Kovalev talks about Canelo fight

By Ogi Georgiev

3-time light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, who returns against Tervel Pulev on May 14 Los Angeles, gives his version of the events around his fight with Canelo Alvarez.

“The fight against Canelo, I wasn’t like myself,” said Kovalev. “I was empty of energy because all of 2018 for me was a very intensive year.

“I got the title back from Eleider Alvarez in February 2018, and then the WBO ordered a mandatory defense against Anthony Yarde. This fight was scheduled on June 27 in Russia. I arrived in Russia one month before the fight and then the fight was rescheduled for August 24. This was like a really big kick. I was surprised because I had just three Kilos left [to lose], like around seven pounds, so the fight was rescheduled for August.

“I stayed home. I visited my family and friends and got my weight back to 200 pounds. That’s like my regular weight, like 203. Then I went back to the United States and celebrated my wife’s birthday before I went back to training camp. It was like June 20.

“Then a month before the fight I went back to Russia and continued my training camp in Russia again. I fought with Anthony Yarde and the fight was very hard because I was already drained of my energy. I was flying back and forth and going up and down in weight.

“Then I got the offer the next day after my victory over Anthony Yarde to fight Canelo. I said ‘yes, I’m ready, but let me rest just two, three weeks.’ They said ‘No. November 2 or no fight. We’ll go with somebody else.’

“You know, I’m a fighter. And I’m never like ‘I want to fight this guy’ or ‘I don’t want to fight this guy.’ So I told myself if they won’t give me a rest, God was like testing me again…giving me a test and find out who is who. I never canceled any fights or an offer of any fights because I’m not boxing for a legacy like Canelo or Mayweather or some boxers who build legacies.

“I’m fighting who wants it and who will make an offer. And the fight happened like it happened. For me, it was very tough to make weight again. We got to the end of the week and someone came to the dressing and said they were running behind and we had to wait.

“We sat down in the dressing room for one hour, ONE HOUR, and I lost my energy because when you’re thinking about the fight, you know. When I came inside the ring, I couldn’t punch. I was empty of energy. And after round seven, when I sat down in the corner, I said to Buddy (McGirt), ‘I’m done, totally.’ What happened, happened, everybody saw.

“You can imagine what would have happened if I was full of energy. It would be a different fight and more interesting for the boxing fans because I could have done more. More aggressive, more active. But I didn’t do anything in the fight. Just jab, jab, and then you already know the result.

“But, everything happens for a reason. Now I’m very rested and really fresh. I decided to move up because making 175 was killing me, you know? It would break my health. I either had to move up or boxing stops. I decided to move up and finish my boxing career with a title.”

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