Cuban light-heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera is still waiting for a new fight date for his make or break contest with Sergey Kovalev and growing increasingly concerned by the silence from the Russian’s camp.
Barrera was scheduled to face former WBO, IBF and WBA Super light-heavyweight title-holder Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) in a 180lbs catchweight encounter on DAZN on April 25, but the Covid-19 pandemic scotched those plans as it forced the cancellation of boxing events all over the globe.
“All of my focus was on Kovalev,” said former WBA title challenger Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs). “After surgery, I feel like a reborn fighter and I wanted to prove it to the world with a great performance against Kovalev. I know that a win could have led me to a fight against one of the 175lbs champions.”
But with boxing returning in America next week and a DAZN fight card already proposed for July 4, Barrera has been left anxiously waiting for news, mischievously suggesting that Kovalev’s commitment might be wavering.
“I am still training, staying in shape for when my manager calls me and says that the fight is back on. So far we don’t hear anything. What is the problem? I just hope Kovalev isn’t back on the vodka,” said the Miami-based Barrera. “We all know what liquor does to him and I hope that isn’t the reason why our fight isn’t rescheduled.
“I really want this fight. I put everything into it. I even agreed to give him an extra five pounds so he doesn’t have to train too hard. What is the problem now, Kovalev?”
his WBO 175lbs crown to Canelo Alvarez in 2019.
On announcement of the fight in early March, Kovalev had said: “I am happy to get back in the ring and to be on my way back to world championship bouts. Barrera is a Cuban fighter and, even though I never faced any Cuban fighters as a professional, back in amateur days it was always Russian boxers competing with Cuban boxers, so I’m looking forward to remembering my amateur boxing.”
Barrera was formerly represented by Kovalev’s promoter Main Events.