Sergey Kovalev is one of the most successful boxers of all time, with an impressive record of 50-1. He’s also a three-time world champion, and many boxing experts believe he has the potential to become the greatest fighter of all time. But what makes Kovalev so special?
Mykhailo Usyk
Ukrainian heavyweight boxer, Mykhailo Usyk, is considered one of the brightest prospects in boxing. After a successful amateur career, Usyk made his professional debut in 2015, and has since racked up a record of 21 wins by knockout.
On November 8, 2018, Usyk faced undefeated Russian boxer Sergey Kovalev in the Kovalev vs. Usyk world championship bout. The battle was billed as the biggest fight in boxing history. The match ended in a controversial split decision, with Kovalev being declared the winner by scores of 115-113 (twice), 114-114 and 113-115. This victory made him only the second man after Muhammad Ali to retain their world title three times.
Sergey Kovalev
Sergey Kovalev’s Killer Punch
by Mykhailo Usyk
It’s been almost two years since Sergey Kovalev knocked out IBF, WBA, and IBO world champion Andre Ward in the ninth round of their fight. Ward had looked to be in control of the bout up to that point, but Kovalev caught him with a powerful right hand that sent him down to the canvas. Ward got back up, but it was clear he was hurt. Kovalev followed up with another big punch and referee Joe Cortez stepped in to stop the fight.
Since then, Kovalev has gone on to win a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics, defend his world titles against David Belle in a rematch (Kovalev won by KO in the seventh round), and face Ismayl Sillakh for the WBA world title last month. But it was his victory over Ward that still stands out as one of Kovalev’s best performances.
Ward had been one of boxing’s most promising young stars and many were expecting him
What led to the Kovalev-Usyk fight
Sergey Kovalev and Mykhailo Usyk are two of the most anticipated fighters in the world today. Many boxing fans are eagerly awaiting their matchup, which will take place on November 3rd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Kovalev is a three-time world champion and Usyk is unbeaten in 35 professional fights.
The fight was originally scheduled for September 13th, but Kovalev was forced to pull out due to a hand injury. Usyk then stepped up to face Kovalev’s replacement, Artur Beterbiev. Beterbiev defeated Usyk by unanimous decision, which led to speculation that Kovalev had done something to cause the loss.
Kovalev has previously accused Usyk of being a “cheater” and “a liar”. He has also said that he plans to punish his opponent for what he perceives as bad sportsmanship.
So what led to this intense rivalry? It all started when Kovalev won the WBA (Super) Featherweight Championship from Ruslan Provodnikov by knockout in the seventh round in 2015
What happened in the fight
On November 12, Usyk retained the WBO cruiserweight title with a unanimous decision over Murat Gassiev. Kovalev was ringside and watched as his fellow Russian secured theWBO belt. However, Kovalev is not one to shy away from a challenge and he has promised to get his revenge on Usyk in a rematch.
The first fight between the two fighters ended with Usyk knocking out Kovalev in the fifth round. Kovalev attempted to come back in the rematch, but by the end of the eighth round, referee Russell Mora had seen enough and stopped the fight. Highlights of that bout can be seen here.
Kovalev is known for his devastating knockout power and many are wondering if he will be able to bring that same skill set to bear against Usyk again. However, Usyk is also no slouch and he is likely to give Kovalev a tough fight. Expect this rematch to take place sometime in 2019.
The aftermath of the Kovalev-Usyk fight
After twelve rounds of action, the fight between Sergey Kovalev and Mykhailo Usyk was finally over. Kovalev emerged victorious, but his victory came at a heavy cost. Usyk, the former WBO world champion, was knocked down in the eleventh round and never recovered. The official result was a Kovalev victory by knockout, but many people believe that if Usyk had made it to the final bell he would have been the victor.
The aftermath of this fight was dominated by Kovalev’s punch that landed on Usyk’s chin in the eleventh round. This punch caused Usyk to fall to the ground and referee Joe Cortez immediately stopped the fight. It is now widely believed that this punch was responsible for Usyk’s death sentence.
Sergey Kovalev is now a world champion once again, but he will always be known as the man who killed Mykhailo Usyk.
Mykhailo Usyk Brings Boxing Glory To Ukraine
When most people think of Ukraine, they think of Chernobyl and the war that has plagued the country for the past 25 years. However, there is another side to Ukraine that is gaining international attention- boxing. In particular, the sport of boxing is booming in Ukraine thanks to two men- Mykhailo Usyk and Sergey Kovalev.
Usyk is a world champion boxer who has won several titles in the heavyweight division. He first gained international recognition when he won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Since then, he has continued to amaze fans with his boxing abilities, most recently winning a world title in 2018. This victory made him the first Ukrainian boxer to ever win a world title.
Kovalev is also a world champion boxer who has competed at the highest level for many years. He first gained international recognition when he beat Felix Sturm to win an Olympic silver medal in 2004. Since then, he has continued to amaze fans with his boxing abilities, most recently beating Andre Ward to win a world title in 2017. This victory made him the first man ever to win three world titles in three different weight classes.
Mykhailo Usyk: Captain Of The Future
Mykhailo Usyk is the newly crowned WBO world boxing champion. Born in 1986, in the Ukraine, Usyk has faced some of the best boxers in the world including Tony Bellew and David Haye. He was undefeated until he fought Kovalev on 6th September 2017 and lost by knockout in the eighth round.
Despite this loss, Usyk’s stock has only risen because he has now become a world champion. This victory makes him a top contender for the world heavyweight title and makes him one of the most exciting prospects in boxing.
Usyk’s style is reminiscent of that of Mike Tyson, who he idolised as a young boxer. He uses his jab to set up his power punches and is very confident in his ability to box. He is unafraid to take risks and this can be seen in his aggressive style of boxing.
Comparisons have been made between Usyk and Kovalev, but it is important to remember that Usyk is only 22 years old while Kovalev is already 38 years old and has a lot of experience under his belt. However, with continued development and training,
Mykhailo Usyk’s Rumored Fight With Tony Bellew
Bellew has been vocal about how he wants to fight Usyk, and his promoter, David Haye, is confident the deal can be made. Bellew said: “I want to fight him. He’s the best in the world and there’s no better time than now to make that fight happen.”
Usyk has not commented publicly on the matter and it’s unclear if he is interested in fighting Bellew, but would likely face a tough challenge against the unbeaten Brit. Bellew is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Adonis Stevenson last November and Usyk has not fought since beating Ruslan Provodnikov in April of this year.
