Sergey Kovalev

Ward vs. Kovalev: At Last A Real Fight!

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1-WardBarrera_HoganphotosBy Rob Blakeman: Last night’s light heavyweight debut of Andre Ward spelt trouble for recognized World Champion of that weight class, Sergey Kovalev. Ward gave a textbook clinic in the art of boxing while schooling previously unbeaten Cuban Sullivan Barrera. It was a complete master class by Ward carried out in front of fans in his own back yard fighting at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

The icing on the cake for Ward enthusiasts was highlighted when he decked the bigger, more natural light heavyweight in the third round and dominated him throughout the remainder despite a reach disadvantage.

Ward battles Barrera to get ready for Kovalev fight

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1-WardBarreraWeighIn_HoganphotosBy Dan Ambrose: Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) will be putting it on the line tonight against Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a warm-up fight to get ready for a big money fight against IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in November.

Ward, 31, is seen as a top pound-for-pound talent by many boxing fans, but the things that he accomplished during his career are in the distant past. Ward is living now on things that he accomplished five years ago in 2011 rather than on things that he’s done lately in the sport.

When special plans go wrong

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kovalev-pascal2 (5)By Yannis Mihanos: Special plans can make a difference in a fight and even turn somebody into legend. Nevertheless, in life, there are always two sides of the coin and boxing could not be an exception. Things can happen in reverse too. Prior to the rematch against Sergey Kovalev, former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal made claims that he and his coach Freddie Roach were preparing something special, something that their opponent didn’t expect.

Some serious expectation was built prior to the fight but in the end all it took was a few seconds for Pascal to realize that it ain’t gonna happen. Not now, not in this lifetime. All it took was one punch in the face to realize that no special plan can work against this kind of power and opponent.

Hopkins: Ward shouldn’t fight Kovalev right now

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1-HopkinsPhillyWorkout4Kovalev_Hoganphotos5By Dan Ambrose: Former world champion Bernard Hopkins doesn’t think it’s a good idea for former WBA/WBC 168lb champion Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) to face unbeaten IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev at this point in his career.

Hopkins reasons that Kovalev is doing really well with his career in recent fights, and he thinks that Ward should just look to get some fights under his belt at 175 before he starts thinking about fighting Kovalev right now. Hopkins is looking at Ward’s career from a business standpoint, and he feels it’s a bad idea for Ward to take the fight right now with Kovalev without milking the fight for as long as possible before taking it.

Can we live without Kovalev v Stevenson?

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kovalev-pascal2 (3)By Gav Duthie: Words exchanged, sparks flew as Adonis ‘Chickenson’ Stevenson retorts at his new nickname expressing “I’m the real champ” as he postures across the ring in a vein attempt to get to unified champion Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev after the Russian had destroyed Stevenson’s compatriot Jean Pascal for the second time.

Was anybody buying it? Does anyone even care? A unification bout between the talented duo should be the next biggest fight in boxing but are we resigned to it not happening? Boxing doesn’t need another 5 year drawn out tit for tat negotiation like Floud Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao especially as UFC gains more fans with its format of the best fighting the best without exception.

Andre Ward must beat Sullivan Barrera to get to Kovalev

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ward7By Jeff Aranow: Rightly or wrongly, Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) has put himself into a tight spot with him having to beat a very good fighter in #1 IBF Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) on March 26 in Ward’s first true fight at light heavyweight in the pro ranks.

Ward needs to defeat Barrera in order to get a much bigger fight against IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev on November 19. However, if Ward loses his fight against Barrera, then he could forget about a fight against Kovalev.

Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward possible for November 19

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Image: Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward possible for November 19By Dan Ambrose: If Andre Ward gets past Sullivan Barrera next month on Marcy 26, he’ll be facing IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev on November 19. That’s the working date for the Kovalev-Ward fight, according to Dan Rafael.

Ward has to get past the hard hitting Barrera first in their fight on HBO PPV. There’s also the possibility that Ward will be taking another fight before the Kovalev fight, as it looks like HBO isn’t counting Ward’s pull out from last November as his first fight of his three-fight contract with them.

Adonis Stevenson must fight Sergey Kovalev on HBO

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kovalev (9)By Allan Fox: WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (27-1, 22 KOs) has no position to bargain with IBF/WBA/WBO 175lb unified champion Sergey Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) for a unification fight between them.

While the soon to be 39-year-old Stevenson wants to negotiate a fight with Kovalev with it being shared by both HBO and Showtime, Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva has made it crystal clear that the fight must take place exclusively on HBO or not all.

Andre Ward will fight twice before Sergey Kovalev match, says Duva

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ward56By Dan Ambrose: Kathy Duva, the promoter for unbeaten light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) and IBF/WBA/WBO 175lb champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, says that Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) will be fighting twice before his November fight against Kovalev.

Duva says it’s Ward’s plans to get in two interim fights before he faces Kovalev. Duva thinks this is a risky thing for Ward to do because it means there are two chances that he can get beaten before he ever gets to a fight against Kovalev.

The thing is if Ward loses to anyone before November, then that means there will not be a Kovalev-Ward fight. Duva would obviously be happy if one of her Main Events fighters like Barrera is the guy that beats Ward.

Adonis Stevenson – Sergey Kovalev fight not happening

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press conference-0013 - Adonis Stevenson - CBSBy Dan Ambrose: It looks like boxing fans can forget all about a potential unification fight between IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and WBC 175lb champion Adonis Stevenson this year.

Stevenson is saying that he’s got his contract with Showtime, and the only way that the fight can take place is if Kovalev is able to get HBO to work out a deal with Showtime for the two networks to televise the fight. Kovalev has already set the conditions for the fight with Stevenson by saying that he needs to fight him on HBO.

Stevenson feels that he’s the WBC champion and he doesn’t have to bend to the wishes of Kovalev.