When I was growing up in Russia I did not hear these words pound for pound. Once I learned what this was I knew this was important. I am honored that people think I am the fighter that could get this title. It’s important for me, for my career. I am champion in my division now, but I want to get all the belts and also I would like to be best pound for pound boxer in the world. I respect Andre Ward, he is very good boxer and Olympic gold medal winner, but he is man not alien so I have chance to beat him.
Sergey Kovalev
Andre Ward has contempt for bullies, says Sergey Kovalev will “be taken to places he’s never been before”
Andre Ward has extra motivation to become the first man to defeat feared light-heavyweight puncher Sergey Kovalev: he does not like bullies. And, in speaking with Sky Sports (who will televise the fight, on Nov. 19, live in the UK) the former super-middleweight king says there is absolutely no way Kovalev will bully him when they meet in Las Vegas.
Kovalev-Ward one month away
As WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) and former Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) prepare for their epic “Pound For Pound” showdown scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, fans, media, experts and odds-makers around the world are split on who will be the favorite to win this virtually even-money battle.
And with good reason. Both Kovalev and Ward are undefeated and in their prime, making for a rare and exciting boxing match-up and a testament to the moxie of the boxers and the promoters.
Curtis Stevens faces James De La Rosa on Kovalev-Ward card
Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs) returns to the ring and the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on the Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” non-televised undercard to face James “The King” De La Rosa (23-4, 13 KOs) in a ten-round middleweight showdown.
Stevens, 31, of Brownsville, Brooklyn returned to the ring on May 7 of this year and stopped previously undefeated Brazilian prospect Patrick Teixeira in the second round on the HBO Pay-Per-View® undercard of Canelo-Khan. The victory over Teixeira catapulted Stevens back into the ranking of all four sanctioning bodies, including top ten ratings in both the IBF and WBC. He is hoping to continue that momentum and secure another shot at the middleweight title.
Andre Ward starts training for Sergey Kovalev fight
Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) officially kicks off training camp in Hayward, CA with trainer Virgil Hunter ahead of his November 19 showdown at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas against WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs). Ward’s training camp, which will serve as a base for Ward over the next several weeks as he continues his quest to dominate the light heavyweight division, is sponsored by a resounding collection of American-based companies including Jordan Brand, Shoe Palace, JetLux, and ProSupps.
Below is what Team Ward had to say about the start of training camp:
Kovalev vs. Ward quotes
On Tuesday, September 6, No. 2 Pound-for-Pound and WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) and No. 4 Pound-for-Pound and Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) participated in an official press conference at Le Parker Meridien in New York City, in advance of their November 19 “Pound for Pound” showdown at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound for Pound” will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets start at $55 and are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.
Who is the pound-for-pound best in the sport today? Former entrant Carl Froch’s pick may surprise you
It’s always a subjective thing, compiling a pound-for-pound top-10, but whenever a fighter, a former fighter who once graced most p-4-p charts is drawing up such a list, the picks are worth looking at. And former super-middleweight king Carl Froch, now happily retired and able to look back on a terrific career, has provided his picks for the ten best pound-for-pound boxers today.
Froch, who faced a number of fighters who were, at one time, pound-for-pound entrants, is a pundit for Sky Sports these days and he gave the Sky Sports guys his top-10. See what you make of this:
Kovalev vs Ward: Kovalev “Pound for Pound” Q&A Recap
Sergey Kovalev talks Andre Ward fight — Duva: We are here mostly for you to get a chance to talk to Sergey Kovalev and to get a better sense of where his head is right now leading into the fight we all want to see. Knowing from experience, the most fun anyone in my position could have is to be in the position to announce that the biggest fight of the year that everyone wants to see, between two of the top five pound-for-pound fighters that everyone wants to see, with undefeated records – usually it’s a lot of fun. I do hope that at some point during this promotion it will become fun. I am here to tell you that we are planning to have the fight on November 19 and we expect that the fight will be taking place somewhere, and where that is we will let you know. I will hand the mic over to Michael and we will proceed.
Ward vs Kovalev – Is This The Battle For The P4P Fighter Of The World?
So Andre Ward has set up his fight Vs Sergey Kovalev for November, possibly in Las Vegas, certainly on PPV.
Ward set this fight up by outpointing the completely outclassed Alexander Brand. What exactly Brand was doing in the same building as Ward, never mind the same ring is the guess of anyone, at points during the fight I think Ward, Brand and even the ref Jack Reiss thought the same.
Video: An early look at Sergey Kovalev vs Andre Ward
There is always reason for concern whenever a big boxing mega event hinges on one or both fighters needing to win a tune-up match prior to the big showdown. An example of this would be when Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins were scheduled to have a rematch, as long as they both were victorious in matches leading up to the desired attraction. Hopkins defeated Enrique Ornelas, but Roy Jones was knocked out in a round by Danny Green. The rematch went on, but lost its luster.