Sergey Kovalev has successfully reclaimed the WBO World light-heavyweight championship with a resounding unanimous decision victory over Eleider Alvarez in Frisco, Texas.
Avenging the brutal defeat he suffered in August, Kovalev produced a disciplined performance, boxing intelligently throughout under the guidance of Brooklyn-based trainer Buddy McGirt.
The fight appeared to be playing out once again as a tale of two halves with the momentum seemingly favouring the champion after the midway point, however ‘Krusher’ began to reassert his authority in the eighth round; something which proved to be pivotal in determining the outcome of the contest.
Kovalev was effective in using sharp, consistent combinations coupled with excellent footwork to neutralise the offensive manoeuvres of his Colombian counterpart, and was also careful not to overcommit on his own punches, circling away from danger whenever Alvarez attempted to get close and bully the Russian on the inside with body work.
Ultimately, the Colombian failed to produce the killer blow that spectacularly flattened Kovalev the first time round, and was far too economical with his output – when it mattered – to overturn the mounting deficit on the scorecards.
With the exception of a minor scare in the seventh round, Alvarez failed to significantly hurt Kovalev, and will naturally be disappointed with falling short against an ageing champion, who may now be poised for some meaningful unification fights with compatriots Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter at: @DarkMan_______