Throw down the gloves: how Sergey Kovalev ended his career

Russian Sergey Kovalev defeated German Artur Mann in the main event of the IBA PRO boxing night in Chelyabinsk. The fight ended with a seventh-round knockout. The 42-year-old boxer fought his last fight in his professional career and thanked his hometown for the incredible support. His record in the professional ring is 36 wins, five losses and one draw. The Russian is a former WBA, IBF and WBO world champion.

How was the last match

In recent years, our award-winning boxer has competed in the first heavyweight division, where he fought two fights: in 2022, he defeated Tervel Pulev by unanimous decision, and in 2024, he lost to Robin Safar on points. Previously, Kovalev had lost only to such legends as Andre Ward (twice), Eleider Alvarez and Saul Canelo.

Artur Mann, a native of Kazakhstan, represented Germany from the very first steps in professional boxing. The 34-year-old boxer has won 22 (13 by knockout) and lost four times, with the last two defeats coming from Russians Muslim Gadzhimagomedov and Evgeny Tishchenko. Mann approached the fight against Kovalev with two consecutive knockout wins.

In the first round, Mann tried to be number one, but Kovalev responded well and caught his opponent with counter punches. At the end of the segment, Arthur had an overhand from the right, but without consequences for Kovalev. In the second round, Mann began to deliver more solid punches, and Sergey began to move more around the ring, and the retaliatory punches were not so heavy. However, 40 seconds before the gong, Kovalev met Mann well and knocked him down. Artur got up, and the Russian attacked him with a hail of blows, but he did not have time to finish the fight — there was a break. In the third segment, Kovalev continued to press actively, but soon slowed down, and Mann regained the initiative. However, after one of Sergey's punches in the clinch, Mann had a cut.

In the fourth three minutes, Kovalev followed the advice of the corners and began to work more carefully, not taking Mann's punches. At the same time, Kovalev missed regularly anyway: the German boxer had a good right side. The boxers worked hard, there were a lot of mutual blows towards each other, the rivals spent a lot of time in the clinch. And a minute before the end of the fifth round, Mann threw a good overhand, but Sergey didn't look shocked. In the sixth three minutes, Kovalev turned on — he worked as a serial and did not allow his opponent to break the distance.

And at the beginning of the seventh segment, Kovalev dropped Mann again. Sergey made a sharp combination and landed a great right hook, after which Arthur fell. The German boxer tried to continue the fight, but the referee felt that he was unable to do so. Sergey Kovalev finished the fight at the 36th second of the seventh round, won his 36th career victory and finished with an IBA PRO belt around his waist.

— I am very glad that I had a farewell fight in my career in my homeland — where I started, I finished there, — Sergey Kovalev told Izvestia. — I did a world boxing honor lap and put an end to it. Of course, I would like to become an absolute champion. Those who followed me saw that the end of my career was ruined by all sorts of judicial and behind-the-scenes moments... So that's the way it's supposed to be. Life goes on. Now it's life without boxing.

Victories and defeats

Before the meeting with Mann, 42-year-old Kovalev had 41 fights in the professional ring, 35 of which he won and one ended in a draw. Sergey was the WBA Super (4 defenses), IBF (4 defenses) and WBO (10 defenses) light heavyweight world champion.

The most disappointing defeat in Kovalev's career happened at the end of 2016. According to many experts, the bout between Kovalev and Ward was one of the most anticipated and intriguing in boxing in the 21st century, as two undefeated champions met in the ring, both athletes were recognized as boxers of the year by The Ring magazine and both were the best boxers of the division (light heavyweight and second middleweight).

Andre Ward was the bookmakers' favorite in this fight, but there were many experts and boxers who preferred Kovalev. Boxing Night was held on HBO PPV. For Sergey, this is the first fight organized using a paid broadcast system. Kovalev started the fight well. In the second round, the Russian knocked down his opponent. However, Ward quickly recovered and continued the fight. Gradually, the duel leveled off. The champion pressed and delivered power punches. The challenger acted as the second number and worked mainly with a jab. As a result, the fight lasted all 12 rounds. The judges unanimously gave Ward the victory with a score of 114 — 113. Sergey disagreed with the judges' decision, calling it absurd. A number of well-known experts (Harold Lederman, Larry Merchant and Kostya Tszyu) also noted that Sergey won.

"It was a real robbery, many people were talking about it then," Kovalev sums up Izvestia.

Another disappointing defeat came in a fight with Canelo in November 2019.

"There was nothing serious or strong in the fight with Canelo, I didn't see any such problems at all," Kovalev told Izvestia and Sport-Express in an interview. — It's just that I boxed with him in such a state... Well, they drove me into such a framework. At that moment, I really had problems with weight training. I've been in agony all year 2018. And 2019 was a hell of a year for me. Although I regained the title at the beginning of 2019, it was just hard for me to do 12 kg. And after the Yard, such a hard fight, they didn't let me rest at all. Like, either you box, or we go to another one. Of course, there were finances. On the other hand, I've never given up on challenges that someone has thrown at me. Because if you refuse, then everyone will criticize you for being blown away by boxing. If I refuse challenges, then why box? We tried to reschedule the fight a month later (it was just over two months between the fight with Yarde and Canelo). But they also understood that if I rested, it would be more difficult for them. In short, I agreed to what I agreed to, and it turned out what it turned out to be.

However, Sergey will be remembered not for these defeats, but for his great victories over such top players as Bernard Hopkins, Jean Pascal, Isaac Chilemb and Anthony Yarde.