By: Raymundo Dioses
IBF Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev is all set to defend his title against Andre Ward on November 19, 2016 in what is being anticipated as the biggest fight of the year when the two clash at the newly constructed T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The HBO pay-per-view televised event will represent the Russian native’s fifth IBF title defense since winning the strap in November 2014 when he dethroned light-heavyweight icon and future Hall of Fame inductee Bernard Hopkins.
Kovalev, (30-0-1, 26KO) began his career in 2009 and has quickly become one of the most popular IBF champions in recent times due to his punching power and exciting fighting style. Kovalev, a Los Angeles resident, was present at this month’s Roman Gonzalez/Carlos Cuadras bout at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood, California and when shown on HBO cameras, the crowd roared in applause.
“It’s a big moment in my career. I want to thank all of the people who are involved with this fight, my promoter Kathy Duva, Roc Nation and HBO Pay-Per-View. Thank you to all of my fans. It will be a fight to remember; one for the history books. I just want to give the fans a really great fight in Vegas and on HBO Pay-Per-View.”
For Ward, (30-0, 15KO) the fight against Kovalev will be the career super middleweight’s first attempt at an IBF title in a career littered with championships since his professional debut in 2004. The fight against Kovalev will also represent Ward’s second professional bout at the light heavyweight division.
“I want to thank everyone who is associated with this event—the good, the bad, the press, all of it. Obviously HBO, Peter Nelson, Roc Nation, Main Events, everyone who’s associated with it. It’s hard to thank everybody. It’s a lot of people that you guys know of that worked on this fight to get it done. There’s a lot of different nuances that go into getting a fight like this done, but it’s done. That’s what we should all focus on.”
Kovalev vs. Ward will represent the 69th IBF light heavyweight title fight.
IBF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION LINEAGE SINCE 2000
Sergey Kovalev 2014- Present
Bernard Hopkins 2013-2014
Tavoris Cloud 2009-2013
Chad Dawson 2008-2009
Antonio Tarver 2008
Clinton Woods 2005-2008
Glen Johnson 2004-2005
Antonio Tarver 2003-2004
Roy Jones Jr. 2000-2003
*The First International Boxing Federation Light Heavyweight Champion was Michael Spinks, 1984