Eleider Alvarez is the new WBO light heavyweight champion (24-0, 12 KO). The 34-year-old Colombian scored a stunning, come-from-behind, seventh-round TKO win over Sergey Kovalev (32-3-1) on Saturday night in Atlantic City.
After getting battered through the most of the first 6.5 rounds, Alvarez landed a hard overhand right that dropped Kovalev. Alvarez would floor Kovalev two more times in the round before the referee mercifully called a halt to the bout. Alvarez wasn't throwing enough punches early in the fight, but Kovalev seemed to start to tire in the sixth frame.
As he slowed, Alvarez took advantage by displaying power that wasn't previously synonymous with his career.
REPLAY: @stormalvarez with a trio of knocks downs on @KrusherKovalev to earn a tremendous KO victory in Round 7. #KovalevAlvarez pic.twitter.com/GdNw0ScKrd — HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) August 5, 2018
The stoppage win was just the 12th KO of his career. Here's how the boxing world reacted to the finish:
Sergey Kovalev has been knocked out. — Brian Campbell (@BCampbellCBS) August 5, 2018
Unreal. Sergey Kovalev was out boxing Alvarez and all it took was one over hand right and that’s how it all ended. What a turnaround! #KovalevAlvarez #Boxing — Mike Matias (@Mike__Dhcf) August 5, 2018
WOW! Eleider Alvarez now is the man to beat at light heavyweight as he finishes Sergey Kovalev. New world champion. — LukieBoxing (@LukieBoxing) August 5, 2018
Eleider Alvarez knocking out Sergey Kovalev is a perfect example of why I am in love with boxing. #KovalevAlvarez #AndTheNew — Boxing Unscripted (@BoxUnscripted) August 5, 2018
Alvarez didn't come into this fight with a high knockout percentage. But he ended Lucian Bute's career two fights earlier, and just mowed Kovalev down in this one. — Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) August 5, 2018
Kathy Duva told us at ringside that there's a rematch clause in the contracts for Kovalev-Alvarez. She said it could be an immediate rematch, but it's obviously too early to say whether Kovalev would fight Alvarez next. — Keith Idec (@Idecboxing) August 5, 2018
Tony Weeks robbed us of a conclusive KO in the second Ward-Kovalev fight. David Fields could have stopped it after the second knockdown tonight, but let it continue and Alvarez leaves no doubt. What a come-from-behind victory #kovalevalvarez — Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) August 5, 2018
Man I'm so happy Alvarez beat Kovalev I can see why Adonis Stevenson didn't fight the Champ tonight — Cornelius Bundrage (@K9boxing) August 5, 2018
A shout out to @MarkEOrtega , who five years ago told everyone that Alvarez beats Kovalev. This is when Alvarez was a nothing. Mark got a lot of strange looks with that call, but he was dead right. — adam abramowitz (@snboxing) August 5, 2018
Kovalev was a massive minus-550 favorite. Alvarez came in as a plus-375 underdog. His win may have upset a potential unification bout between Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol. the latter did his part on the undercard with a dominant unanimous-decision win over Isaac Chilemba. As the tweet above confirms, Kovalev has a rematch clause, but we'll have to wait and see if that comes to fruition. Kovalev has now lost three of his last five fights after beginning his career 30-0-1.
Light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev has been stunned. Undefeated challenger Eleider Alvarez remained undefeated by shocking Kovalev with a seventh-round knockout to earn his first ever world championship.
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The Colombian got his first title fight underway in impressive fashion. With his jab leading the way, Alvarez kept the champion Kovalev off balance, and arguably took two of the first three rounds with his superior technical boxing ability. But as the fight wore on, Kovalev started to take control, starting with a blistering fourth round where he really showcased his power.
.@KrusherKovalev finds his target on a pair of combinations in the fourth. #KovalevAlvarez pic.twitter.com/6D6XnPNrrL — HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) August 5, 2018
Then in the sixth round, Alvarez was cut, though it appeared to be from a clash of heads. Regardless, Kovalev continued to show off his power and remained in control. As things continued into the seventh round, it seemed more of the same was coming, with Alvarez putting his boxing skills on display, but Kovalev landing the harder shots.
That all changed a little past the midway point of the round. Alvarez rocked Kovalev with a huge right hand that sent the champ staggering backwards and down to the mat. Unsurprisingly, Kovalev got back up on his feet, but he was never the same. With blood streaming down his face, Alvarez continued to land power shot after power shot, eventually sending Kovalev to the floor for a second time. Once again, Kovalev got back up to continue the fight, but he probably would have been better off staying down.
REPLAY: @stormalvarez with a trio of knocks downs on @KrusherKovalev to earn a tremendous KO victory in Round 7. #KovalevAlvarez pic.twitter.com/GdNw0ScKrd — HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) August 5, 2018
The second the fight was allowed to continue, Alvarez rocked Kovalev with a right hand that ended everything once and for all. That Alvarez emerged from the bout with the belt is surprising, but that he did so by knocking out the former champion is still almost hard to believe. For a fighter not known for his power -- only three knockouts in the past five years prior to Saturday night's fight -- Alvarez certainly showed plenty of pop in his right hand in the seventh round.
Already 34 years old, Alvarez had a long and and winding road to his first title. He was the mandatory challenger to Adonis Stevenson for over two years, and twice was forced to accept step-aside fees instead of title bouts. Now that he finally has his belt, what's next for the man they call Alvarez?
According to Kovalev's promoter, Kathy Duva, the Russian has a rematch clause. Whether he wants it, however, remains to be seen. If he does, that would be one option for Alvarez's next fight. The more interesting fight though, may be against the man who defended his belt earlier on this card.
Dmitry Bivol, 27-year-old rising Russian star retained his WBA light heavyweight belt on the undercard with a bit of a boring victory over veteran Isaac Chilemba. The athletic and powerful Bivol put all his skills on display in the first three rounds, which he dominated without too much trouble. But he was never able to put Chilemba away, and the rest of the fight was a slog, ending with Bivol earning a unanimous decision.
A unification bout between Alvarez and Bivol makes plenty of sense, and judging by their performances in Atlantic City, could be an exciting clash. Regardless of who he fights next, Alvarez certainly made a name for himself on Saturday night.
Two of boxing’s top Light Heavyweights look to defend their titles and set the stage for a unification bout tonight (Sat., Aug. 4, 2018) as Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol face Eleider Alvarez and Isaac Chilemba, respectively, inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
MMAmania will deliver LIVE coverage of “Kovalev vs. Alvarez” below, starting with the HBO Boxing broadcast at 10 p.m. ET.
Kovalev (32-2-1, 28 KO) is working towards once again becoming the most feared 175er in the sport after rough losses to Andre Ward. Though he picked up decent wins over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Igor Mikhalkin, Alvarez (23-0, 11 KO) is easily his stiffest test since the Ward debacle and should give “The Krusher” a genuine fight.
Bivol (13-0, 11 KO) has emerged as the future of the division at 27 years old, most recently dominating and stopping the ever-dangerous Sullivan Barrera. Chilemba (25-2-2, 10 KO) is tough as nails, but came up short in consecutive bouts against Alvarez, Kovalev, and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
“KOVALEV VS. ALVAREZ QUICK RESULTS:
Sergey Kovalev vs. Eleider Alvarez — Alvarez def. Kovalev by TKO at 2:45 of Round Seven
Dmitry Bivol vs. Isaac Chilemba — Bivol def. Chilemba by unanimous decision (120-108 x2, 116-112)
“KOVALEV VS. ALVAREZ PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES:
Sergey Kovalev vs. Eleider Alvarez
Round one: Alvarez looking for the body early. Kovalev sticks a right downstairs. One minute in. Both land rights downstairs, then Alvarez digs a hook to the body. Jabs from Kovalev in the corner. One minute to go. Clinch, Alvarez warned for rabbit punches. Alvarez body shot. 10-9 Alvarez.
Round two: Kovalev looking a little busier now, pumping the jab. Alvarez with a right cross, snaps Kovalev’s head back with a jab. Good 1-2. Hard right hand in close. One minute in. Body shots from Alvarez. One minute to go. Clinch. Counter right from Kovalev, Alvarez pivots off with a left hook. Good hook by Kovalev. Clinch. Alvarez hauls Kovalev to the ropes and nearly pushes him over them. 10-9, 20-18 Alvarez.
Round three: Alvarez starting to open up, taunts Kovalev. Kovalev bangs the body, eats jabs. Another body shot. One minute in. More good jabs from Alvarez, Kovalev tries to sneak a right hand around the guard. Kovalev starting to find the mark with body shots. Nice jab by Alvarez. One minute to go. Clinch. Kovalev stalking forward. Both land jabs. Kovalev with a right downstairs. Close round. 10-9 Kovalev, 29-28 Alvarez.
Round four: Alvarez warned for a low blow early on. Hard body shots. Kovalev backs him to the ropes, can’t get through the guard. One minute in. Hard right hand appears to sting Alvarez. Kovalev putting together punches, Alvarez right there with him. Hard right cross. BIG left hand knocks Alvarez back. One minute to go. Kovalev with a hard body shot, left hands upstairs. Right hands to the body. Left hook, swatting right hands. 10-9 Kovalev, 38-38.
Round five: Alvarez looking a little less jab-happy, lands a good combination to the body. Right cross by Kovalev. One minute in. 1-2-1 comes back at him. Right cross catches Alvarez mid-combo. Clinch. One minute to go. Heavy left hook from Kovalev, who follows up to the body. Right hands connect for him. 10-9, 48-47 Kovalev.
Round six: Kovalev still marking forward. Jab exchange. Left hook from Kovalev, another left sneaks through. Right hand around the guard. Kovalev upping the volume, banging the body. Clinch. 1-2 from Kovalev in the corner. Short right hand appears to wobble Alvarez for a moment. One minute to go. Kovalev with a low-high combo. 10-9, 58-56 Kovalev.
Round seven: Alvarez goes to the body, warned for straying low. Nice body work from Alvarez. Kovalev lands a right to the body. Clean overhand right from Alvarez a minute in. Kovalev lands three hard head shots in return. Kovalev to the body. Big right straight and down goes Kovalev! He beats the count but his body language isn’t great. Alvarez banging to the body. Stiff jabs upstairs, then a monster left hook that takes out Kovalev’s legs. He’s clearly done, but the ref lets him continue, only for him to get smashed back to the mat with a right hand for the finish.
Final result: Alvarez def. Kovalev by TKO
Dmitry Bivol vs. Isaac Chilemba
Round one: Bivol moving forward early. Both men jabbing. Lead hook lands for Bivol, who opens up with a heavy combination on the ropes. Bivol digs a right hand to the body. One minute in. Chilemba firing his jab. Stiffer jab by Bivol and a left hook soon afterwards. Lead hook lands for him. Low-high 1-2 from Bivol with a minute to go, then a thudding left hook downstairs. Chilemba with a right hook to the body. Left hook connects. Left uppercut by Bivol. 10-9 Bivol.
Round two: Chilemba trying to keep Bivol at range with his jab, but a left hook knocks him back. Bivol on the attack. Chilemba comes back with a left hook. Three-piece by Bivol and a chopping right a minute in. Chilemba lands a hook around the guard, but it’s all Bivol so far. Bivol with a left hook upstairs, then another as Chilemba straightens up. One minute to go. They trade in the center after a stiff Bivol jab. Right hand by Bivol. Left hook catches Chilemba leaning. 10-9, 20-18 Bivol.
Round three: Chilemba’s jab looks alright, but that’s all he’s got so far. Bivol landing his own jab with regularity as well. Bivol backs him to the ropes, clinch. Chilemba tries a hook, eats two in return. One minute to go. Chilemba lands an uppercut that’s met by a left hook. Bivol with more left hooks. 3-2 lands. Bivol landing hard shots on the ropes, Chilemba roars back with an overhand right. 10-9, 30-27 Bivol.
Round four: Chilemba just has nothing to offer right now. Bivol is holding his own in the jabbing battle and he’s roughing Chilemba up every time they fully engage. Long left hook from Bivol a minute in. Chilemba jabs the body, eats two in return. Chilemba to the body. One minute to go. Harder jab by Bivol. Good left hook on a fading-back Chilemba. 10-9, 40-36 Bivol.
Round five: Chilemba keeping up the jab, lands a right to the body. More jabs from Bivol. One minute. Jab battle continues. Bivol continues to get the better of it whenever they trade power punches. Chilemba starting to find the mark downstairs. 10-9, 50-45 Bivol.
Round six: These descriptions are getting less thorough because we’re in a groove at this point. Chilemba can only keep up with Bivol when they’re both jabbing, an Bivol is visibly affecting Chilemba every time one of his bigger punches connect. Chilemba is admittedly landing some decent body shots, but it’s Bivol outlanding him by a fair margin. One minute to go. Left hook by Bivol, 1-2-3 after taking a body shot. Another 1-2-3. Clinch. 10-9, 60-54 Bivol.
Round seven: More jabs, right hand form Bivol. Combinations piling up for the Russian, Chilemba throwing with him. One minute in. Things slow back down. Chilemba on the front foot now. Both land jabs. Jabs from Bivol as Chilemba targets the body. One minute to go. Now Bivol opening up once again, targeting the head with combinations. 10-9, 70-63 Bivol.
Round eight: We’re at that awkward stage of a fight where it’s clear neither man can easily rock the other and the skill gap is too big to make it compelling. Chilemba is still game, still in there. Jab exchange. One minute in. Left hook by Bivol. Nice jab from Chilemba. Trading jabs in the center with a minute to go. Crowd’s getting antsy as well. Snapping jab from Bivol, who tries a 1-2-3. 10-9, 80-72 Bivol.
Round nine: I had to get up at 7:00 on a Saturday this morning and this isn’t helping. No real sense of urgency from Bivol, although he does land a left hook. One minute in. Chilemba with a combo on the ropes. This is a sparring session right now. 1-3 from Bivol. More jabs. Counter 1-2-3 from Bivol and a straight right to the body. 10-9, 90-81 Bivol.
Round ten: Chilemba finds the mark with an early 1-2. Bivol with a 1-2 on the counter. Right hand by Chilemba, who tries to open up and gets repeatedly picked off in the center. Left hook, 1-2-3 from Bivol. Chilemba answers a combo with a right to the body. 1-2 from Bivol. Low-high he goes. 10-9, 100-90 Bivol.
Round eleven: More heavy jabs by Bivol. He doesn’t seem overly concerned with getting a flashy finish, content with picking Chilemba apart. Now he lands a combo in the center of the ring. It’s hard to get invested in this fight. Hard hook by Bivol. 10-9, 110-99 Bivol.
Round twelve: Last round and neither fighter appears determined to finish strong. Good right to the body by Chilemba. Both land hard right hands in the center. Left hook from Bivol. One minute to go. Nothing terribly interesting near the end. 10-9, 120-108 Bivol.
Final result: Bivol def. Chilemba by unanimous decision
Eleider Alvarez (24-0, 12 KOs) spent quite a long time effectively being avoided by WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson, accepting step-aside fees while Stevenson took on other opponents instead of his mandatory challenger. The 34-year-old Colombian-Canadian finally got his title shot, instead against WBO champion Sergey Kovalev (32-2-1, 28 KOs), and pulled off the upset.
Consensus opinion heading into round 7 was that Alvarez was more than competitive but behind on the scorecards, with Kovalev steadily piling up rounds after a slow start. In a dramatic turn of events, Alvarez whacked Kovalev with a picture-perfect right hand that sent the Russian to the canvas. Kovalev beat the count, but Alvarez went on the attack and put him down again with a huge left hook. Badly hurt and on wobbly legs, Kovalev was dropped a third time just seconds later, and referee David Fields ended the fight. Alvarez has persevered, waited longer than he should’ve to get a world title shot, and he took full advantage in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Watch the highlights below:
.@stormalvarez continues to deal heavy damage to @KrusherKovalev, knocking him down for the second time in the round. #KovalevAlvarez pic.twitter.com/94r5eRJ4wa — HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) August 5, 2018
REPLAY: @stormalvarez with a trio of knocks downs on @KrusherKovalev to earn a tremendous KO victory in Round 7. #KovalevAlvarez pic.twitter.com/GdNw0ScKrd — HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) August 5, 2018
Alvarez was certainly considered a very formidable foe, but betting odds had him as a 5-to-1 underdog, with Kovalev as an 8-to-1 favorite, so this is one of the biggest high-level boxing upsets of 2018.
