SOURCE SPORTS: Sergey Kovalev Rallies Late to KO Anthony Yarde, Eyes Mega Fight With Canelo
When it comes to boxing’s pound for pound list, many don’t have Sergey Kovalev at the top. That may soon change.
Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) rallied from the brink of being stopped midway through the fight to finish an exhausted Anthony Yarde via 11th-round TKO in front of Kovalev’s hometown fans in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
Kovalev overcame a near-disastrous Round 8 in which Yarde (18-1, 17 KOs) broke him down to the body and appeared on the verge of a knockout win. Kovalev showed the heart of a champion and weathered the storm for a stunning knockout in the 11th round.
Sergey Kovalev stops Anthony Yarde in his home town ?
An incredible fight between the pair of them… #KovalevYarde pic.twitter.com/aGGrFeuoTv
— Boxing on BT Sport ? (@BTSportBoxing) August 24, 2019
With the win, Kovalev likely secured an eight-figure payday in the form of a fall blockbuster against unified middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, who would move up in weight.
“Canelo? I will fight anybody,” Kovalev said after the win. “Canelo is a great fighter, and if he wants to fight I am ready. I will fight Canelo. I will fight [Dmitry] Bivol. I want the biggest fights for my career. It is my career. I have not much time left so I will fight the best fight’s I can.”
Kovalev went on to interrupt Yarde’s post-fight interview with British television by telling him, “You are a great fighter. You have a great future, believe me. You are good, you are very good.”
At 36, Kovalev time in the ring is numbered. A unification cash out against Canelo would make a ton of money and sense.