Sergey Kovalev has taken a more challenging path than Andre Ward toward their Nov. 19 showdown.
Ward will face Colombia?s Alexander Brand (25-2-1, 19 KOs) in what, on paper, appears to be a low-risk tuneup fight Aug. 6 in Oakland, Calif. Russia?s Kovalev also has a fight scheduled near his hometown, but his opponent, South Africa?s Isaac Chilemba, is a legitimate light heavyweight contender who hasn?t been knocked out during his 10-year professional career.
Chilemba (24-3-2, 10 KOs) will challenge Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) for Kovalev?s IBF, WBA and WBO 175-pound championships Monday in Ekaterinburg, Russia, about a three-hour drive from Kovalev?s native Chelyabinsk. HBO will televise the Kovalev-Chilemba bout on tape delay Monday at 10:15 p.m.
By the time their fight airs in the United States, Chilemba claims he?ll have pulled off an enormous upset against a ruthless knockout artist who has become one of the best boxers in the world over the past two years.
“I believe the pressure is on him,” Chilemba said during a recent conference call. “He is fighting at home. He needs to show his home people what he is made of. I am happy to fight anyone, anywhere ? in their backyard, in their own house. I don?t care.
“I will give a show. I am gunning for a win. I don?t care where we are fighting. I don?t care what Kovalev is made of. We know his weaknesses and we know his strengths. I am going to beat him in his own town.”
Chilemba lost his last fight to Montreal?s Eleider Alvarez by majority decision Nov. 28 in Quebec City, Canada. He believes, however, he did more than enough to out-point Alvarez in that 12-round WBC championship elimination match.
One of the judges, Quebec-based Richard DeCarufel, scored their fight a draw (114-114). The two other judges ? Americans Peter Hary (118-110) and Nathan Palmer (115-113) ? credited Alvarez with a win.
The only request Chilemba, 29, made of Totowa-based promoter Main Events upon accepting this daunting assignment was that none of the judges could come from Russia. The IBF has assigned Phoenix?s Chris Flores, Hungary?s Zoltan Enyedi and Nicaragua?s Gustavo Jarquin to score the bout.
Of course, the judges? scorecards might not matter Monday. Kovalev, 33, has knocked out 87 percent of his professional opponents and, even with the biggest fight of his career ahead of him, hasn?t looked past Chilemba at all.
Main Events chief executive officer Kathy Duva still will be nervous as she sits ringside Monday. The Little Falls resident?s company promotes Chilemba, too, but Kovalev-Ward is the biggest fight on boxing?s calendar for the remainder of 2016.
Kovalev insisted, though, that just his second professional fight on Russian soil be contested against a formidable opponent. Chilemba is a 16-1 underdog, but that?s more reflective of Kovalev?s recent dominance than Chilemba?s ability.
“Sergey wanted a challenging opponent for his return to Russia,” Duva said, “and someone who would help him prepare for Andre Ward in November, assuming he emerges with a win. Isaac Chilemba has the right style and came [very] close to becoming the WBC mandatory contender [against Alvarez].
“We, and many observers, thought that the scorecards easily could have gone his way. Fortunately, we are in a position to give Isaac his world title fight and the opportunity to become a unified world champion.”
