Sergey Kovalev To Fight Sullivan Barrera April 25
Former unified World Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) will return to the ring to face Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs) on April 25 at the Fantasy Springs in Indio, California according to the Los Angeles Times. The bout will be aired live on DAZN and will be contested at a contracted weight limit of 180-pounds.
For Kovalev, his life has been on a downward spiral since his Nov. 2019 knockout loss to Saul “Canelo ” Alvarez. In Feb. 2020 he was arrested for DUI in Los Angeles. This is the latest instance of trouble for the 36-year-old Russian as he was previously detained in June 2018 after allegedly punching a woman in the face.
Many boxing pundits strongly believe that both in and out of the ring, the fighter known as “Krusher” has not been the same since his rematch TKO loss to Andre Ward in June 2017.
Barrera badly needs a win to stay relevant in the 175-pound landscape. At age 38, and having lost two of his last three fights, he is in desperation mode. After calling out Kovalev to step up to the plate and fight, the former world title challenger gets his wish.
Kovalev – Barrera is the definition of a crossroads bout. Because of their age and both men coming off of losses in their last fights, the motivation should be high. A loss by either fighter would likely mean a serious look in the mirror afterward and possibly contemplating life after boxing.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
