Adonis Stevenson says he needs “all the titles” at light-heavyweight and that “it’s time” to make a fight between himself and the winner of the upcoming, eagerly anticipated Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward showdown. Ward has said he believes the winner of the November 19th fight deserves to be placed at the very top of the pound-for-pound ratings, while Stevenson – who tells Premier Boxing Champions that he beats Ward and/or Kovalev – says the fans deserve to see who the best 175 pound champion is.
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Kovalev vs. Ward full undercard
In the lead up to Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title on November 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the undercard will round out a 10-bout card filled with some of the best young boxing prospects.
Opening the card will be middleweight Meiirim “Sultan”Nursultanov of Merki, Kazakhstan, making his pro debut. Nursultanov, now residing in Oxnard, CA, is managed by Egis Klimas, and recently signed by Main Events. He will be taking on Henry Beckford (4-5, 1 KO) of Hempstead, NY, in a six-round bout.
Kovalev vs. Ward: Sergey Kovalev Interview Transcript
Kathy Duva: “Hello everyone, welcome. We are now, I can’t believe it, just a week and a half away from the most exciting, the most compelling and the most competitive fight of 2016, and probably the last two or three years while we’re at it. We are just beside ourselves here. We are exhausted because everyone has been working so hard, but it’s a great feeling. I can’t compliment the fighters enough for stepping up and making boxing what it’s supposed to be and what it used to be, a sport that involved people competing in fights where we didn’t know the outcome. This is a 50-50 fight and we’re starting to feel the buzz and excitement. I want to thank all of you for participating today and I hope to see you all in Las Vegas very soon.”
Ward vs Kovalev: Andre Ward Interview Transcript
Michael Yormark: Its election day in the United States and if you think the race for the White House has fireworks, just wait until Nov. 19 in Las Vegas. We are now only 11 days away and the stakes could not be higher. In a few minutes, you’ll hear from Andre Ward, the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. After weeks of intense training, Andre will be fighting for something he has spent his entire life pursuing – the title of world’s best boxer. For a true competitor like Andre, there could not be a loftier goal. To walk in to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the undisputed fight of the year, in front of a capacity crowd supporting him and even more watching live on HBO Pay Per View, and to know that Andre has the chance to walk out of that ring as the undisputed face of boxing. In doing so, another chapter will be written in one of the world’s most storied rivalries – not just in boxing, but in virtually every competitive arena there is. It is a battle of world super powers, a matchup of styles as well as beliefs, a collision of two fighters, two cultures, two fan bases.
Kovalev-Ward quotes for HBO PPV fight
You out-boxed Bernard Hopkins in a terrific fight. Do you think you’ll need to outbox Andre Ward to win the fight or is your power going to be the difference?
Yes, my fight with Bernard Hopkins was one of the biggest fights in my career. Bernard is great fighter so I trained very hard for his fight, before this nobody knew I could box. I am training very hard to improve my boxing skills even more for this fight with Andre Ward. I believe I can knock anyone out, but I also believe I am good boxer. If I knock him out it would be great because boxing fans would be very happy, and me too, but I am training for 12 round fight with Andre Ward, because anything can happen in boxing. If I cannot knock him out then I must be prepared to go 12 rounds with him. He is very good defensive fighter, and difficult to hit. My last fight was against Chilemba, he was also very good boxer. He was difficult to hit sometimes but I was prepared to go distance and used my boxing skills to win fight. This fight with Andre Ward is definitely biggest, most important fight of my career and I will be prepared for him 100%.
Kovalev ready for anything Ward brings
WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) held an open workout this past Tuesday for members of the media in advance of his upcoming “Pound For Pound” showdown on Saturday, November 19 against Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas which will be produced and distribute live by HBO Pay-Per-View. Also in attendance were Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs) who will take on James “The King” De La Rosa (23-4, 13 KOs) for the WBA Continental Americas Middleweight Title and Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk (11-0, 9 KOs) who will face Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (24-4-2, 10 KOs) for the NABF Light Heavyweight Title on the Kovalev-Ward HBO Pay-Per-View telecast.
Ward quotes for Kovalev fight – Ward vs Kovalev
On Monday, October 31, 2016, Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) participated in a media workout in Hayward, California ahead of his pound-for-pound showdown against WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs). Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” takes place Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Kovalev-Ward comment on Nov.19 fight
Does headlining a PPV event change the way you approach a fight? How much more responsibilities you have? Does that affect your training?
Sure HBO pay-per-view is very important to me; this is big deal. This is my first pay-per-view fight. I think all fighters goal is to be pay-per-view fighter, but it takes hard work and not everybody can do this. For this fight I did more interviews than before because we want to get more fans, but this is part of my job. I am still learning English, I try to learn more all the time. I am more used to this now, so it becomes little more easy speaking English for interviews. I know it’s important because I want fans to come to T-Mobile Arena and to buy pay per view to watch my fight against Andre Ward. Media is only difference this time because this is such big fight. I do every training camp in same way. First I go to physical training in Big Bear, I run, ride bike, lift weights, I exercise, and stretch to get in shape. After physical training I go to boxing training camp. I spar and I work with my coach John David Jackson in boxing ring. My sparring partners change, but most of the time my training is same. I work very hard; I must give 100% in each camp. This is my job; this is what I should do.
Curtis Stevens faces James De La Rosa on Kovalev-Ward card
The Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound for Pound” HBO Pay-Per-View telecast on November 19 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. will now include the 10-round middleweight showdown between Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs) and James “The King” De La Rosa (23-4, 13 KOs).
Stevens fought earlier this year on the Canelo-Khan HBO Pay-Per-View telecast and scored a spectacular second-round upset knockout of then-undefeated Brazilian Patrick Teixeira. When asked about the upgrade to the televised card Curtis replied, “I know it is Kovalev-Ward but now it is Kovalev-Ward-Stevens. Time to show out!”
Kovalev: I will be prepared 100% for Andre Ward
When I was growing up in Russia I did not hear these words pound for pound. Once I learned what this was I knew this was important. I am honored that people think I am the fighter that could get this title. It’s important for me, for my career. I am champion in my division now, but I want to get all the belts and also I would like to be best pound for pound boxer in the world. I respect Andre Ward, he is very good boxer and Olympic gold medal winner, but he is man not alien so I have chance to beat him.