SERGEY KOVALEV looks set to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO world light-heavyweight titles against Andre Ward on November 19 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Main Events, who promote Kovalev, and Roc Nation, who handle Ward, have applied to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to co-promote the show. The NSAC will make their decision at a meeting on Tuesday (June 21), though it is almost a certainty that the date and venue will be ratified.
Both men signed to fight each other a while ago, though they must get through interim bouts before meeting in what is one of the best fights in boxing. HBO will pick up the fight in America on pay-per-view.
Kovalev will defend his titles against unfancied Isaac Chilemba on July 11, while Ward is expected to box in August – though details of his outing have not yet been confirmed.
The Russian wrecking ball is widely regarded as the best at 175lbs, having soundly beaten the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Jean Pascal (twice) and Nathan Cleverly. Besides his decision over the wily Hopkins in 2014, the last time Kovalev was taken the distance was in 2010.
Ward, meanwhile, cleaned up at super-middleweight, scalping Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham. He debuted at light-heavy with a dominant decision win over unbeaten Sullivan Barrera in March.
Neither man has shown any major weaknesses in the ring, making this a genuine 50-50 fight at the highest level.
The T-Mobile Arena hosted its first boxing event in May when Canelo Alvarez flattened Amir Khan in six rounds. Golden Boy Promotions applied to the NSAC to hold an event at the MGM Grand on September 17 for Canelo’s next outing, which the world hopes will come against Gennady Golovkin.
New York was also being considered for Kovalev-Ward, though it seems natural that such an event will take place in the fighting capital of the world.
Boxing News has reached out to Kovalev’s manager, Egis Klimas, for further details and awaits reply.
