Sergey Kovalev puts on boxing clinic defeating Eleider Alvarez by UD

Sergey Kovalev was brutally knocked out by Eleider Alvarez in August, losing his title, but he found a way to reverse his fortunes in the rematch.

In August of 2018, Eleider Alvarez (24-1, 12 KOs) destroyed Sergey Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KOs) in seven rounds in a shocking upset. Six months later on Saturday, Feb. 2, Kovalev found a way to reverse the decline of his career and his life with a masterful boxing performance to regain the WBO light heavyweight title.

Conventional wisdom was that Kovalev was an over-the-hill boxer at the age of 35. Before his rematch with Alvarez, he was 2-3 in his last five bouts. Losing to Alvarez combined with serious legal problems outside of the ring spelled disaster for the aging former ruler of the light heavyweight division, but he found a way to transpose his downward spiral — at least professionally.

After Kovalev lost for the first time in his career to Andre Ward in 2016, he disputed the judges’ decision. He had a case for his ire. It was a close fight that could have gone his way. In his rematch with Ward, he collapsed and was stopped in the eighth round. He blamed then trainer John David Jackson for his loss.

Kovalev got back on track and won the WBO title in 2017, but after getting knocked out by Alvarez, he again made a switch in trainers. He likes to place the blame of his defeats on his trainers. He has done it on two occasions, and it looked like he was unable to accept responsibility for his failures. However, he made the right move in selecting Buddy McGirt to guide him against Alvarez in the rematch.

Kovalev is not strong mentally. While talking to FanSided before his loss to Alvarez, he admitted that he was shot mentally for his second bout against Ward.

“I was broke mentally, and my emotions pushed me to get a rematch, but I wasn’t ready for [a] rematch,” Kovalev told FanSided in August.

Based on his tendencies, he shouldn’t have been able to rebound psychologically or physically from the beating he sustained against Alvarez, but he did.

On Feb. 2, Kovalev unveiled an uncharacteristic boxing style and performance against Alvarez. He’s known as a knockout puncher. His power has always been elite, and he has used it to make a name for himself, but his reliance on his concussive punches got him knocked out against Alvarez in their first meeting.

He wouldn’t make the same mistake the second time around, and Buddy McGirt deserves a lot of credit for his victory over Alvarez. Kovalev dominated Alvarez from bell to bell as a boxer, not as a puncher.

The first few rounds were reminiscent of the first bout between Kovalev and Alvarez. Kovalev was aggressive and more active. It looked like Alvarez was copying the game plan from the first fight which was to be cautious, counter punch and take advantage of Kovalev when he eventually leaves himself open.

The difference this time is that Alvarez was fighting another type of fighter. He expected a reckless bruiser, and instead, he got a fleet-footed, fast-punching boxer who was content with not forcing a knockout.

Alvarez had a decent third round. He hit Kovalev with a powerful right hand, but he couldn’t do it consistently throughout the fight. The third round was the only one that Alvarez deserved to win.

For the majority of the fight, Kovalev bounced on his toes, circled Alvarez on the outside of the ring and used his jab in quick succession to score and frustrate Alvarez. Kovalev worked off the jab all night and mixed in counter right hands and bodywork for 12 rounds.

Kovalev never hurt Alvarez. His punches weren’t the violent haymakers from past fights, but quick, flicking shots that discouraged Alvarez and scored accurately. That was the remedy he used to defeat Alvarez and regain his WBO title by unanimous decision.

Kovalev wasn’t supposed to win, but McGirt helped him devise a correct master plan to win back his title despite being old for a boxer. He boxed intelligently, and he netted a win in the process. He’s not the best light heavyweight in the world, but he does have a title in a division that lacks a conqueror.

Kovalev deserves credit for regaining a world title for the third time. That’s quite a feat, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that he was indicted on charges of felony assault for allegedly punching a woman who rebuffed his sexual advances. Kovalev was all smiles inside the ring. He defeated a boxer nicknamed “the storm,” but his storm is just beginning in his personal life.

Everyone charged with a crime has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, but the seriousness of the allegations facing Kovalev shouldn’t be swept under the rug just because he pulled off an impressive and surprising victory late in his career. He’s a commanding boxer, and he earned a continuation of his career, but his journey will be tumultuous and troubling moving forward. He can’t escape or excuse his conduct if the allegations against him are proven true in a court of law.