Kovalev: I Was Ready For Ward Last Year, He Needed Two Fights

By Carlos Boogs, photo by Stephanie Trapp

According to WBO, WBA and IBF light heavyweight world champion Sergey 'Krusher' Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs), he was ready to face Andre Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) a year ago.

He says Ward required more time to get ready for him. Their fight takes in place in a few short weeks, on November 19th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.

Ward, who snapped a long layoff when he returned to the sport last June, signed a three fight deal with HBO - which included a fight with Kovalev.

Kovalev says an agreement was made, last year, for Ward to get two fights at light heavyweight to properly prepare for their showdown the following fall.

"We agreed two fights before our fight. I was ready last year to fight, but Andre wasn't ready to fight without two fights at light heavyweight. We sign agreement that two more fights and then let's fight in 2016," Kovalev said.

Ward got his two fights - with a dominating twelve round decision win over Sullivan Barrera in March and then a very lopsided decision win over Alexander Brand in August. Kovalev also took two fights to stay busy, with a one-sided beatdown of Jean Pascal for a TKO win in their January rematch in Canada, and then he came back in July for a tougher than expected decision win over Isaac Chilemba in Russia. 

Kovalev analyzed those fights, but he expects Ward to be much better when they face each other later this month.

"I think he (Ward) will look much better in my fight November 19 because he long time didn't fight, couple years he had a rest and Sullivan Barrera was first fight when he returned. And with Alexander Brand he was better than against Sullivan Barrera. I accept that he's going to look much better November 19. In best shape," Kovalev said.