Sergey Kovalev won’t retire until he has all 4 major titles
Sergey Kovalev defends his WBO light heavyweight title against unbeaten Eleider Alvarez on Saturday, Aug. 4. But at 35, how much does he have left?
Sergey Kovalev (32-2-1, 28 KOs) won his first major world title in 2013 at the age of 30. His career has been filled with ups and only two downs, but at 35 years old he’s still on a quest to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world.
Kovalev’s next challenge comes on Aug. 4 in the form of unbeaten contender Eleider Alvarez (23-0, 11 KOs). Alvarez’s flawless record looks good on paper, but he will likely be a sizeable underdog when fight odds are released. Alvarez is well known in his transplanted home of Montreal, Canada, but he’s unknown to American audiences.
Although this isn’t Kovalev’s most high profile bout, it’s still dangerous. Alvarez isn’t much of a knockout puncher, but he’s an experienced boxer. He was a highly decorated amateur champion and represented Colombia at the 2008 Olympic games.
Kovalev is old in boxing terms, but Alvarez is only a year younger at 34 years old. This is a matchup between two experienced veterans at the highest level. Usually, when a boxer is in their mid-thirties, their best days are behind them and they’re fighting on borrowed time. However, Kovalev thinks he’s an exception to this boxing archetype.
During a media conference call on Wednesday, July 18, Kovalev revealed that he has a lot more work to do before he considers retirement. To him, age is just a number.
“I don’t feel like I’m old or something like that,” said Kovalev. “It’s just a number for me. God blessed me and gave me an opportunity to fight on this level like a champion. I hope I get all four titles. When I get these goals, I’m done. I will feel like I can go to retire.”
Obtaining all four major titles in a single boxing division is a lofty goal for any boxer, let alone one who’s bordering the dark side of 30. Kovalev was considered the best light heavyweight for years until Andre Ward moved up to the division.
Their first fight in 2016 was close. Ward won a controversial unanimous decision. Many believed that Kovalev did enough to win the fight. Kovalev knocked down Ward in round two, but he faded during the second half of the fight.
In 2017, Ward definitively defeated Kovalev in their rematch by TKO in Round 8. Since then, Ward’s retired and Kovalev’s won two fights in a row. In his last fight, Kovalev stopped Igor Mikhalkin in the seventh round. Kovalev’s gotten his career back on track, but times running out if he wants to win the other three titles.
A win over Alvarez doesn’t get Kovalev any closer to achieving his dream of becoming undisputed champion. It just keeps it alive. After Alvarez, Kovalev wants to fight a fellow titleholder.
“I’m ready,” stated Kovalev adamantly. “I’m ready to fight any champion. My goal [sic] to get all four titles to be undisputed champion.”
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Kovalev’s goal isn’t impossible, just unlikely. If he wants to possess all four titles, then he needs to get started ASAP. Alvarez is a barrier to his goal. If he can’t convincingly beat Alvarez, then his dream is as good as dead.