IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) fought in a controlled and relaxed manner on Monday night in beating the 29-year-old Isaac Chilemba (24-4-2, 10 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision at the DIVS Palace of Sports in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Kovalev put Chilemba on the canvas in the 7th, and came within an eyelash of getting a knockout in that round. It looked like Kovalev took it easy on Chilemba until pouring it on in the last minute of the 12th round. Kovalev suddenly came alive and was punishing a badly hurt Chilemba as the fight ended. Chilemba’s nose was bleeding and he looked in bad shape. The question is did Kovalev take it easy on Chilemba to get rounds in so that he could get practice for the Andre Ward fight coming up? It sure looked that way to me.
Sergey Kovalev
Sergey Kovalev: 174.6 lbs. – Isaac Chilemba: 174.8 lbs. – Weights
Monday’s HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.
The fight is a 12-round light heavyweight title bout, featuring Sergey Kovalev defending his unified titles against Isaac Chilemba.
Official Weights from Russia:
Sergey Kovalev: 174.6 lbs.
Isaac Chilemba: 174.8 lbs.
Kovalev vs. Chilemba on Monday, July 11
On a special night, one of the sport’s top performers defends his unified light heavyweight titles when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. ISAAC CHILEMBA is presented MONDAY, JULY 11 at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT) from the DIVS Palace of Competitive Sports in Ekaterinburg, Russia, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.
Training Camp Notes: Isaac Chilemba – Kovalev vs Chilemba
Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (24-3-2, 10 KOs) is in for the fight of his life against the world’s fiercest light heavyweight Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) on July 11 in Ekaterinburg, Russia but the 29-year old from Malawi is no stranger to fighting in enemy territory. The grudge match between Kovalev and Chilemba will be for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles.
Sergey Kovalev faces Isaac Chilemba next Monday on July 11
LONDON (July 4) – Pound-for-pound star Sergey Kovalev’s Russian homecoming against Isaac Chilemba will be screened exclusively live on BoxNation on Monday July 11th.
The undefeated and unified light-heavyweight world champion will be looking to add to his impressive destruction of the 175-pound division when he takes on the well-schooled Chilemba, who, despite three points losses has never been stopped in 29 fights.
Isaac Chilemba angered at “disrespect” from Kovalev, vows to “teach him some manners” on July 11th
Isaac Chilemba feels he has been, and is being, disrespected by Sergey Kovalev as he approaches his July 11 shot at the light-heavyweight champ. Chilemba of South Africa is annoyed at the way Kovalev’s big November fight with Andre Ward has been announced and that he is seen as nothing more than a “stepping stone” for Kovalev. Speaking with Sowetan Live, Chilemba, 24-3-2(10) says he will make unbeaten puncher Kovalev pay for his disrespect and make history on the same night.
Ward-Kovalev set for Las Vegas, November 19th
Providing they each win their upcoming tune-up bouts, Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward, both unbeaten and rated highly in the various pound-for-pound rankings, will fight on November 19th at The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. ESPN.com reports the fight will be available on HBO pay-per-view. A genuinely intriguing, hard to pick fight, Ward-Kovalev is a classic boxer Vs. puncher match-up.
Outside of a Kovalev-Adonis Stevenson unification clash, Kovalev-Ward is the biggest and best fight that can currently be made in the 175-pound division.
Can Krusher Kovalev become the first man to crush Isaac Chilemba?
He may not be the biggest name in the light-heavyweight division and he is far from the most exciting, but one thing South Africa’s Isaac Chilemba is, is hard to knock out. Never stopped in his 11-year, 24-3-2(10) pro career, the 29-year-old is experienced, tricky and can be a just plain nightmare to fight. Next up for Chilemba, on July 11th, is a surprise shot at king of the division Sergey Kovalev and his three world titles.
The rise of Sergey Kovalev & his inevitable showdown with Andre Ward (VIDEO)
Unified light heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev is widely recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, and earlier this week news broke regarding not just his next fight, but his next two. On July 11 the champion is slated to defend his titles against Isaac Chilemba in Russia, giving Kovalev his first chance to defend his titles in his home country. But the even bigger news is that Kovalev has now officially signed a contract to face fellow pound-for-pound elitist, Andre Ward later this year, with November 19 looking to be the target date for the match-up. Ward is also expected to have one more fight before his fall showdown with Kovalev.
Isaac Chilemba talks Sergey Kovalev fight
Isaac Chilemba, WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight Challenger
“I want to thank Main Events for making this fight possible. Thanks to Sergey Kovalev for giving me this challenge.”
On Kovalev’s Recent Opponents
“I believe Kovalev he is a hard-working fighter. There is no such thing as an easy fight. I believe Kovalev worked hard to get where he is. I don’t think he would say any of his opponents weren’t tough. He has never fought me or someone like him though. This will be a very different fight for Kovalev.”