by David P. Greisman
Even if a fight between the two best light heavyweights is no closer to happening, boxing fans may still be able to look forward to a clash someday between three-belt 175-pound titleholder Sergey Kovalev and 168-pound champion Andre Ward.
Kathy Duva of Main Events, which promotes Kovalev, sounded optimistic about that match being made.
“I’ve been talking to Andre Ward’s people all week. And I think we all agree that fight’s going to happen. It’s just a question of when,” Duva said while speaking in advance of Kovalev’s July 25 defense against Nadjib Mohammedi on HBO. “The talks have been very amicable. They are making their decisions who they want to fight next, and we have plans in place already for Sergey for his next couple of fights. By the end of next year, maybe a little sooner, you’re going to get to see that fight.
“We’re very happy about that, because Sergey has made it clear that he wants to fight the very best people out there,” she said. “You’re talking about a fight between two guys who by next year might be both in the top 5 pound-for-pound in the world. I think they both certainly will deserve to be there. The best fighting the best is what people want to see. That’s the kind of fight that gets everybody excited, gets our blood moving, so we’re really hoping to be able to complete that deal within the foreseeable future.”
Kovalev, 32, is 27-0-1 with 24 KOs and is coming off a shutout win over Bernard Hopkins and a technical knockout of Jean Pascal. While Main Events had put him in position to face 175-pound champ/World Boxing Council titleholder Adonis Stevenson, the promoter ultimately pulled out of the WBC’s purse bid process this past April, saying the fight could only be made via negotiations that would land the fight on HBO.
Ward, 31, is 28-0 with 15 KOs and just came back to the ring in June after more than a year and a half spent sidelined as he sought to part ways with promoter Dan Goossen, who has since passed away. Ward signed with Roc Nation Sports, joining middleweight champion Miguel Cotto as the most notable boxers with rapper Jay-Z’s company. Ward dispatched Paul Smith in a bout held at a contractual weight limit of 172 pounds and has not made an official announcement yet as to whether he’ll return to 168 or move up to 175.
Pick up a copy of David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsamazon or internationally at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsworldwide . Send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com
