Duva: Kovalev Still Man to Beat in Light Heavyweight Division

[Ruthless-RKO]

Nothing about Sergey Kovalev’s two losses to Andre Ward has changed his promoter’s mind about the Russian knockout artist’s status.

Now that Andre Ward has retired, Kathy Duva thinks Kovalev is, without question, the best light heavyweight in boxing. She expects the former champion to start proving her right Saturday night in New York, where Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) will encounter Ukraine’s Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-1, 16 KOs) for the WBO 175-pound championship Ward gave up when he retired.

“We started out in the beginning with him and he was nobody,” Duva, Main Events’ CEO, told BS.com. “We had to fight everybody and we had to go to everybody’s hometown to fight everybody. We had to go to [Wales] to fight [Nathan] Cleverly, we had to go to Canada to fight [Jean] Pascal and near Philly to fight [Bernard] Hopkins [in Atlantic City], out West to go fight Ward [in Las Vegas].”

“Sergey was the guy who was nobody, who was coming up and trying to make something of himself. Now, after all that’s happened, what happened in those Ward fights didn’t change the fact that, at this moment, Sergey is the top man in his division. He’s the man to beat. Clearly, he’s gotta win the fight on Saturday to kind of put a stamp on that. But that is really the position he’s in right now.”

Duva doesn’t think Kovalev’s losses to Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) took anything out of him, the way some defeats damage fighters forever. Though Duva long ago gave up hope of making a fight against WBC champion Adonis Stevenson (29-1, 24 KOs), she’s still confident Kovalev could beat newly crowned IBF champion Artur Beterbiev (12-0, 12 KOs) and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs).

“I don’t think that those are the kinds of losses that diminish you,” Duva said. “One was clearly not even a loss. The other one was questionable at best in the stoppage against, again, the best fighter in the world. Close losses to that guy doesn’t put you that far behind him. And the fact is, at this moment in the division, there’s no one else [other than Kovalev] that you’d have to say everyone else has to go through to prove he’s the best. Stevenson is irrelevant and no one is gonna claim that Beterbiev or Bivol is the man in the division unless they beat Sergey Kovalev. So he’s in a good position. He’s positioned really well right now and we’re extremely happy about it.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Now that Ward has retired? Definitely Kovalev is the man to beat.

He knows he's not fighting anyone near Ward quality this Saturday and I expect him to shine .

[diddy]

Considering Ward is the only one to beat him and he’s gone this isn’t much of a statement. It’s not like Adonis is gonna fight anyone and Beterbiev still has a lot to prove but something tells me he will beat Kovalev if they fight.

[Enlightened-One]

The process of elimination dictates that Kovalev has inherited Andre Ward's mantle of being considered the "man" at 175lbs, but...

We don't know if Sergey has been mentally affected by his defeats to Ward or the drastic changes in his training camp or whether his advanced years has resulted in a decline of his performance levels.

And I don't believe we'll get answers to any of these questions when Krusher inevitably stops Vyacheslav Shabranskyy to capture the WBO title, because the Ukrainian isn't a world-rated top-ten 175lb-er.

I feel that Sergey's reign of the light heavyweight division will come to a close within the short-term.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I feel that Sergey's reign of the light heavyweight division will come to a close within the short-term.

Kathy is already suggesting that he hasn't been affected, but I guess we will judge that this weekend.

I feel that Sergey's reign of the light heavyweight division will come to a close within the short-term.

I agree with this 100%

His 3rd pro loss will occur in 2018.

[greg]

..I agree that the last two "losses" might have taken toll on him..we'll find out soon..

[gilgamesh]

I'd say Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson are equally significant victories at 175 at this point. Adonis still has that "Lineal" Title whatever that's worth to anybody.

[boxing_rocks]

Kovalev said that he had a habit of having a few beers a day and a shot of vodka with dinner, but he quit drinking that and even pop now. If he is mentally strong, he is still the man to beat. I would love to see him fight his old rival Beterbiev.

[WelshDevil]

Looking to see what he has left. Rumours of him training himself, ill-discipline and drink have been floating around. Always a fan of his and got to see him live when he destroyed Nathan Cleverly.

He seems to have lost the meanness and hunger. It'll be interesting to see if he can recapture his old form. The division is packed with talent, so he'll need to be back to his best to fend off the threats.

[Kalan]

I'd say Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson are equally significant victories at 175 at this point. Adonis still has that "Lineal" Title whatever that's worth to anybody.

I'd say Chickenshitt Chickenson is scared shittless to fight anyone good... CC'll never face Kovalev, Beterbiev, Bivol, or any other great LHW.

[jamamb]

ppl talk of kov like hes finished. talk of him having been overrated. and now ppl big upping other guys whove taken easier fights and not anyone like atg p4p #1 ward, let alone win like 10 rounds against him and score a kd.maybe cherrypicking is the way to go with that attitude? are fans still poo pooing guys too much for losses? or maybe losses really are that detrimental to fighters mentally and physically?

what interests me is how mma fighters get far less poo for losses. and is it no coincidence then that they get matched tougher?because losing doesnt put them at the same risk for a damaged reputation? in ufc a guy can lose multiple times and still be a highly regarded badass who has lots left.

[boxing_rocks]

Interesting:

https://www.si.com/boxing/2017/11/21/se ... avyweights

[Jip]

He isnt. But he still top 4

[TheGingerBomber]

If he's going into fights with any decent LHW without the dedication he needs to be at his peak, then I hope he's made enough money to be settled in retirement.

[Enlightened-One]

what interests me is how mma fighters get far less poo for losses. and is it no coincidence then that they get matched tougher?because losing doesnt put them at the same risk for a damaged reputation? in ufc a guy can lose multiple times and still be a highly regarded badass who has lots left.

Most UFC fighters are employees, which mean that their salary is dictated to them. They can’t compete against rival organisations, so their salary opportunities are restricted. The UFC decides whether their fighters compete or not and also whom they compete against. They have to wear uniforms. The UFC alone decides rankings. The UFC also controls most the main media content, so they can put a spin on things to make fighters seem more “lethal” than they really are, using propaganda-like commentary, even if their guys have suffered defeats or not... and their fan-base often buys into their (occasionally) biased or misleading point of view.

For sure, there are a lot of good things about the UFC, but let’s try to evaluate things in true context.

There are as many downsides to the UFC as there are positives. And I’m not suggesting that boxing doesn’t have its flaws either, as all I’m simply suggesting is that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

[asdfjkl]

Well, he was clearly better as Ward, we have seen that, twice even. Somehow if he's the best? I'm not so sure, he is still the men to beat somehow.

[caldo2025]

Duva isn't doing her boxer any favors by sill not admitting that at least one of the two Ward fights was a loss. I had Kovalev winning the first fight but the second fight? Come on. Your fighter quit inside the ring. Plain and simple. Whether he was quitting from low blows or rabbit punches that were illegal is not the question...you fight the fight that the ref lets the boxers get away with. The ref wanted a street fight and Kovalev couldn't keep up with that and quit while Ward was more than happy to go there and go deep.

Duva is just making Kovalev more unlikeable.

[SFW]

Kovalev said that he had a habit of having a few beers a day and a shot of vodka with dinner, but he quit drinking that and even pop now. If he is mentally strong, he is still the man to beat. I would love to see him fight his old rival Beterbiev.

Who do you favor? I always leaned towards Beterbiev winning that fight

[boxing_rocks]

Hard to say not knowing if Beterbiev got his injuries fully healed. It was unclear looking at his last fight. Also, Kovalev's mental state is unclear.

Two years ago, I would favor Beterbiev, but there are too many unknowns now.

[Mexi-Box]

I have to agree with Duva. It doesn't mean that Kovalev is unbeatable, though. I'm thinking he's done at the top, and Bivol beats him easily. Kovalev before the 2 "loses" to Ward would easily be 60-40 with Gvozdyk, Beterbiev, and Bivol.