(Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events) By Eric Baldwin: Isaac Chilemba (24-3-2, 10 KOs) will be challenging for multiple world titles this week in five days from now against IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) on July 11 at the DIVS Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Chilemba doesn’t mind that he’s going to be fighting in Kovalev’s home country of Russia, because he likes the idea of going in and beating one of his opponents in front of his own fans. Chilemba also is quite happy to be fighting for several titles at once rather than just one title.
He’s fortunate to be getting a world title shot at all, because he lost his last fight against Eleider Alvarez by a 12 round majority decision last November.
While it was close enough to be considered a draw in the minds of many boxing fans, two of the judges didn’t see it that way. They scored it in Alvarez’s favor with the scores of 118-110 and 115-113.
“I love fighting in someone’s home. That is where I can prove to the world that I am not just a fighter in the ring but I am fighter in my spirit and my soul,” said Chilemba. “I can go to someone else’s hometown and defeat them in their backyard.”
This is a tune-up fight for Kovalev to get him ready for his title defense against former world champion Andre Ward on November 19 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chilemba is expected to be little more than a speed bump for Kovalev to safely pass over without having any problems whatsoever. Kovalev has always done well against finesse type fighters without power.
Let's get ready to rumble. #KovalevChilemba pic.twitter.com/QiwGX9L7De
— Sergey Kovalev (@KrusherKovalev) July 6, 2016
Chilemba doesn’t have the power in his shots, and he spends too much time trying not to get hit rather than on looking to score hurtful punches. Chilemba can’t win if his entire game is going to be directed at moving around and looking to counter Kovalev rather than on taking the fight to him in the center of the ring. We already saw Bernard Hopkins fail when he chose to fight defensively for 12 rounds against Kovaev in their fight in 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn_WMs_4s6Q
“I came up short three times. This is not an eliminator fight. I am going straight for three world tiles,” said Chilemba. “In order to win this fight, I believe I needed to be here. I needed to train here. I have all of the spirit right here. This is where it all started. I have got everything I need at my fingertips.”