By Jake Donovan
Sergey Kovalev continues his violent rise up the light heavyweight ranks, the most recent conquest coming Friday evening in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His 3rd round knockout of Cornelius White wasn’t the headlining bout of the show, but was most certainly the one result that left everyone talking, as has become the case whenever he fights these days.
The online buzz following his NBC Sports Network-televised three-knockdown performance of White (21-2, 16KO) was similar to the reaction that came with his 2nd round knockout of former light heavyweight champ Gabriel Campillo this past January. The timing of this performance couldn’t have been better, coming on the heels of Adonis Stevenson’s lineal championship-lynching one-punch 1st round knockout of Chad Dawson last weekend in Canada.
Friday’s knockout win came with an added bonus; the unbeaten light heavyweight now moves into the mandatory slot for the alphabet title currently in the possession of the legendary Bernard Hopkins. The win came hours after it was confirmed that Hopkins’ scheduled July 13 title defense versus Karo Murat was canceled due to the challenger’s inability to secure a travel visa in time for the fight.
Kovalev’s new ranking comes with a twist. The fight with White was an elimination bout in the sense that the winner would be due a title shot no later than nine months from the point of Hopkins-Murat. With that bout now canceled, Kovalev saves at least a month in that process.
“Right now, it was good news that Hopkins-Murat fell out,” Kovalev (21-0-1, 19KO) quipped moments after picking up his fifth straight knockout.
Hopkins regained a piece of the light heavyweight crown with a turn-back-the-clock decision win over Tavoris Cloud earlier this year. The future Hall of Famer has already suggested a September ring return in the wake of his canceled mandatory title defense versus Murat, a return that will most likely come against an opponent other than Kovalev.
It also stands to reason that the Russian knockout artist will be forced to wait for his title shot until absolutely mandated by the IBF. But just as he was confident that Friday’s knockout would eventually come, he is equally enthusiastic about the prospects of facing a legend.
“I want to fight Bernard Hopkins,” Kovalev (21-0-1, 19KO) stated, no sooner than he was asked the question of who he’d next like to face. “He's a legend of pro boxing. I want to touch him… in the ring.
“Bernard, come on. Come to fight me. Are you ready?”
Given the frightening nature in which Kovalev’s fights end these days, the better question to ask Hopkins and any other top light heavyweight is if they are willing.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox