The Nov. 19 pay-per-view superfight between Oakland’s Andre “S.O.G.” Ward and unified light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev of Russia is on.
It should be, at least.
Despite HBO (which owns the broadcast rights), Roc Nation (Ward’s promoter), and Main Events (Kovalev’s promoter) announcing the fight and date over two weeks ago, the signed contracts and the venue — reportedly the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas — have yet to be confirmed.
Back in March, Main Events CEO Kathy Duva informed KNBR.com that all terms had been agreed to, though that seems to have changed recently.
“Everyone is confident that this fight is happening on Nov. 19; we’re just working out some venue issues,” a representative from Main Events said Wednesday via phone.
Roc Nation did not immediately return an email for comment.
While the boxing world waits for the smoke to clear, online sportsbook Bovada has already proclaimed the challenger a -150 favorite and the reigning champion a +120 underdog.
Kovalev is certainly acting as if the bout is going on as planned; he told TMZ that he wants none other than controversial Russian president Vladimir Putin to walk with him to the ring.
“Why not? If it happens, I will be very happy,” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) said. “I’m here for Russia.”
Meanwhile, Kovalev’s American trainer John David Jackson has already launched the first salvo at Ward (30-0, 15 KOs), the former super middleweight champion who is now campaigning at 175 pounds to chase light heavyweight supremacy.
“He wasn’t a knockout puncher at 168 [pounds],” Jackson told SecondsOut.com. “To add fuel to the fire, his chin wasn’t the best at 168. [Darnell] Boone rocked him. … What do you think when Sergey hits him flush? You think he’s going to stand up? We’ll see.”
If Ward didn’t need any more motivation, Jackson suggested that a litany of injuries and Father Time have caught up with the East Bay star, citing the 32-year-old’s unanimous decision victory two weeks ago in Oracle Arena over Alexander Brand.
“Your best years are gone, but now you’re facing a killer,” Jackson added, omitting that Kovalev is actually one year older than Ward. “Can you hold that killer off? If you can’t knock that other guy out, what about Sergey?”
Despite the harsh words, Jackson did acknowledge Ward’s accomplishments and skills, with the trainer vowing that he and Kovalev will be expecting their toughest challenge yet.
“You can’t underestimate him,” Jackson said of Ward, “and if you do, you’re stupid.”
S.F.’s MAYFIELD LOSES DUBIOUS DECISION
Karim Mayfield outsmarted, outhustled, and even outslugged unbeaten Bakhtiyar Eyubov, but the Fillmore native still found himself on the losing end of a split decision in Rochester, N.Y., last Friday.
Judges Tom Schreck and Pasquale Procopio scored the entertaining clash 95-94 for Eyubov, overruling Eric Marlinski, who instead had the City fighter up 95-94 after 10 rounds. KNBR.com scored the bout, which was televised on Showtime, 96-93 for Mayfield.
With both combatants checking in a shade above the 140-pound junior welterweight limit, Mayfield (19-4-1, 11 KOs) entered a 5-to-2 underdog after losing three of his last four matchups and having not weighed this light for a fight in over two years.
But in stark contrast to his last appearance in January when he was outclassed by rising welterweight prospect Dmitry Mikhaylenko on HBO, Mayfield took the initiative from the opening bell. He immediately pressured Eyubov (11-0, 10 KOs), a prospect from Brooklyn via Kazakhstan who had never been past the third round after steamrolling his first 10 pro opponents.
Eyubov regained his composure after dropping the first few rounds and began to clock Mayfield with left hooks in the pocket as they exchanged. However, “The Hard Hitta,” as he’s known in Bay Area boxing circles, displayed an iron chin to go with his heavy hands, shaking off Eyubov’s advances with ease. Ultimately, Mayfield’s veteran poise controlled the pace, and his signature right hand (and headbutts inside) were keeping Eyubov from landing his own.
With two rounds to go, Showtime’s official Twitter account polled viewers to see who they felt was ahead; Mayfield was their choice by a 66 to 34 percent margin. By the final bell, the network’s broadcast crew all had the City fighter winning decisively.
The CompuBox punch stats echoed the crowd’s sentiment. Mayfield not only outthrew Eyubov (690 to 520), he outlanded him in the last four rounds by a combined 30 total punches, including 21 power shots.
Of course, anyone who follows pro boxing knows that it’s hardly immune to, uh, let’s just say, questionable judging, and the two men who gave Eyubov the nod indeed exemplified the transgressions plaguing the sport’s integrity.
Though the official result will show up as a defeat on Mayfield’s ledger, it’s clear that the 35-year-old veteran still has something left in the tank. Just don’t expect Eyubov’s team to let their fighter stand opposite “The Hard Hitta” again.
DONAIRE SPLIT A SECOND TIME, BUT ON BETTER TERMS
Nonito Donaire Sr. announced he’ll be leaving his son’s corner a second time and returning to his home in San Leandro, but this time, it’s amicable.
After a well-publicized split both in and out of the ring in 2009 that saw Nonito Donaire Jr. employ Robert Garcia and rise up the pound-for-pound ranks and earned the Boxing Writers Association of America’s award for Fighter of the Year in 2012, father and son reconciled one year later and captured two more world belts — the WBA featherweight and WBO junior featherweight titles.
“I decided to resign as head trainer and go back to the Bay Area,” the elder Donaire said in a statement. “I know he will find a trainer that will take him to the next level and hopefully I’ll be at the fight ringside to watch.”
Meanwhile, the younger Donaire confirmed the move, but assured the public that their relationship outside the ring will remain intact. After all, aside from Nonito Sr. developing Nonito Jr. and brother Glenn into amateur and pro standouts, he’ll always be their father.
“My dad and I talked…and right now our paths aren’t crossing for him to be in my corner,” Donaire Jr. said in his statement. “He is an amazing trainer and an even better father. I wish him the best of luck in the path he chooses. And of course he will be ringside for my next fight.”
Donaire Jr. (37-3, 24 KOs), who currently holds the WBO junior featherweight title, is likely going to defend it against unbeaten No. 1 contender Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs). Both 122-pounders are promoted by Top Rank and live in Las Vegas.
GILROY’S “GHOST” RETURNS SATURDAY
Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero is back in the ring on Saturday against Argentina’s David Emanuel Peralta in a 10-round affair at Anaheim’s Honda Center. Spike will broadcast the action, which starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The 33-year-old son of Gilroy, a titleholder in multiple divisions, has dropped three of his last five bouts, but it’s worth noting that those three foes were welterweight stalwarts Floyd Mayweather, Keith Thurman, and Danny Garcia, whose combined record is a gaudy 108-0.
But a loss is a loss, and the southpaw 147-pounder is aware that despite enjoying an illustrious career, he can’t fight forever. Saturday will give him a good idea of where he stands.
“Anytime you’re facing a fighter from Argentina you know you’re in for a tough fight,” Guerrero said of Peralta. “He’s going to realize once he’s in the ring with me that I’m not some washed up fighter like some may think. I got plenty of fight left in me and Peralta will find out what I’m all about on August 27th.”
SACRAMENTO’S ROBB ONE WIN AWAY FROM TITLE SHOT
Featherweight Guy Robb (18-1, 8 KOs), a Sacramento native on an 11-bout winning streak, will face Colombian slugger Miguel Marriaga (23-0, 19 KOs), also on Saturday.
The victor will receive the regional NABO 126-pound belt and a mandatory title shot at newly crowned WBO featherweight titleholder Oscar Valdez. Top Rank, who handles Robb, will promote the fight, which will air on UniMás (11 p.m. ET/PT) and take place at the Churchill County Fairgrounds in Fallon, Nevada.
Though he has developed an outside game under the tutelage of Ray Woods—stepfather and trainer of the late great Diego “Chico” Corrales—Robb still has a penchant for mixing it up when prompted and has never been in a bad fight. The Sactown pugilist was involved in the Northern California Fight of the Year in each of his first two years as a pro, according to the local boxing media.
“He’s powerful, [with] decent speed. He likes to be in control,” Robb told InsideTheRopes.com about his foe. “You’re asking me how I’m going to win. It’s [about] being focused, and being a boss.”
S.F. HEAVYWEIGHT MITCHELL PUTS KO STREAK ON THE LINE
LaRon Mitchell might be a little long in the tooth chronologically, but in fight years, his body’s relatively fresh.
Maybe that’s why the late bloomer has parlayed a brief but wildly successful amateur career into burgeoning heavyweight prospect status as a pro. His latest test: a trip south to Corona to fight an eight-rounder against Mexico’s Mario Heredia (13-2, 11 KOs) on Friday.
The 36-year-old Mitchell, who was one win away from representing the United States in the 2012 Olympics, now gets paid to knock opponents out. His promoter, Thompson Boxing, is getting their money’s worth, as the 6-foot-4 former college football player and track athlete has stopped all 13 of his opponents within the distance.
Mitchell’s also a pillar of the community. The San Francisco State alum has worked with homeless youth in the City and is now a teacher at St. Elizabeth Catholic Elementary School in Oakland.
However, the education he serves on fight nights is a brutal one, and the southpaw will graduate to the next level if he can dispatch Heredia.
UNBEATEN SAN JOSE PROSPECT BENITEZ IN CRUCIAL CLASH
In a classic NorCal vs. SoCal showdown, junior welterweight Moises Benitez (5-0, 2 KOs) puts his unblemished record on the line on Friday against Abraham Lopez (4-1-1, 1 KO). The bout will take place in Montebello, a 20-minute drive east of downtown Los Angeles. Another win would establish the 25-year-old San Jose native as a 140-pound prospect to watch on the statewide level.
LOCAL POUND-FOR-POUND TOP 10*
1. Andre Ward, Oakland, light heavyweight (30-0, 15 KOs)
2. Nonito Donaire, San Leandro, junior featherweight (37-3, 24 KOs)
3. Robert Guerrero, Gilroy, welterweight (33-4-1, 18 KOs)
4. Ava Knight, Chico, female flyweight (14-2-4, 5 KOs)
5. Karim Mayfield, San Francisco, welterweight (19-4-1, 11 KOs)
6. Martha Salazar, San Francisco, female heavyweight (13-5, 3 KOs)
7. Alan Sanchez, Fairfield, welterweight (18-3-1, 9 KOs)
8. Manuel Avila, Fairfield, junior featherweight (21-0, 8 KOs)
9. Mike Dallas Jr., Bakersfield, welterweight (21-3-2, 10 KOs)
10. Guy Robb, Sacramento, featherweight (18-1, 8 KOs)
NEXT 5: Jose Ramirez, Paul Mendez, Tony Hirsch, Andy Vences, LaRon Mitchell
*To be eligible, fighter must claim a hometown in USA Boxing’s Region 11 (Northern/Central California) and cannot be inactive for more than one year. Both total body of work and recent achievements are taken into account.
Ryan Maquiñana is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and International Boxing Hall of Fame voter. Follow him on Twitter @RMaq28.