, a right hand up and then a left to the head, and Agnew appeared to sit on the ropes. Kovalev was credited with landing 29 punches in that round to Agnew’s six, though another cut opened a bit below Kovalev’s left eye, which he blamed on Agnew’s shoulder.
Agnew had little left. In the opening minute of the seventh round, Kovalev landed a left to Agnew’s body, and Agnew went down to a knee and remained there while the referee counted him out.
The end came 58 seconds into the round. All three judges had Kovalev shutting Agnew out, 60-52, at that point.
CompuBox had Kovalev landing just two fewer punches than Agnew threw on the entire night. Kovalev was 107 of 402, a 27 percent connect rate, an average of 17 of 65 per round. Agnew was 31 of 109, a 28 percent connect rate, an average of 5 of 18 per round.
But that was to be expected. Kovalev was expected to win against a skilled but largely unknown opponent. His team and HBO had been working to make a deal for Kovalev to face Stevenson — who faces Andrzej Fonfara in May — this coming September. They believed a deal had been made, but Stevenson signed with Al Haymon in February, and Stevenson’s team recently accepted more money for the Fonfara bout to land on Showtime instead.
“I don’t want to speak on Adonis Stevenson. Adonis Stevenson is a piece of shit,” Kovalev said afterward. “Excuse my English.”
Kovalev now has a multi-fight deal with HBO. It remains to be seen who his next opponent will be, given that the other two top light heavyweights, Bernard Hopkins and Beibut Shumenov (who fight each other in April), work with Golden Boy Promotions and are featured on Showtime. Many believe that Stevenson will face the winner of Hopkins-Shumenov.
Kovalev won the World Boxing Organization’s world title last August with a fourth-round stoppage of Nathan Cleverly, then defended the belt in November with a second-round knockout of Ismayl Sillakh. He has scored knockouts or technical knockouts in all but two of his victories, yet that record hasn’t been built against the highest level of competition. A Stevenson would have fixed that.
The 30-year-old from Chelyabinsky, Russia (and now fighting out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) improves to 24-0-1 with 21 KOs, with the draw coming as a technical draw in 2011.
Agnew, a 27-year-old from Chicago, suffered his first defeat and is now 26-1 (13 KOs).
http://www.boxingscene.com/sergey-kovalev-knocks-cedric-agnew-out-seven–76172
Date: Saturday, March 29, 2014
WBO Light Heavyweight Championship Title Bout
Location: Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City
Promoter: Main Events
Supervisor: Jose R. IzquierdoII
Referee:Samuel Viruet
Judges:Julie Lederman, John Stewart, Alan Rubensterin
Result:Sergey Kovalev KO’ed Cedric Agnew in the seven round on Mar. 29, 2014 in The Ballroom, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.
By Thomas Gerbasi –
For Cedric Agnew, the great thing about conventional wisdom is that it never won a fight. So while that aforementioned wisdom says that the unbeaten – but unknown and untested – Chicago native is going to end up on WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev’s highlight reel this Saturday in Atlantic City, Agnew brings a quiet confidence into the biggest fight of his life, along with a simple solution to hearing daily about the growing legend of the “Krusher.”
“I just don’t pay attention to it,” he said quietly, the usual mode of conversation from the 27-year-old. That’s probably the best way to be for a fight like this. Stay below the radar, be stealthy, and strike when it’s time to do so. And no one has done it better than Agnew.
A former amateur star, Agnew turned pro in 2007, slowly and steadily building his record and reputation like countless other hungry fighters. There were recognizable names sprinkled throughout – Rubin Williams, Daniel Judah, and Otis Griffin – but just as many no hopers with losing records, leaving a question mark as to whether Agnew’s impressive slate was a reflection of his talent or his competition.
So while others got the big fights and big opportunities, Agnew would lay in wait, dealing with the boxing business in the best way he knew how – quietly.
“At times, it gets very irritating, but I have to stay true to myself and stay true to my craft, and always remind myself that it’s part of the game,” he said. “Be patient and something will happen. You have to be patient in this game because you’re not always going to get everything your way. Sometimes things are not going to turn out in your favor, so you just gotta hope that things work themselves out.”
In April of 2013, they finally did, with Agnew landing a USBA title fight against Yusaf Mack. Dominant throughout the 12-rounder, Agnew put on a clinic against Mack, winning when he had to, and putting himself in position to get a title shot. Who was it going to be against? Agnew didn’t care.
“Really, it was any of the guys holding titles, whether it was him (Kovalev), (Bernard) Hopkins, (Beibut) Shumenov, or (Adonis) Stevenson – any one of them.”
It’s through this process that you realized just who Agnew was. He wasn’t a manufactured contender, a cardboard character built up only to be knocked down. Instead, he was one of those fighters who could have fallen through the cracks because he was a quiet kid who preferred to let his performances speak for themselves, and not a well-connected prospect who made a lot of noise in and out of the ring.
“It’s always difficult explaining the reality of this game to someone who doesn’t know the inside of it and who’s only on the outside looking in,” he said. “They try to understand and you try to make them understand, but they’re not going to because they’re used to hearing the media and hearing the public, so they think they know what’s going on. There’s a whole lot more going on than just two people standing in front of each other and fighting.”
You do always hope that the right guys eventually get the right opportunities though, especially when boxing isn’t a lark, but a lifelong commitment like it has been for Agnew.
“I’ve been doing this since I was eight years old, and I always wanted to be world champ,” he said. “I always had my eye on the prize.”
That prize is a few days away, something that’s either a daunting prospect or an exciting one. Agnew sees it as the latter, though don’t expect any backflips should he upset Kovalev.
“The one thing you most likely will see will be me staying humble, celebrating with my team, and thanking the man above for rewarding me with such a great gift,” said Agnew, who does know that a win will change his life considerably, whether he likes it or not.
“Realistically, you can’t prepare yourself for it because you don’t know what is actually going to happen. But it’s something that I’ll probably have to accept because it comes with the territory.”
Let’s just say dealing with more notoriety and media attention would be a good problem to have, but to get to that point, he has to address the power and growing aura of the Russian knockout artist, who has that kind of mean in the ring that has made him a cult hero among hardcore fight fans. And it won’t be easy. To win, Agnew has to use every ounce of his speed, savvy, and smarts, and without the stopping power of his foe, he’ll have to be on point for 12 rounds.
But the beauty of a fight is that anything can happen, and when you’ve had gloves on for 19 of your 27 years like Agnew has, nothing is impossible.
“He’s a fighter,” said the challenger of Kovalev. “He’s a strong guy, but I’ve been in there with strong guys. He’s not flashy or real fast or tricky – he’s just a fighter.”
It takes one to know one.
http://www.boxingscene.com/cedric-agnew-quietly-confident-underdog–76023
Sergey Kovalev will headline an HBO bill for the first time on March 29, but the extra attention isn’t getting to the WBO light heavyweight titleholder.
Sergey Kovalev has fought twice on HBO, once via tape delay and once live, but he’s never headlined on the network or on any network larger than NBC Sports. Until now, that is. Kovalev will be facing Cedric Agnew in the HBO main event on March 29 in Atlantic City, and though he’s got that and a lot of media hype around a potential fight against Adonis Stevenson swirling around his head, his team says he’s staying the course and operating as usual.
“Once a fighter becomes more comfortable with his status as a world champion, some can be tempted to lose focus and get distracted by all the attention,” promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events said. “He can’t always walk down the street without being recognized anymore, but luckily Sergey has managed to stay focused on Agnew and winning on March 29th.”
Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KO) smashed both Nathan Cleverly and Ismayl Sillakh in prior HBO appearances, whetting the boxing world’s appetite for a clash with Stevenson (23-1, 20 KO), another powerful, elite light heavyweight at the moment, and the true champion of the division, as well as the WBC titleholder.
But that’s not next, and with the way the media hype between the two has gone, with back-and-forth trash talk, it may not be happening any time soon.
Trainer John David Jackson says that Kovalev isn’t having trouble staying focused. “Sergey is on course,” Jackson said. “He is a really hard worker. He is definitely training hard for this fight. He is doing what he is supposed to do.”
With HBO cameras on hand for training camp, Jackson says Kovalev hasn’t had any negative reaction to the added attention as he prepares for the fight. “He probably loves it. They stay out of our way so it is just like any other training camp.”
Kovalev himself said, “I am already used to them being there. They don’t bother me at all.”
Agnew (26-0, 13 KO) is a largely unknown fighter, with no marquee fights to his credit. The 27-year-old from Chicago last fought in April 2013, beating Yusaf Mack at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Michigan, which having been there myself, I can tell you isn’t exactly the mecca of boxing.
“The key to this fight for Sergey is to be more strategic offensively,” Jackson said. “There isn’t much film on Agnew but we are approaching this fight like we do all the others. Sergey will do his thing.”
Kovalev, as usual, kept it short. “I feel good. Everything is normal. I feel no pressure and everything is going by the book.”
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
By Keith Idec –
We won’t know for sure until March 29 if Cedric Agnew even belongs in the same ring with Sergey Kovalev.
It is clear, however, that the undefeated contender from Chicago isn’t short on confidence. He doesn’t think all the hype surrounding the ruthless Russian knockout artist is justified, either.
“I think he’s a pretty good, decent fighter,” Agnew said regarding the 12-round fight for Kovalev’s WBO light heavyweight title. “But I don’t see nothing spectacular coming from this guy. To me, my personal opinion, I just think he’s ordinary.”
The 30-year-old Kovalev’s knockout percentage is among the highest in boxing and he has become must-see TV over the past year. HBO will televise his fight against Agnew from Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom in Atlantic City, despite that, on paper, it appears to be a mismatch.
For Agnew, 27, challenging Kovalev is the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance the former Chicago Golden Gloves champion couldn’t pass up. The most noteworthy name on Agnew’s record is former light heavyweight contender Yusaf Mack (31-7-2, 17 KOs), whom Agnew defeated by unanimous decision April 12 in New Buffalo, Mich. Agnew claims, though, that his lack of experience against championship-caliber opponents isn’t a concern.
“With Sergey Kovalev, it’s a great fight for us,” said Agnew, who stand 6-foot and fights right-handed. “We wouldn’t have took the fight if we didn’t think we could win the fight. With that being said, I don’t look at him like no terminator or anything. He’s a human, just like I am. He can be hurt, just like anyone else can be hurt. And come March 29, it will happen.”
While Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) almost always wins by knockout, Agnew has knocked out just 13 of his 26 opponents during a seven-year pro career.
“It doesn’t matter how many fighters I went the distance with or how many fighters I stopped,” Agnew said. “Everybody knows styles make fights and I know I have the style to beat Kovalev and anybody else you put in front of me.”
When a reporter suggested to Agnew on the aforementioned conference call that it was Agnew, not Kovalev, that sounded overconfident, Agnew clarified his approach.
“I don’t know how you guys are taking it,” said Agnew, who’s ranked No. 3 by the IBF and No. 15 by the WBO. “I’m not sounding overconfident. I’m humble and I know the road I had to take to get here. And now that I’m here, I have to show the world all my talent. I have to show the world who is Cedric Agnew.
“Like everybody said, I’m under the radar. Not many people know too much about me. But come March 29, I feel like I have to make a statement. I have to. I’m not trying to sound overconfident or anything. I’m just saying what I have to do.”
http://www.boxingscene.com/cedric-agnew-considers-sergey-kovalev-ordinary–74814
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
By Keith Idec
Promoter Main Events announced Tuesday that Sergey Kovalev will defend his WBO light heavyweight title against Cedric Agnew on March 29 in Atlantic City.
The scheduled 12-round bout between the Russian knockout artist and Chicago’s Agnew will be broadcast by HBO from Boardwalk Hall. The 30-year-old Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) had hoped after tearing through Ukraine’s Ismayl Sillah (21-2, 17 KOs) on Nov. 30 in Quebec City, Canada, that he could land a unification fight against Adonis Stevenson (23-1, 20 KOs), the WBC light heavyweight champion.
Stevenson stopped England’s Tony Bellew (20-2-1, 12 KOs) in the seventh round of the HBO main event that followed Kovalev’s second-round knockout of Sillah on Nov. 30. Stevenson, 36, has since decided to defend his title against Chicago’s Andrzej Fonfara (25-2, 15 KOs, 1 NC) on May 24 at Bell Centre in Montreal.
Stevenson’s decision left Main Events executives to seek a less appealing opponent good enough for HBO Sports executives to approve.
The 27-year-old Agnew (26-0, 13 KOs) defeated former light heavyweight contender Yusaf Mack (31-7-2, 17 KOs) by unanimous decision to win the USBA 175-pound crown in his last fight, April 12 in New Buffalo, Mich.
Mostly, however, Agnew has a faced a moderate level of opposition since making his pro debut seven years ago and figures to be a huge underdog in what should amount to a showcase fight for the hard-hitting Kovalev. Agnew is ranked No. 15 by the WBO, but is rated No. 3 by the IBF.
http://www.boxingscene.com/kovalev-face-agnew-on-march-29-atlantic-city–74559
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
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