Promoter: Alvarez is Better Than Browne, Kovalev is in Tough

Yvon Michel, promoter for light heavyweight contender Eleider "Storm" Alvarez (23-0, 11 KOs), believe his boxer is a much tougher opponent than United States Olympian Marcus Browne.

Browne (21-0, 16 KOs) had a deal in place to fight WBO light heavyweight champion Kovalev in an HBO televised bout.

The contest fell apart after it became known last month that Browne had been arrested for domestic violence on two occassions.

Main Events, who promote Kovalev, were concerned with Browne's recent arrests and upcoming courts dates - and made a decision to pursue a new opponent/

Now Kovalev (32-2-1, 28 KOs) will collide with Alvarez at the brand new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, on Saturday, August 4.

Alvarez has been trying to get his mandatory crack at WBC champion Adonis Stevenson since November of 2015 - and now he faces another fighter who's been unable to get his hands on Stevenson.

Yvon Michel, promoter Alvarez, explained that Kovalev is now facing a far more experienced opponent with a higher level of skill - than he would have been up against if the contest with Browne stayed in place.

"He's been number one contender [to the WBC title] since 2015. He's a former amateur star. He had participated in the Olympic Games in Beijing. He won a gold medal in the Pan Am Games in Rio in 2007," Michel said.

"He is one of the few fighters in America who holds a winning record against Cubans. Even he has three wins against the current gold medalist of the last Olympic Games, Julio Cesar La Cruz. I'm telling you, Eleider Alvarez is the number one, is the best contender in the world. And I know that we got that fight because another fight fell apart, but I'm telling you Eleider Alvarez would not have been a 50/50 fight against Marcus Brown. He has more experience. He is a man who has more maturity.

"And I'm convinced [Alvarez] would beat any contender in the world. I'm also convinced, looking at all the fighters, the four champions have fought, I'm convinced Eleider Alvarez would have won against all of them. And I'm really, really convinced of that."