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Yermek
Legend
Bronze Level
SERGEY KOVALEV and Andre Ward have both signed a contract agreeing to fight each other in an irresistible light-heavyweight clash later this year.
November 19 is the planned date, though a venue is yet to be finalised. We understand New York and Las Vegas are both very much in the mix.
Kathy Duva of Main Events, who promote Kovalev, had previously stated the pair had agreed to fight and Sergey’s manager, Egis Klimas, confirmed to Boxing News that the superfight is signed.
“The contract has been signed between Kovalev vs Ward. They both have one more fight before they meet, Sergey will fight [Isaac] Chilemba on July 11, not sure when and where Andre will fight,” he said.
“If everything will go as planned they should meet November 19.”
Kovalev will defend his IBF, WBA and WBO titles against Chilemba in Ekaterinburg, Russia, which is roughly 140 miles north of the town Kovalev hails from, Kopeysk.
The unbeaten 33-year-old, widely regarded as the best light-heavyweight and one of the best fighters in the world, returns to the arena he fought Roman Simakov in, in 2011. Simakov was stopped in seven rounds but slipped into unconsciousness, before tragically dying three days later.
Kovalev subsequently donated the entire purse from his next fight to Simakov’s family.
In his last outing, Chilemba dropped a 12-round decision to Eleider Alvarez in an eliminator to fight for Adonis Stevenson’s WBC strap.
The Malawi-born South African is a slippery customer and almost impossible to look good against, with a style not too dissimilar to Ward’s – though he is several levels below the former super-middleweight boss.
HBO, who have broadcast Kovalev’s fights in the US for some time now, have not yet committed to the Chilemba fight, but are expected to pick up Sergey’s monster meeting with Ward.
Ward made his first official outing at light-heavyweight with a 12-round routing of unbeaten Sullivan Barrera in March, having cleaned out the 168lb division with wins over Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham.
November 19 is the planned date, though a venue is yet to be finalised. We understand New York and Las Vegas are both very much in the mix.
Kathy Duva of Main Events, who promote Kovalev, had previously stated the pair had agreed to fight and Sergey’s manager, Egis Klimas, confirmed to Boxing News that the superfight is signed.
“The contract has been signed between Kovalev vs Ward. They both have one more fight before they meet, Sergey will fight [Isaac] Chilemba on July 11, not sure when and where Andre will fight,” he said.
“If everything will go as planned they should meet November 19.”
Kovalev will defend his IBF, WBA and WBO titles against Chilemba in Ekaterinburg, Russia, which is roughly 140 miles north of the town Kovalev hails from, Kopeysk.
The unbeaten 33-year-old, widely regarded as the best light-heavyweight and one of the best fighters in the world, returns to the arena he fought Roman Simakov in, in 2011. Simakov was stopped in seven rounds but slipped into unconsciousness, before tragically dying three days later.
Kovalev subsequently donated the entire purse from his next fight to Simakov’s family.
In his last outing, Chilemba dropped a 12-round decision to Eleider Alvarez in an eliminator to fight for Adonis Stevenson’s WBC strap.
The Malawi-born South African is a slippery customer and almost impossible to look good against, with a style not too dissimilar to Ward’s – though he is several levels below the former super-middleweight boss.
HBO, who have broadcast Kovalev’s fights in the US for some time now, have not yet committed to the Chilemba fight, but are expected to pick up Sergey’s monster meeting with Ward.
Ward made his first official outing at light-heavyweight with a 12-round routing of unbeaten Sullivan Barrera in March, having cleaned out the 168lb division with wins over Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham.
Yermek
Legend
Bronze Level
Floyd Mayweather on possible comeback: 'You just never know'
Almost a year to the day after his superfight with Manny Pacquiao, former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather hinted that he might come out of retirement.
In an interview with Showtime on Saturday, Mayweather maintained that he is happily retired but said he has had talks with CBS and Showtime about a possible return to the ring.
"Everyone is asking me, 'Is Floyd Mayweather coming back?'" Mayweather said in Washington, where one of his Mayweather Promotions fighters, super middleweight titleholder Badou Jack, fought to a majority draw against Lucian Bute at the DC Armory. "Right now, I'm happy being on this side, but I've been talking with CBS and Showtime, and you just never know. But right now, I'm just happy on this side."
Mayweather then was asked what it would take to come back.
"As of right now, some crazy numbers have been thrown my way -- upwards, of course, of nine figures," he told Showtime. "But I'm truly blessed beyond belief, and I really don't know what we're going to do. But right now, I'm really happy being on this side helping our fighters."
Many fight fans are clamoring for a matchup between unified middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin (35-0) and Mayweather, but Mayweather indicated Saturday that it's unlikely to happen, even if he does return. Mayweather has fought as a junior middleweight before -- against Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez -- but never at 160.
"I think that it's best that he go up and fight Andre Ward," Mayweather said of Golovkin. "I think that would be a good fight for Triple G and Andre Ward. How can Floyd Mayweather fight at 160 [pounds] when I can never even make 154?"
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision in a showdown billed as The Fight of the Century on May 2, 2015. He then decisioned Andre Berto in September to up his career record to 49-0, tying the hallowed mark with which heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano retired, the best record for a retiring champion. Although another victory would put him ahead of Marciano, Mayweather vowed that the Berto fight would be his last.
"My career is over. It's official," he said after the Berto fight.
Until Saturday, Mayweather hadn't wavered from that stance. In March, he insisted there was zero chance that he would get back into the ring.
"I was able to retire from the sport with all my faculties and not let the sport retire me," he said.
http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/15438604/floyd-mayweather-hints-coming-retirement
Almost a year to the day after his superfight with Manny Pacquiao, former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather hinted that he might come out of retirement.
In an interview with Showtime on Saturday, Mayweather maintained that he is happily retired but said he has had talks with CBS and Showtime about a possible return to the ring.
"Everyone is asking me, 'Is Floyd Mayweather coming back?'" Mayweather said in Washington, where one of his Mayweather Promotions fighters, super middleweight titleholder Badou Jack, fought to a majority draw against Lucian Bute at the DC Armory. "Right now, I'm happy being on this side, but I've been talking with CBS and Showtime, and you just never know. But right now, I'm just happy on this side."
Mayweather then was asked what it would take to come back.
"As of right now, some crazy numbers have been thrown my way -- upwards, of course, of nine figures," he told Showtime. "But I'm truly blessed beyond belief, and I really don't know what we're going to do. But right now, I'm really happy being on this side helping our fighters."
Many fight fans are clamoring for a matchup between unified middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin (35-0) and Mayweather, but Mayweather indicated Saturday that it's unlikely to happen, even if he does return. Mayweather has fought as a junior middleweight before -- against Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez -- but never at 160.
"I think that it's best that he go up and fight Andre Ward," Mayweather said of Golovkin. "I think that would be a good fight for Triple G and Andre Ward. How can Floyd Mayweather fight at 160 [pounds] when I can never even make 154?"
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision in a showdown billed as The Fight of the Century on May 2, 2015. He then decisioned Andre Berto in September to up his career record to 49-0, tying the hallowed mark with which heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano retired, the best record for a retiring champion. Although another victory would put him ahead of Marciano, Mayweather vowed that the Berto fight would be his last.
"My career is over. It's official," he said after the Berto fight.
Until Saturday, Mayweather hadn't wavered from that stance. In March, he insisted there was zero chance that he would get back into the ring.
"I was able to retire from the sport with all my faculties and not let the sport retire me," he said.
http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/15438604/floyd-mayweather-hints-coming-retirement
Yermek
Legend
Bronze Level
The former world middleweight and light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins balance has urged WBA champion in the WBA / WBO middle category Gennady Golovkin and champion in the light heavyweight Sergey Kovalev compete with each other.
http://www.boxingscene.com/video-bernard-hopkins-details-golovkin-vs-kovalev--104221
http://www.boxingscene.com/video-bernard-hopkins-details-golovkin-vs-kovalev--104221
J
joe777
Legend
Silver Level
Yermek
Legend
Bronze Level
In Alvarez to win much more likely
P
PW300
Rock Star
Silver Level
I can't believe Kell brook has taken that fight. I know he needs a big name to put himself on the boxing map but to jump 2 weight divisions and fight one of the biggest punchers in the world is asking for trouble. I think ggg will stop him inside 3 rounds.
P
PW300
Rock Star
Silver Level
Watching ggg in the public workout a couple of days ago, this fight will have an early finish. Ggg just hits too hard for someone who has only ever fought at welterweight to take. As soon as he connects on Brooks chin, this fight will be over.
andyt5303
Rock Star
Silver Level
Not huge into boxing but really intrigued about this weekends fight. I'm routing for Kell being from the uk but I'm aware how good GGG is, the best in the world? Huge ask for brook to go up two weight divisions but credit too him for taking on the best in the world. I'm hoping for an upset!
Rincewind
Visionary
Silver Level
That has been said many times about many fighters over the years. No one is unbeatable.