Tag Archives: kovalev

Posted on 10/29/2019

By: Sean Crose

“We promised to make this fight happen, and now we are delivering it.”

So said Golden Boy Promotions honcho Oscar De La Hoya this past September when the light heavyweight title matchup between the aging, but still menacing, Sergey Kovalev and boxing’s biggest star, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez was announced to great fanfare. It was an odd pairing, Canelo and Kovalev, but it was an intriguing one, nonetheless. Kovalev, the WBO light heavyweight champion, was bigger but older. Canelo, a multidivision champion, was younger, but considerably smaller. Both were entertaining, must see fighters for fans. Still, the leadup to Canelo-Kovalev was long and winding, it’s unique destination virtually unimaginable a mere year ago.

One has to go back a full fourteen months, to August of 2018, the grasp things in their entirety. That’s when Kovalev was stopped by the game and talented Eleider Alvarez in Atlantic City. It looked the like the end for the Russian lion. He was no longer WBO champion, he was getting older, and he had just lost this third fight. By the time September rolled around and Canelo entered the ring to fight Gennady Golovkin a second time, Kovalev was essentially an afterthought in the minds of fight fans.

As for Canelo himself, he had much to prove in his second go round with arch rival, Golovkin. For the first Canelo-Golovkin fight, which went down in 2017, had ended in wildly controversial fashion. The judges ruled it a draw, but that decision was widely viewed as a Las Vegas gift to Canelo. In the meantime, Canelo had tested positive for a banned substance. The Mexican star’s stellar reputation was getting tarnished, and a signature, dominant win was needed. That dominant win didn’t come, though. Instead, Canelo was awarded a decision victory over Golovkin in their rematch – a decision that many considered yet another Las Vegas gift to the city’s favored fighter.

Enter DAZN, a streaming service that was hoping to break through in America. By reaching out to De La Hoya, the outlet was able to land the entire Golden Boy Stable – including the prized Canelo. In fact, boxing’s biggest star found himself with an eleven fight contract worth over three hundred fifty million dollars, making him one of the most highly paid athletes on earth. Canelo made his debut for DAZN in December of 2018, when he easily plowed through Rocky Fielding at Madison Square Garden in a fight that earned him a super middleweight belt for his efforts.

Yet, while Canelo was making hundreds of millions of dollars, Kovalev was planning a comeback. Hooking up with highly regarded trainer Buddy McGirt, Kovalev returned for a rematch with Eleider Alvarez in February of 2019 – and won decisively via decision in Texas. Still, no one was matching the names of Canelo and Kovalev together. In fact, by March, Golovkin had gone and made his own highly lucrative contract with DAZN. Now it seemed that a third fight between he and Canelo was all but settled business. That third fight seemed even more logical after Canelo bested Daniel Jacobs in Vegas in May, while Golovkin bested Steve Rolls the following month in New York.

It became clear, though, that Canelo might not have wanted a third Golovkin fight, at least not anytime in the near future. Team Canelo turned to a match against the undefeated Sergey Derevyanchenko, but that deal eventually fell through. By August, Canelo was stripped of his IBF middleweight title, and the Derevyanchenko fight was known to have amounted to wishful thinking (Derevynachenko went on to fight and lose to Golovkin in an exceedingly close match).

Canelo eventually decided to skip his traditional September bout. “As a Mexican,” Canelo said, “it’s a responsibility and an honor to represent my country in both May and September…those are my dates. However, as a world champion in multiple weight classes, I also have the responsibility of delivering the most exciting and competitive fights possible. That’s why Golden Boy and my team have decided to postpone the date in order to do right by my fans by promoting the best fight possible and with the best opponent possible.”

With Golovkin seemingly out of the picture, Canelo needed another top name if he didn’t want to open himself to arguments of cherry picking. There was also the matter of DAZN, which clearly wanted a return on its very steep investment. Enter team Kovalev, who was riding particularly high after their man bested Anthony Yarde in Russia the previous August.

The rest, as they say, is history. This Saturday’s bout should prove to be nothing if not quite interesting.

Posted on 10/16/2019

By: Sean Crose

“We’ve addressed those issues.”

So said promoter Kathy Duva on a conference call to promote her fighter, Sergey Kovalev’s, November 2nd light heavyweight title defense against boxing’s biggest attraction, Canelo Alvarez. The Main Event Promotions’ honcho was referring to her fighter’s tendency to lose focus. “He let Ward back in the fight,” Duva said bluntly, referring to one of Kovalev’s two losses to Andre Ward. Now, however, Duva feels that the 34-3-1 Kovalev is beyond such errors – and she largely credits Kovalev’s trainer, Buddy McGirt, for the progress. In a sense, McGirt, a Hall of Famer and cornerman of note, was presented during the call as the secret behind the 37 year old Kovalev’s resurgence as a dominant force.

“Right now I have a great team with great coaches,” said Kovalev, who was on the call with Duva and McGirt. “I’m feeling comfortable in my team.” So comfortable that he’s pushing away fear of judge’s well known love for Canelo. “I will be following instructions from Buddy McGirt,” he responded simply when asked if he felt he had to go for a knockout on November 2nd. McGirt himself came across as more than pleased with his fighter’s progress. “I just think they picked the wrong veteran to mess with,” he said of Canelo’s team.

Should Kovalev pull off the upset against Canelo, his relationship with McGirt may reach the esteemed status of Manny Pacquiao’s with trainer Freddie Roach, or Canelo’s with the Reynoso’s. First, however, there’s the matter of Canelo and November 2nd. “I respect Canelo because he goes up two divisions,” Kovalev said. “He’s trying to make his history, but I’m here.” Yet, while Kovalev was quick to recognize Canelo’s attributes, he also added that the generally smaller man is “a guest in my division.” After winning back the WBO title from Eleider Alvarez last February, the Russian doesn’t intend to take a step back.

There were a few awkward moments on the call. For instance, Kovalev seemed to take umbrage when it was suggested he had problems taking shots to the body. “I never lose a fight by body shot,” he said in regards to his second fight with Ward. “It was a low blow!” Kovalev was also asked about the legal trouble he’s found himself in. “The truth of everything hasn’t come out yet,” Duva said on behalf of her fighter, “and we’ll leave it at that.”

Overall, however, the mood among team Kovalev seemed upbeat on Tuesday. It was indicated that Kovalev has returned to the fighter he should be, rather than the knockout artist of lore. McGirt recalled looking at old footage of Kovalev’s fights and telling Kovalev he had to go back to a more scientific style. “He said ‘I’m the Krusher,’” claimed McGirt. “I said now you’ve got to be the smart Krusher.’”

“He’s smarter,” he added of Kovalev, “than people give him credit for.”

Posted on 09/22/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The entire world of boxing is patiently waiting the Light Heavyweight showdown between WBO belt holder Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) and current Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs). It is arguably the biggest fight of the year. The contest will be taking place on November 2nd, at the MGM arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This will certainly be a great fight, but something just doesn’t make any sense. The consensus around this fight is that Kovalev doesn’t have a chance. Sure, there are a few who believe the Russian born fighter has what it takes to pull off the upset but many aren’t expecting it. Why is that?

Well, Kovalev is 36 years of age compared to just 29 for Canelo. He also has been in his fair share of wars recently. Canelo might have more fights under his belt but there is no doubt that Kovalev has been in the more grueling matchups throughout his career. The Light Heavyweight champion’s inability to fight on the inside while also being soft to the body is viewed as a detriment in this contest.

Let’s also be honest. Kovalev isn’t the fighter he once was. His former trainer, John David Jackson views this as Kovalev’s “cashing out” fight. Meaning once he loses he’ll take the career high payday and fade away from the sport of boxing. These words that have been echoed by Jackson have been spewed by others, but just how true are they? Is the WBO Light Heavyweight champions chances of winning as microscopic as they are making it seem?

Kovalev has spent his entire ten year career at the Light Heavyweight division so of course he will be the naturally bigger man in this contest. He also won’t be intimidated by the moment. Canelo Alvarez is by far the biggest name in the sport of boxing today. Dealing with his skill inside the ring can be a difficult task but simply dealing with the occasion can be an arduous one as well.

Unlike many of Canelo’s opponents, Kovalev has been involved in plenty of big fights. Back to back fights against former champion Jean Pascal in his hometown of Montreal saw Kovalev come out victorious via stoppage both times. He also managed to beat future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins decisively when they matched up in 2014.

Of course Kovalev is most known for his consecutive defeats at the hands of all-time great fighter Andre Ward. Speaking of those losses to Ward, they were both highly controversial. In their first matchup Kovalev scored a second round knockdown and seemed to outbox Ward throughout the duration of the contest. Unfortunately for Kovalev, he wasn’t given the decision.

The second matchup once again saw Kovalev out boxing Ward until he was stopped due to body punches. In all fairness to Kovalev it seemed like an unfair stoppage as Ward’s punches appeared to be low. Still, the loss isn’t the important part, it was the occasion. Kovalev fought the best fighter at the moment and was not overwhelmed.

For those who are saying Kovalev hasn’t been the same since those losses might want to rethink that notion.

In 2018, Kovalev was brutally knocked out against Eleider Alvarez. Six months later, Kovalev won the immediate rematch. How about his last contest? He faced a much younger and fresher fighter in Anthony Yarde. It was ostensible that Kovalev was dominating the contest. In round eight however, Kovalev was badly hurt. He some how found a way to make it out of the round and subsequently stopped Yarde in the eleventh.

So what does all of this mean? That’s simple. Kovalev isn’t coming into this contest to collect a check and lay down.

“I don’t get in the ring to lose,” said Kovalev. “Why come to the ring if you are going to lose? My mental is not ready for this.”

Doubt Kovalev if you want but he has shown time and time again that he can and will raise his game to the highest levels.

Posted on 09/20/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The career of Canelo Alvarez has become one that is filled with unexpected challenges. At the age of 23, no one expected young Alvarez, who was undefeated at the time to take on the best fighter in the world at that time in Floyd Mayweather Jr. What took place in that fight was a one sided matchup. Alvarez was outclassed. His game plan, which is still puzzling to understand, was too out box one of the very best boxers who has ever laced up a pair of boxing gloves. It didn’t work out but it was a risk he was willing to take.

Following his loss to Mayweather, Canelo took another risk as he stepped into the ring against Erislandy Lara. The aforementioned Lara had a style that was similar to Mayweather. Everyone thought that it was too risky of a move but much like the theme of his career, he went ahead and went through with the contest anyways. It was a close call but Canelo’s risk paid off as he came away with the victory.

The very next year in 2015, Canelo took yet another risk, although this one was not perceived as dangerous as he took on Miguel Cotto.

Sure Canelo was the younger fighter but Cotto was a four division champion with plenty to prove. Their contest which took place on November 11th, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada was an impressive showing for Canelo as he won a close decision.

Fast forward two years later and Canelo found himself in harm’s way once again. At the time, no one wanted to step in the ring with unified Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. Canelo did it not once, but twice. The first contest unjustly ended in a draw. The Immediate rematch was ruled in the favor of Canelo. The Mexican superstar prevailed in yet another risky fight.

In his most recent ring appearance, Canelo took on IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs. A slick and hard punching boxer. Many thought he would avoid Jacobs. There was good reason for that belief, but if you have been following this story and the life of Canelo then you would understand that he isn’t a man who shies away from risk.

On Cinco De Mayo weekend earlier this year, he would go on to outpoint Jacobs and the unify the Middleweight titles.

The list of opponents for his upcoming fight in November was a long one, but there was one name in particular which floated around more than the others. WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.

Now that these two will officially be facing each other on November 2nd, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, it is another risk for Alvarez. This one, unlike the others, might be a step too far for Canelo.

Kovalev resides two weight divisions higher than Alvarez and has a four inch height and two inch reach advantage. He will also be the hardest hitting fighter Alvarez has ever stepped into the ring with. Kovalev may not be the fighter he once was but he still will bring plenty of experience and a physicality advantage to the ring as well.

“It’s a risk for me because naturally he’s heavier than me,” said Canelo. “He’s stronger than me, bigger.”

The career of Canelo has been predicated on risk. He has continually managed to take on dangerous fight after dangerous fight. His ambition to continue to challenge himself is simple.

“I want to make history in boxing. That is the only thing I want.”

Posted on 09/19/2019

Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico and Russian warrior Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) hosted a press conference today at Union Station in Los Angeles, Calif. to formally announce their 12-round fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title. The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Photo Credit: Tom- Hogan-Hogan Photos/Golden Boy

Below is what today’s participants had to say at the presser.

CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC, WBA, Lineal and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion:

“I’m very grateful to all the fans as always. I’m very motivated here, it’s an honor for me to share the ring with a fighter like Kovalev who I met in 2012. Now we’re about to make history. I know it’s going to be the most difficult fight of my professional career. I will give the best I have in the ring and that day we can yell “Viva Mexico.”

SERGEY KOVALEV, Current WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion and Three-Time Light Heavyweight World Champion:

“I’m very happy to be here back in Los Angeles. Thanks to God and thanks to Canelo and his team for making this opportunity to get this fight. I think this is a big test for me in my boxing career because this is one of the best fighters in the world in boxing right now. I’m happy and I am excited. Thank you very much for the support.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer and Manager of Canelo Alvarez:

“Thank you to Golden Boy and DAZN – this was a very difficult fight to make happen but the fight is now here. Only the big fighters and those that leave a footprint become these type of fighters. We know Kovalev well and we know the challenge that we are facing. He’s a great fighter that leaves everything in the ring and in one punch, he could end the fight. And we know it’s going to be a great challenge. We want Saul to be a champion in four weight classes.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Trainer and Manager of Canelo Alvarez:

“I’m nostalgic and cannot help but remember the beginnings of all this. To look back and see everything-all the victories that Saul has given myself and my son, and the future victories, makes me happy. The Reynosos have been with Saul for over 15 years-ever since he was a child. We trust that he will gain victory here.”

BUDDY MCGIRT, Trainer of Sergey Kovalev:

“Both these guys are true champions. Canelo, I’ve always admired you. Your trainers did a great job with you. I gotta admit that. I really take my hat off to you for having the balls for taking a step up and not having a catch weight and stepping up to the challenge. Sergey, I love you to death, I respect you for accepting the challenge. In all honestly, the only losers on November 2 are the people who don’t want the fight or come to the fight.”

EGIS KLIMAS, Manager of Sergey Kovalev:

“I don’t think this fight needs to be introduced. When you hear the names Canelo Alvarez, Krusher Kovalev, it says all that’s going to happen on November 2. I don’t need to talk about Sergey – everybody knows who he is in boxing, and regarding Canelo, they know what they mean when they say – grandes cajones.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy:

“Canelo hopes to become the fourth Mexican to win a world title in four divisions, with the only other ones being Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Jorge Arce. One big difference is that Canelo is at a higher weight class. And this opens the possibility for many more matchups, and bigger opponents with strong punching and star power. When talking with Canelo about his career goals, he said he wanted to make history, and fight the best. This is why we had to be very strategic and thoughtful in planning out his next fight and while it may have taken a bit longer than we wanted, we know that it was worth the wait. Canelo has been preparing for this moment and we know that on Nov. 2 he’ll write a new chapter in boxing history by becoming the second Mexican ever to win a world title in the 175-pound division (Light Heavyweight). Together with DAZN, we’re committed to making boxing more accessible and affordable by giving fans the best fights – without the price tag of pay-per-view. Historic fights are a hallmark of this company and Golden Boy continues to deliver the biggest fights of the year. November 2 will be no exception, and we expect a great performance by our champion, Canelo Alvarez, as he becomes the new WBO LightHeavyweight World Champion.”

“I’m happy to announce that with a major bout like this one, the fans deserve the best undercard possible. Our next big major star in the making, Ryan Garcia, will be fighting in Las Vegas. He’s fighting Duno-it’s a fight the fans wanted and it’s going to be a tough fight.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Business Partner:

“I know a little bit about history. And for Canelo to take a big leap from 160 to 175, to dare to be great, to make history, anyone that’s not educated in boxing history, wouldn’t know what I’m talking about right now. But just in case you want to learn because it’s never too late, it’s very historic to be in the position of Canelo. And to bite off challenges and challenge himself and dare to be great to make history. As Oscar said, not only Mexican history, but also boxing history. There’s very few fighters who have accomplished 160 to 175 and been successful. As you know, you’re standing and hearing from one right now. I have a personal feeling about making history because I’ve been there and done that and now it’s Canelo’s time. I understand what it’s like to be in there with the Krusher. He learned that and I respect that and I respect that to this day. Enjoy this historic fight and watch Canelo Alvarez – who I call the Evil Knievel in boxing – who’s taken on the best so far and is now taking on the best at light heavyweight.”

KATHY DUVA, CEO of Main Events:

“I want to give special thanks to Sergey Kovalev and Canelo Alvarez – as a lifelong boxing fan, not just as a promoter. Unfortunately, sometime around the turn of the last century, boxing began to lose its way. Instead of building a legacy, avoiding unnecessary risk became the goal and to this day, some fighters are praised for it. Competitions suffer because of that. When we first met, Sergey was so adamant that he wanted to test his skills against the very best. He wanted to find out how good he really was. Canelo, you may have bit off more than you can chew, but that’s okay. Great fighters are not afraid to challenge themselves. And win or lose, history will reward you for taking a risk. Congratulations Ryan, you will not be the only spectacular young fighter on the card that night, because also sharing that ring is another intelligent, well-spoken, absolutely fantastic young fighter – his name is Evan Holyfield. And he is the son of the great Evander Holyfield. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to work with Evander’s son after all these years. You’re all going to see him and meet him, and I think you will all be thrilled.”

RYAN GARCIA, Lightweight Contender:

“I want to thank the fans for coming out because it’s a weekday, you guys didn’t need to come here. Thank you guys for coming. I’m excited. The co-main event on the biggest card of the year. I’m so honored. It’s a big night. I get to fight the guy I wanted to fight most, Romero Duno. They all said I was scared and I was worried about him and now I have the chance to get my respect and show everyone I’m a real fighter. Everybody stay tuned. It’s going to be a big fight. Thank you to everybody for believing in me and thank you to Golden Boy for getting the job done. Let’s make history.”

JOSEPH MARKOWSKI, Executive Vice President, DAZN North America:

“In one year’s time, I believe we’ve managed to assemble the best schedule in the history of boxing. Let’s just look where we are: Canelo vs. Kovalev – boxing’s biggest star jumping up two weight classes; Ruiz vs. Joshua II – the rematch of the biggest heavyweight upset in some year; KSI vs. Logan Paul, bringing millions of new fans to the sport of boxing; GGG, back in title contention from MSG; the list goes on for DAZN. To our subscribers, you’re in for a tremendous end to 2019 and tremendous year to come.”

Canelo vs. Kovalev is a 12-round fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title presented by Golden Boy, Main Events and Krusher Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and Brand-New Grapefruit Crush, Knockout Flavor. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Posted on 09/19/2019

By: Hans Themistode

With the news of current Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) deciding to move up in weight and challenge WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs), it has left everyone with an opinion.

Giving a full breakdown of this fight is a difficult one. Canelo has never campaigned at the Light Heavyweight division. How will his body hold up now that he has decided to move up not one, but two divisions? With that being said, Kovalev has been in several wars as of late, Canelo could be catching the current champion at just the right time.

One man who has his own opinions on this contest is former trainer of Kovalev, John David Jackson. He and Kovalev had a successful run together before parting ways back in 2017. Kovalev may not be the fighter he once was but he is sill a hand full for anyone.

“It’s still a bit of a risk,” said Jackson. “The last thing that will leave Kovalev is his punch and he can box when he wants to.”

Make no mistake about it, this is a dangerous fight for Canelo as he will have a four inch height and two inch reach disadvantage. Still, even with those advantages for Kovalev, Jackson see’s an avenue that Canelo could take to victory.

“Canelo and his team are smart so they’ll look too close that distance as soon as possible because Kovalev has a good jab. If they don’t then they’ll be in trouble. Once Canelo gets inside than its going to be trouble for Kovalev. If you watch him closely he doesn’t really have an inside game. Kovalev really has a hard time keeping guys off of him. His body is weak. Whenever you see a guy drinking after a fight than you know he has a problem. Canelo is a very good body puncher. Even the young kid Yarde was going to the body well but he just got caught. At this stage in Kovalev’s career, it’s hard to teach a guy with just one training camp how to fight on the inside. Once Canelo gets in close it’ll cause a lot of problems for Kovalev.”

When the news of this fight taking place broke, it wasn’t surprising to anyone. What was a shock however, was that there is no weight clauses. Even Jackson was a bit stunned by it but he also acknowledged that Canelo is a fighter who doesn’t need or want those advantages.

“A lot of guys in the history of boxing have jumped up and down in weight, but they would typically have weight clauses. What that does is, it helps the smaller fighter who is coming up. With Canelo he’ll fight you at your weight. You have to give him a lot of credit for that.”

As for who Jackson expects to win this contest, he was slightly hesitant, but he anticipates Canelo to be successful in his endeavorers at the Light Heavyweight division.

“I think it’s a tough matchup for Canelo but I think he’ll pull it off. Sergey is older, his life outside of boxing is terrible, he’s been in a lot of wars and he doesn’t seem like he is as passionate and hungry anymore. I think this fight is his cashing out fight.”

Posted on 09/17/2019

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of September 9th to September 16th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Dmitriy Salita Congratulates Boxing’s Newest Elite Heavyweight, Otto Wallin

Dmitriy Salita, promoter of the fighter everyone is talking about this morning, Otto Wallin, wishes to congratulate the giant Swede for his unveiling and ascension into elite-level status in heavyweight boxing.

Despite coming in as a 25-1 underdog against lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the fearless southpaw Wallin took the fight to Fury in a spirited challenge, cutting him twice and hurting him badly in the 12th and final round.

The previously unknown Wallin can no longer be ignored in the landscape of top heavies and promoter Salita, who repeatedly predicted an upset in the weeks leading up to the fight, says he’s extremely proud of the 28-year-old from Sundsvall, Sweden.

“Otto showed he is undoubtedly a top heavyweight,” said Salita. “He landed more punches on Fury than anyone ever has according to CompuBox. He was relentless and fearless. I am so proud of him and his incredible performance.”

Statistics don’t lie. Wallin’s 127 landed (total) punches were indeed the most ever tracked by a Fury opponent. By comparison, Deontay Wilder landed just 71 against Fury and Wladimir Klitschko only 52.

Through six rounds, as the doctor’s were checking Fury’s 40-plus stitch cut (caused by a clean punch) the punch stats were virtually even with Wallin landing with much better accuracy. The fight was capped by Wallin’s heart-stopping final round where he chased a staggered and exhausted Fury around the ring and landed 23 of 37 punches compared to Fury’s 10 of 42.

Though the final scores were 116-112, 117-111 and 118-110 for Fury, the world is now abuzz with Wallin’s “victory in defeat.”

“We knew what we had when we signed him and now the world knows,” continued Salita. “Otto had boxed less than one round in 16 months coming in and still did all that. It was a real-life Rocky moment and he deserves all the praise pouring in. The sky is now the limit for this unstoppable young man.”

Atlantic City Hall of Fame Announces the Launch of Its Legends Corner

The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) is pleased to announce the launch of its Legends Corner on its Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame website. The ACBHOF and its exclusive apparel partner Fight Night Apparel has teamed up with a few Boxing Legends who’ve helped make Atlantic City a recognizable boxing destination.

“Merciless” Ray Mercer will be the first Atlantic City Boxing Legend to introduce his new fan gear to his many boxing fans around the world on ACBHOF Website. “I am honored to be the first to partner with the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame and I believe this collaboration will be a winning combination, especially for my fans,” said Ray Mercer.

Ray Mercer was a 2018 ACBHOF Inductee, the 1988 Olympic Gold Medal winner in the Heavyweight Division, as well WBO Heavyweight Champion. Stay tuned for more announcements about upcoming events and the unveiling of 2020 ACBHOF Induction Class.

The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame continues to celebrate our 3rd Annual Induction Weekend which took place this past June, where we enshrined our 2019 Induction Class into the Atlantic City Hall of Fame.

The 2019 luminaries: Bernard Hopkins, Tim Witherspoon, Iran Barkley, Roberto Duran, Micky Ward, Kevin Watts, John Brown, Virgil Hill, Butch Lewis, English Bouie Fisher, Bobby Goodman, Ace Marotta, Jimmy Binns, Sr., Stan Hoffman, Nigel Collins, Henry Hascup, Tom Kaczmarek, Tony Orlando Jr., and Rhonda Utley-Herring.

We are pleased to recognize and thank our sponsors:

The Claridge Hotel, City of Atlantic City, FantaSea Resorts, Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, Made Atlantic City Chocolate Bar, Adams Boxing, SparBar, WBC, IBF, and Fight Night Apparel.

Canelo Alvarez to Challenge Sergey Kovalev for WBO World Light Heavyweight World Title

Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2, 34 KOs), the face of boxing and the king of the middleweight division, will take on a new challenge as he moves into the 175-pound weight class in a 12-round bout against champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 28 KOs) for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be streamed exclusively live on DAZN in all of its nine markets, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan.

Tickets for Canelo vs. Kovalev are priced at $1,754, $1,254, $854, $654, $404 and $204, not including applicable service charges and taxes. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.axs.com.

“We promised to make this fight happen, and now we are delivering it,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Historic fights have been a hallmark of this company, and we are pleased to once again live up to the high expectations we’ve set for our fans. The best pound-for-pound fighter is also boxing’s biggest star. Few fighters in boxing’s history can claim to be both like Canelo Alvarez. Now, he’ll look to become a four-division world champion against one of the most dangerous fighters of recent years, and I’m certain that he will stop him. There’s no better home for this than on the DAZN platform or live at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.”

Canelo, the 29-year-old native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, became the face of boxing by taking on some of the biggest names in the sport. At 154 pounds, Canelo captured several world titles and defeated the likes of Austin “No Doubt” Trout, Sugar Shane Mosley, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara and Liam “Beefy” Smith.

At 160 pounds, Canelo defeated Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs to establish himself as the king of the middleweight division. And, shortly after signing a groundbreaking partnership with global sports streaming giant DAZN, Canelo moved into the 168-pound division by stopping Rocky Fielding in three rounds to become the WBA Super Middleweight World Champion.

Canelo will now look to make history once again by becoming the second Mexican boxer to hold a world title in the light heavyweight division, a feat only done by Julio Cesar Gonzalez in 2003. The pound-for-pound king will at the same time join an elite group of four-division world champions from Mexico.

“The second phase of my career is continuing just as we had planned, and that’s why we are continuing to make great fights to enter into the history books of boxing,” said Canelo Alvarez. “That’s also why I’ve decided to jump two weight classes against one of the most feared champions of recent years. Kovalev is a dangerous puncher, and he’s naturally the bigger man, but that’s the kind of challenges and risks that I like to face.”

On November 2nd, Kovalev, 36, will participate in his 17thconsecutive world title bout and the most lucrative fight of his career against the biggest star in boxing. A Russian knockout artist and three-time light heavyweight world champion, “Krusher” is no stranger to fighting in hostile territory. He captured the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title in 2013 when he traveled to Wales and scored a stunning knockout of Nathan Cleverly. Kovalev traveled to Atlantic City to meet future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins near his Philadelphia home to unify the WBO, WBA and IBF titles with a lopsided unanimous decision victory in 2014.As unified champion, “Krusher” successfully defended his titles twice against current WBA Interim Light Heavyweight titleholder Jean Pascal in Pascal’s hometown of Montreal, scoring a stoppage victory both times.

Kovalev suffered two controversial losses to former Olympic Gold medalist Andre Ward (in 2016 and 2017) and a surprise upset to Eleider Alvarez last year, but quickly regained his WBO Light Heavyweight Title each time. In August, the road warrior finally got the chance to fight in his own hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia, stopping undefeated mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde in a sold-out arena.

When asked about this fight, Kovalev said, “In order to be the best you have to beat the best. I have always tried to fight the toughest opponents in my division, but many have ducked me throughout my career. Canelo wanted to fight me; to step up to higher weight and challenge for my belt. I will be ready on November 2nd. Thank you, Main Events, Kathy Duva, Egis Klimas, DAZN and Canelo for making this fight happen.”

“Canelo is to be praised for asking to challenge Sergey Kovalev,” added Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva. “Win or lose, he will make history and Sergey is extremely pleased to get the chance to test his mettle against another future Hall of Famer.” She continued, “Anyone who cares at all about the Sweet Science should circle November 2ndon their calendar. I have a feeling that this will be one for the ages.”

“Canelo vs. Kovalev is a fascinating matchup between champions that will highlight our entire season of premium fights on DAZN over the next several months,” said DAZN Group Executive Chairman John Skipper. “Simply stated, this is the best schedule in boxing history.”

Richard Sturm, President of Las Vegas Live Entertainment and Sports, said, “We look forward to hosting this tremendous matchup between Canelo and Kovalev at MGM Grand in November. These two great fighters always put on a fantastic show and we are confident they will, once again, provide boxing fans worldwide a thrilling fight when they return to Las Vegas.”

Canelo vs. Kovalev is a 12-round fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title presented by Golden Boy, Main Events and Krusher Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and Brand-New Grapefruit Crush, Knockout Flavor.The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Mickey Bey Sets the Record on his Team and Future Plans

On Tuesday a press release was published that stated former lightweight champion Mickey Bey had signed with a new promoter and is looking to jump start his career after being very inactive the past few years.

Bey, who had a decorated amateur career, signed with Greg Cohen Promotions to go along with his managerial and advisory team.

In this Q&A session Bey sets the record straight on his team and his plans as he works his way back to a world title shot.

Question: A Press release recently circulated that stated that you signed a promotional agreement with Greg Cohen Promotions and recently signed an advisory deal with Andre Rozier’s Havoc Management and Advisory Inc. What can you tell us about your team?
Bey: Yes, it’s a great team with all good energy with people who want to see me win. I got a great team which includes Oscar Vazquez and Greg Hannley. I appreciate what they guys do. They collectively made sure I was going to finish my career with a bang and achieve more success and get back to the top.

Question: Will Rozier be training you or who are you going to be working with as far as your training team?
Bey: He will be a part of my camp and also I have been working with Stephen “Breadman” Edwards and Mark “Too Sharp” while I’ve been out of the ring. I have been learning more and staying sharp. Mark ed”Too Sharp” Johnson was just out here in Vegas training me and helped sharpen me up.

Question: Are you still working with Greg Hannley, and Prince Ranch Boxing?
Bey: Greg plays a huge role in my career and he cares about my well being so all the guys I mentioned are my backbone and will get me where I need to be.

Question: You have only fought twice in the past four years. At 36 years old are you looking to become very active in the near future to get yourself back in title position?
Bey: Yes absolutely and I’ll come back better than I was before. I’m preserved and I live clean all year around. I live like a fighter although I haven’t been fighting. I’ll return very freakish like a 25 year old. Besides, all the best athletes in the world in every sport are over 30 nowadays but I’m blessed. I feel youthful and I’m a lot smarter.

Question: You know what it is like to be a champion, having beaten Miguel Vazquez. How badly do you want to a champion now versus when you first became one?
Bey: Yes, but to be honest I fought with tendons out of place and bone spurs in my hand and got surgery after that fight and the fight sucked and I didn’t get to really enjoy it. Long story short, weird things start happening to me behind the scenes that I’ll later discuss on video in entirety. But I want some real fights and tough opponents. That’s what I enjoy.

Question: It is no secret that you weren’t on the best of terms at Mayweather Promotions and that is part of why you were out of the ring for so long. In hindsight do you wish you had done things differently or is there anything you wish you could change?
Bey: No. Honestly, I can say this, I made a couple small business decisions that weren’t the best before coming to them. I would change my thinking from now on but with them I straight took a backseat and never negotiated and never asked questions or anything and it came back to bite me very hard! It did start out great. I was forgiving when I asked for a release last year and I got it but I never in a million years thought certain people over there would sabotage big things I had on the table. It was devastating the things happening to me behind the scenes. I’m just glad I’m a strong and positive person. I held on to my dream and didn’t give up.

Question: You won your title at 135 but recently said that you may move down in weight which would be unusual because as fighters get older they usually move up in weight. Which weight class do you feel is the best for you at this particular time?
Bey: Most fighters shed 15-30 pounds or more I don’t but it really doesn’t matter to me. Most of my career I fought between 130-135 but an opportunity came up to fight Vazquez because nobody wanted to fight him at the time so I accepted and won and stayed there. My team sees my weight and asked since I’m not heavy would I take opportunities at either weight. I said of course I will. I’ll fight anybody in either weight class. I just want good fights. I don’t worry about weight. I’m ready for combat.

Question: When do you plan on fighting next?
Bey: I should have a announcement pretty soon

Question: Anything else you would like to discuss?
Bey: Once again I just want to thank God, Greg Hannley , Havoc Boxing, Oscar Vazquez and Greg Cohen for having my back and working relentlessly to get me back in the ring

Question: Anything you would like to say to the fans?
Bey: Please tune in when I fight. I’ll give it all I have and God bless.

Posted on 09/13/2019

By: Sean Crose

“We promised to make this fight happen,” said Golden Boy head Oscar De La Hoya on Friday, “and now we are delivering it.”

De La Hoya was speaking of the just announced light heavyweight title throwdown between boxing’s biggest star, Canelo Alvarez, and Sergey Kovalev, famed terror of the light heavyweight division. “Historic fights have been a hallmark of this company,” De La Hoya continued, “and we are pleased to once again live up to the high expectations we’ve set for our fans.” The fight, which is set to go down November 2nd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, will be aired live on the DAZN streaming service.

“The best pound-for-pound fighter,” De La Hoya said, “is also boxing’s biggest star. Few fighters in boxing’s history can claim to be like Canelo Alvarez. Now, he’ll look to become a four-division world champion against one of the most dangerous fighters of recent years, and I’m certain that he will stop him. There’s no better home for this than on the DAZN platform or live at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.”

Canelo, who at the moment is both a middleweight and super middleweight titlist, was widely expected to have a third fight with Gennady Golovkin, who he’s previous fought on two controversial occasions for middleweight supremacy. The choice of Kovalev is a shrewd one, as it will be hard for people to accuse Canelo of ducking Golovkin when he’s making the jump up to 175 to face the aging, but still very dangerous, Kovalev.

“The second phase of my career is continuing just as we had planned,” said Canelo, “and that’s why we are continuing to make great fights to enter into the history books of boxing…that’s also why I’ve decided to jump two weight classes against one of the most feared champions of recent years. Kovalev is a dangerous puncher, and he’s naturally the bigger man, but that’s the kind of challenges and risks that I like to face.”

Kovalev’s promoter, Kathy Duva, had words of praise for the man presenting her fighter with the biggest opportunity – and payday – available. “Canelo is to be praised for asking to challenge Sergey Kovalev,” she said. “Win or lose, he will make history and Sergey is extremely pleased to get the chance to test his mettle against another future Hall of Famer…anyone who cares at all about the Sweet Science should circle November 2nd on their calendar. I have a feeling that this will be one for the ages.”

Talk of a Canelo-Kovalev matchup had been making the rounds for some time. Now that the deal is done, however, boxing has another big fight on its agenda during a very busy few months. For streaming service DAZN, the Canelo-Kovalev announcement is nothing but good news. “Canelo vs. Kovalev is a fascinating matchup between champions that will highlight our entire season of premium fights on DAZN over the next several months,” DAZN chairman John Skipper said. “Simply stated, this is the best schedule in boxing history.”

Posted on 08/29/2019

By: Waqas Ali

Light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev is close to having a done deal with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez as negotiations hang in the balance.

The date has been confirmed for November 2nd by multiple sources and after having just beaten British fighter Anthony Yarde the past weekend, Kovalev wouldn’t mind a fight so soon with one of boxing’s biggest and most attracting fighters in the modern era.

Kovalev, also known as ‘The Krusher’ was in a crucial contest against the young Englishman Yarde as he was hit hard and stunned in round eight.

Time came to the rescue for Kovalev.

He came back strong in round ten with punches of his own and landed an overwhelming 41 of 92 punches – 49% of which were power punches.

The bout came to a halt in round 11 when an exhausted Yarde was dropped from a left jab and unable to beat the count.

In summary of the bout, Kovalev utilized his jab well and maintained his activity throughout the middle and later rounds. One must keep in mind that Yarde at one point took a massive deep breath in round five around the 41-second mark.

Kovalev still had the crushing control of command despite out-boxing Yarde in the fight.

But in terms of the bout with Alvarez that is getting all the mainstream attention and hype, what weight are we looking at and what do the numbers between the two tell us?

Kovalev, 36, has not ruled out the weight in either the super-middleweight or light-heavyweight.
“It depends on the weight,” his trainer Buddy McGirt told Sky Sports.

Considering the fact that he had just beaten Yarde and is looking to fight Alvarez in just 10 weeks, time is minimal.

“It is perfect timing. He is fine,” McGirt said.

Kathu Duva, promoter of Kovalev had dismissed the idea of weight being part of the negotiations. She told World Boxing News: “A catchweight has never been mentioned,” before stating private negotiations with Golden Boy would be kept out of the media.

By the numbers, Alvarez in his last 12 fights threw around 43 punches per round – landing 45.7% of his power punches.

His defence is highly underrated, as his opponents have landed just 7 power shots per round which is far below the average middleweight.

His selective output of punches and lateral movement limits his opponent’s chances of landing anything clean or effective.

Alvarez, 29, has improved tremendously well since his first and only loss to Floyd Mayweather back in September 2013.

Kovalev, on the other hand, throws around 52 punches per round with a connect rate of 30%. This is similar to the average fighter in his weight class that throws and connects the same.

He also has the height (6 foot 0 inches) and reach (72 inches) advantage over Alvarez who is 5 foot 9 and has a reach of 70 ½ inches.

Alvarez has won titles in three weight divisions but has never fought as high as light-heavyweight, where Kovalev plies his trade.

Both fighters carry exceptional power and are ranked number one by Boxrec in their respected weight classes.

This would certainly be a match that would get people’s attention and perhaps in many people’s minds, it would be a last-minute lottery ticket win for Kovalev fighting the biggest name in boxing today.

The skills, stats and support from their respected cultural communities of the Ukrainian and Mexican fans are humongous. It would be massive selling point. Either in Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena or the T-Mobile Arena would be very profitable.

Posted on 08/26/2019

By: Hans Themistode

WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) had a ton of pressure on his shoulders this past weekend. It seems strange to say that about a man who has fought in several big fights and is considered by most to be the best Light Heavyweight fighter. Still, on August 24th, 2019, the pressure was at an all-time high.

Kovalev was fighting in his hometown of Chelyabinsk Russia and defending his title against the then undefeated British contender Anthony Yarde. Homecoming bouts have always induced added pressure on fighters, but this particular one was even more so.

The Fighter nicknamed “Krusher” wasn’t just fighting to keep his title while impressing his hometown fans, but he was also looking to secure a bout with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. A loss for Kovalev would have seen him not only lose his title, but also a career high payday against the aforementioned Alvarez.

The tension might have been high but you could not tell by watching Kovalev perform on Saturday night. To sum up Kovalev’s night would be simple. He looked sensational. He did have a bit of a scare in the eighth round where he took several hard shots and was nearly stopped. Other than that however, he looked great in scoring an 11th round knockout victory.

Now that his test against Yarde is behind him, he is seemingly inline for a much more difficult one against Alvarez.

Even with Kovalev possessing the height and reach advantages as well as a major edge in terms of weight as Alvarez will be moving up two divisions to make this contest happen, the favorite going into this contest is unclear.

There is no secret that Alvarez is the biggest star that boxing has to offer. With over 50 wins, world titles in three weight classes and wins over some of the biggest names that the sport has ever seen including Shane Mosley, Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto, it is easy to see why Alvarez is such a fan favorite fighter.

The argument can be made that Alvarez would be the favorite against anyone in his natural weight division, Middleweight. His foray into the Light Heavyweight division however would be another story entirely. Giving up four inches in height as well as two inches in reach won’t be easy to overcome. On fight night, Alvarez could easily be outweighed by roughly 15-20 pounds as well. These disadvantages would lead everyone to believe that his match against Kovalev would see him as an underdog. Think again.

Although Kovalev is a terrific fighter, it seems as though his age, 36, is catching up with him. Knockout losses at the hands of both Andre Ward and Eleider Alvarez have proven that he isn’t quite the same fighter he once was.

Gone are the days of Kovalev simply running through his opponents and scoring quick knockouts. Instead, he seems content in outboxing his opponents. Yet in his previous contest against Anthony Yarde, he proved that he still has plenty of power as he stopped his man in the eleventh round.

Kovalev may not be the same fighter he once was but, make no mistake about it, he will be the most dangerous fighter Alvarez has ever faced.

The current WBO Light Heavyweight champion should certainly be favored going into this contest, but Alvarez has all of the tolls to get the job done.

Posted on 08/24/2019

By: William Holmes

Sergey Kovalev (33-3-1) defended his WBO Light Heavyweight Title against Anthony Yarde (18-0) in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia on ESPN+.

Top Rank Promotions has teamed up with Main Event Promotions to televise this card on ESPN+. The undercard featured a thrilling majority decision win by Illunga Makabu over the very game Aleksei Papin.

Fight fans were expecting a knockout in this fight, as a young challenger that had stopped every opponent but one and was facing a champion already known for his devastating power. This event was sold out with an announced attendance of 7,500.

Yarde entered the ring first to a muted pop, while Kovalev entered second and was warmly greeted by the crowd. Kovalev had Buddy McGirt in his corner.

The openin round was a little slow, but both boxers appeared to be in good shape and were gauging their distance with jabs and check left hooks. Yarde had some success with his counter left hooks, but neither had any notable offense.

Kovalev began to land his jabs at a higher rate in the second and third rounds, but didn’t have Yarde hurt at any point. Kovalev had a strong fourth round and was landing some power punches and began to wake up the crowd.

Kovalev’s jabs were snapping the head of Yarde in the fifth round, and had outlanded him 42 to 14 jabs by this point. Kovalev continued to walk down Yarde in the sixth round, who at one point spit out his mouthpiece as he was visibly tiring.

Yarde was able to land a few good shots in the sixth and seventh rounds, but he opened himself up to Kovalev’s more accurate counter punches whenever he opened up and took a risk. Yarde’s body work did appear to hurt Kovalev in the seventh round.

Yarde pressed forward in the eighth round and was landing to the body and head of Kovalev. Kovalev was warned by the referee to stop pushing with his elbow, and both boxers landed good punches during some fierce exchanges. However, Yarde appeared to be comfortable with handling the power of Kovalev and had him hurt bad with a hard right hand. Kovalev was back peddling for the remainder of the round and struggled to stay up, but was able to survive the round.

Kovalev was badly hurt in the eighth, but came back strong in the ninth round with accurate combinations in the middle of the ring that swung momentum back in his favor.

Kovalev pummeled Yarde from ring post to ring post in the tenth round and had Yarde covering up most of the time. Yarde likely needed a stoppage in the final two rounds to win the fight, and he went after Kovalev to try to get that win. But a vicious straight left jab from Kovalev sent Yarde crashing to the mat and unable to get up to his feet.

Sergey Kovalev wins by TKO at 2:04 of the eleventh round.

Posted on 08/24/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The showdown between WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev and three division champion Canelo Alvarez is sure to be a good one. That contest will take place sometime in either November or December in Las Vegas, Nevada of this year.

It’s a contest that is sure to be a fight of the year candidate.

A can’t miss fight.

An all action scrap.

These are the headlines that have flooded the internet over the past few weeks.

Everyone seems to have forgotten about Anthony Yarde (18-0, 17 Kos). The unbeaten British born fighter who Kovalev must defeat, in his hometown of Russia.

Yarde has been dismissed by many, if not all. It’s for good reason. Up to this point, Yarde has faced no one even remotely close to the level he will be facing on Saturday night. It will be a huge step up for Yarde. Standing across the ring from the WBO Light Heavyweight champion will be unlike no other challenge he has ever faced.

To the credit of Yarde, he has looked good in his 18 professional bouts. Some would even say great. However, going from bottom tier to the upper echelon of the division is not an ideal situation.

It isn’t just the fans and media alike that have given Yarde no chance in this contest, but so has his contemporaries.

Former pound for pound star and Sergey Kovalev conquerer Andre Ward, believes that Yarde possesses the skill but ultimately will fall in his quest to become a world champion.

“I see him stopping Yarde late,” said Ward. “Yarde hasn’t showed up until this point that he can handle a guy like Kovalev.”

Yarde has heard all of his naysayers and critics but his confidence has not waned in the slightest.

“I’m just focused on myself. Be the best I can be and get the knockout victory,” said Yarde.

The ability to stop his opponents has been well established throughout his career as he currently holds a 94 percent knockout ratio. Kovalev, in his three career losses, has been stopped in two of them. So what does this mean exactly?

Yarde has a blueprint in which he can follow in order to get the job done.

Still, even with his impressive physique and under rated boxing skills. Yarde isn’t expected to do much of anything.

Rumors of the contract between Kovalev and Canelo have already been signed. The only thing left is the dispatching of Yarde.

Britains, Yarde has a chance to upset the applecart. A win for him would flip the boxing world on its head, but no one wants that. Canelo vs Kovalev is a mouth watering matchup. One that everyone wants to see.

One final test for Kovalev remains. Yarde.

For those who have fantasized about Sergey Kovalev taking on Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez may never see that contest come to fruition.

Anthony Yarde has more than enough skill to put an end to that dream, once and for all.

Posted on 08/23/2019

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night in Chelyabink, Russia Sergey Kovalev, the WBO Light Heavyweight Champion, will defend his title against Anthony Yarde, in Kovalev’s hometown.

Kovalev will be fighting for the first time in Russia since his win over Isaac Chilemba in July of 2016, but will have the full support of the crowd in attendance. Kovalev currently has pending charges for an assault charge in the United States, so fighting in Russia will help take his mind off of that.

The fight card will feature several Russian prospects. Other notable fights on the card include a cruiserweight bout between Ilunga Makabu and Aleksei Papin, a heavyweight fight between Evgeny Romanov and Dario German Balmaceda, and a welterweight bout between Eduard Skavynskyi and Idd Pialari.

Photo Credit: Main Events

This fight card will be streamed live on ESPN+ and promoted by Main Events.

The following is a preview of the light heavyweight title fight.

Sergey Kovalev (33-3-1) vs. Anthony Yarde (18-0); WBO Light Heavyweight Title

Sergey Kovalev is coming closer to, or is at the end of his prime. He’s currently thirty six years old and has already suffered two stoppage losses.

He’s facing an opponent that is ten years his younger and has never been defeated.

But Kovalev has shown that he still has some gas in his tank and was able to defeat Eleider Alvarez and reclaim his title after switching trainers and recommitting to the sport of boxing.

Both Kovalev and Yarde are known for their power, Kovalev has twenty eight stoppage victories while Yarde has seventeen stoppage victories. The only fight that Yarde has had that went the distance was his second professional fight.

Both boxers stand at 6’0”. Kovalev has been fairly active, as he has already fought once in 2019 and fought twice in both 2018 and in 2017. Yarde has been very active. He fought once in 2019, three times in 2018, and five times in 2017.

Kovalev’s three losses were to Andre Ward twice, and Eleider Alvarez. His first loss to Ward was disputed, but his other losses were not. He has defeated the likes of Alvarez, Igor Mikhalkin, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, Nadjib Mohammedi, Bernard Hopkins, Ismayl Sillah, Nathan Cleverly, and Gabriel Campillo.

Yarde has never been defeated and does not have the professional resume of Kovalev. He has defeated the likes of Travis Reeves, Walter Sequeira, Dariusz Sek, Tony Averlant, and Nikola Sjekloca.

Kovalev had the better amateur career of the two. Kovalev has previously captured the gold medal in the Russian National Championships, while Yarde didn’t start boxing until he was nineteen years old and briefly competed as an amateur.

Yarde is largely untested and is facing a boxer who has been in the ring with some of the best the light heavyweight division has had to offer in the 21st century. Add that on top of the fact they are fighting in Kovalev’s home town, the odds are rightly stacked against a Yarde victory on Saturday night.

There appears to be several lucrative options on the table for Kovalev is he’s able to win on Saturday, including possible bouts against Mexican light heavyweight Gilberto Ramirez or Mexican middleweight Canelo Alvarez.

It’s unlikely that a professional with the experience of Kovalev will look past Yarde towards other more lucrative fights.

Posted on 08/23/2019

By: Darren Paradise

In what could be the most intriguing match-up of 2019, Saturday night will see Sergey Kovalev defend his WBO light heavyweight title against Briton Anthony Yarde in his home town of Chelyabinsk, Russia. With the champion in the twilight of his career and the challenger being somewhat of an unknown quantity, opinions are divided on the outcome of this one.

It is the general consensus that Kovalev is now a champion on the slide. He is certainly the most established of the light heavyweight champions but Kovalev is no longer regarded as the most formidable, he is perhaps the weakest link of the current crop, even being handpicked as a potential future opponent for boxings premier attraction Saul “Canelo” Alvarez who is well known for feasting on an abundance of declining, lighter or overmatched opposition. With all this said, one should not forget that the light heavyweight division is stacked with talent and Kovalev did not earn his nickname of “Krusher” without good reason.

Photo Credit: Main Events Promotions

But what of the challenger?

Taking on a world champion in his home country has never been the easiest of tasks for any challenger but taking on a champion in deepest darkest Russia could be on a whole new level. Anthony Yarde appears unfazed. At 28-years old with 17 knockouts in a perfect 18-0 record it is unsurprising that Yarde feels that he has all the tools required to topple the Russian. With his model good looks, sculpted physique and undeniable charisma a dominant victory for Yarde may well see the arrival of boxings newest poster boy. Not too dissimilar to that of countryman Anthony Joshua, Yarde brings the type of crossover appeal required to transcend the sport and achieve superstar status. He will certainly be bringing youth and power into the ring with him and if the rumoured step aside money offered to him from team Alvarez is true it suggests that he also brings supreme confidence. It is a deeper look in to where that confidence arises from that begs the question as to whether or not he is up to the task. Firstly we have the coveted undefeated record and more than impressive knockout ratio. Of course he looks sublime in dismantling below par opposition, but in truth, the mettle of the man has never been tested. How will he react under pressure? Can he remain calm? Can he handle Kovalev’s power? Can he find an answer to the “Krusher’s” jab? Then we have the highly unorthodox methods of his trainer and mentor Tunde Ajayi where training involves an abundance of positivity but no sparring. How can one prepare for the biggest fight of his life without sparring? It is not only essential for the tactics and strategy of a fight, but also prepares the body for the traumas of battle. If the body is not prepared for battle, positivity is likely to disintegrate at an alarming rate. But who am I? If Yarde were to pull this one off Ajayi could forever be known as the pioneer of new age boxing training and psychology.

Victory for Anthony Yarde will certainly change the landscape of the 175lb division. Should Yarde defeat Kovalev in devastating fashion, any foray into light heavyweight for “Canelo” will certainly be put on the back burner but Yarde will not be in short supply of unification and domestic blockbusters down the road.

Sergey himself I am sure is extremely confident of an easy nights work, disregarding Yarde as a potential banana skin for a megabucks showdown with “Canelo” Alvarez but at 36 years of age and plenty of hard nights behind him is he overestimating how much is left in the tank?

This fight poses many a question but I have the feeling all will be both asked and answered within the first three minutes of the opening bell.

Posted on 08/23/2019

By: Shane Willoughby

The former WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez will become the mandatory of the winner of Kovalev vs Yarde.

As a WBO champion, once you move to a different weight division, it is a rule for you to become mandatory for the WBO champion in that division. This is something we have seen quite a few times this year when both Saunders and Usyk became a mandatory challenger in their division.

What does this mean for both Yarde and Kovalev? The winner of Saturday’s bout is set to face, arguably a tougher opponent than the one in front of them now.

Gilberto Ramirez is 40-0 and made 6 successful defences of his WBO super middleweight title before moving up to light heavyweight and then stopping Veteran Tommy Karpency.

For Kovalev, the Mexican fighter could be a massive hindrance to his plans, as the Russian is looking to Face cash cow Canelo at the end of the year, but may have to face Ramirez before. Which could be a much harder task than Yarde who is inexperienced and untested.

For the Brit to get past Kovalev will be a historic achievement, especially when you consider the fact that he is travelling to the champions home town. However, many say that the ‘Krusher’ is on the slide and past his best.

So even if Yarde pulls off the miraculous task and beats Kovalev, many will argue that he has a much tougher task ahead of him once Ramirez becomes mandatory.