Sergey Kovalev was the picture of calm and confidence Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. He is a man no longer in charge of himself, and that’s why he believes his “second chapter” as a light heavyweight champion will be better than his first.
Kovalev (31-2-1 with 27 knockouts) defends his WBO championship against fellow Russian Igor Mikhalkin (21-1, 9) Saturday night at the Garden Theater. Kovalev, who was feared before losing back-to-back bouts to Andre Ward, is looking to provide added proof he has fully recovered from those losses. Kovalev still believes the judges robbed him in his first fight with Ward and the referee stopped the rematch prematurely, but he insists the past is in his rearview mirror.
“I’m motivated for the new chapter in my boxing career,” Kovalev said before a press conference Wednesday. “I showed in the last fight I’m back, I’m clear mentally and ready to achieve my goals. What happened, happened for a reason. The next chapter will be much more interesting for me and boxing fans. I have new energy.”
After Ward retired, Kovalev regained the WBO belt last November with a second-round beatdown of Vyacheslav Shabransky. It was his first fight under new trainer Abror Tursunpulatov, who has taken over full control of Kovalev’s training.
“Everything is under Abror’s control,” Kovalev said. “He gives me his plan for all the boxing training camp, all day, all week. I don’t have to worry about what to do. I just come to the gym and listen to him. He’s like the driver of the car. I’m a passenger. Before, I was the driver in my gym. My coaches were passengers. It was more difficult. I spent a lot of energy building a plan for each fight.”
Kovalev and his former trainer John David Jackson split after the second loss to Ward. Kovalev said he told Jackson, “You’re not giving me anything; advice, tactics, nothing. He’s not a coach. He was just an assistant. I needed someone to build a plan: somebody who can see different things and advise me.”
He said he thinks he has that in Abror, whom trains another fight on Kushner Promotions.
“He’s a good specialist and understands what boxing is,” Kovalev said. He also says at 34, he’s matured from going through the experiences of his two losses to Ward. “I’m more experienced,” he said. “I don’t want to make the mistakes I did before. I’m already 34, almost 35, but I’m not old. I’m just more experienced.”
Kovalev’s bout is one of two championship bouts to be televised by HBO. WBA champion Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs) of Russia defends his belt against Sullivan Barrera of Cuba (21-1, 14 KOs) of Cuba.
There is plenty of interest swirling about Bivol, who tried martial arts before taking up boxing at age 12. He has been impressive in his rocket climb to a title after just a dozen bouts. He will be making the first defense of the belt he won last November in Monte Carlo.
“I believe in my boxing skills and I believe I can make fans glad and be a winner,” Bivol said, whose favorite fighter was Sugar Ray Leonard. “This is a test for good test for me. I’m glad lots of people will see me; and see what kind of fighter I am.”