By Ryan Burton
Early last month, Eleider Alvarez (24-0) pulled off a big upset when he stopped Sergey Kovalev (32-3-1) in 7 rounds in Atlantic City in a HBO televised main event. With the victory Alvarez became the WBO light heavyweight champion.
Alvarez, who was a big underdog and not pegged to win with a stoppage, dropped Kovalev three times before the contest was waved off by the referee.
BoxingScene.com recently caught up with former two division champion Badou Jack to get his take on the ascension of Alvarez.
Jack, who has held world titles at 168 and 175 pounds, has sparred with Alvarez at two different stages of his career and praised the Colombian for his achievement.
"There are a lot of good fighters at 175. He isn't a new fighter. We went to the Olympics together in 2008. We sparred in the Olympics back then. We sparred (again) when I fought Dirrell in 2015," Jack told BoxingScene.com.
As for who got the better of the sparring sessions, Jack was reserved with his comments stating that what happens in sparring doesn't always translate into the ring on fight night.
"Sparring don't count but I was a super middleweight back then and it was pretty easy for me. Sparring don't mean nothing. I am better in real fights than sparring but we will see," Jack stated.
The 34-year-old Jack last fought in May when he fought WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson to a draw in Quebec. The Mayweather Promotions' fighter expects to return to the ring before the end of the year.
For his part, Alvarez is heading to a rematch with Kovalev, which is expected to take place in the first quarter of next year.
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