Tag: Cruiserweight

Oleksandr Usyk shows off bulk in Instagram photo

Is Oleksandr Usyk evolving physically into a legitimate heavyweight?

Is Oleksandr Usyk evolving physically into a legitimate heavyweight?

The former unified cruiserweight champ, who is 6-foot-3, weighed 215 pounds for his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon — a seventh-round knockout — this past October in Chicago.

For that fight, he was a small heavyweight. However, some have taken a look at the photo Usyk posted on Instagram Friday (see below) and have concluded that he’s using his time off to bulk up.

One could argue that he has heavyweight guns in that image, although he didn’t exactly have an biceps issue before now.

One could also argue that he remains a cruiserweight from the waist down, perhaps in the mold of pioneer Bob Fitzsimmons. Maybe he’s still working on his legs.

Either way, the image is striking. Usyk looks strong. And we know he has all the ability in the world.

We’ll see how this plays out as Usyk continues to fight as a heavyweight. He was scheduled to face Dereck Chisora on May 23 at O2 Arena in London but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mairis Briedis vs. Yuniel Dorticos pushed back to May 16

The Mairis Briedis-Yuniel Dorticos fight, scheduled for March 21 in Latvia, has been pushed back to May 16 as a result of coronavirus.

Now it’s the turn of Mairis Briedis vs. Yuniel Dorticos.

The World Boxing Super Series final and cruiserweight title fight between Briedis and Dorticos, scheduled for March 21 in Riga, Latvia, has been pushed back to May 16 as a result of the coronavirus threat, the BBC reported.

The site remains the same. And tickets for March 21 will be honored on May 16.

Latvian officials have banned events with more than 200 people until April.

“We will adapt to the new situation, keep training and wait for the green light,” said Briedis, a Latvian who will be challenging for Dorticos’ 200-pound title.

“Looking forward to fighting in front of my fans when it’s safe! Take care of yourself, people.”

Said Dorticos: “I understand the impracticality and therefore l will have to wait until May to win the tournament. I ask that everyone be careful and take the necessary steps to stay healthy during these challenging times.”

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Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos fight could be moved and/or delayed

Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos fight could be moved and/or delayed

The Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos cruiserweight showdown might have to moved and/or be postponed because of a Latvian ban on public events.

Another significant fight is in jeopardy because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mairis Breidis-Yunier Dorticos cruiserweight final in the World Boxing Super Series might have to moved and/or be postponed because of a Latvian ban on public events.

The bout is scheduled for March 21 in Riga, Breidis’ hometown. Latvia has imposed a month-long ban, starting Friday.

“The World Boxing Super Series has learned, as a consequence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, the government of Latvia has decided that all public events, meetings, processions and pickets with more than 200 participants are banned as of March 13 (until) April 14,” the WBSS said in a statement.

“We are assessing the consequences for the WBSS cruiserweight final, scheduled for March 21 in Riga, with local authorities and the fighters’ teams. We will make a further statement in the coming days.”

The bout has already been subjected to delays. Neither Briedis (26-1, 19 KOs) nor Dorticos (24-1, 22 KOs), a Cuban living in Miami, has fought in about nine months.

Sergey Kovalev promoter Kathy Duva believes he has one more run

Promoter Kathy Duva believes Sergey Kovalev has one more shot at making a run in the sport before he calls it quits.

Promoters are experts at spotting silver linings. There’s usually a silver dollar behind each one.

Kathy Duva, president of Main Events, sees both gleaming in the future for Sergey Kovalev, the former light heavyweight titleholder. Future? Apparently Duva believes her veteran client can make one final run even though he’s coming off a particularly brutal loss at the hands of Canelo Alvarez in November.

Kovalev acquitted himself well for the majority of the fight before Alvarez cut him down in the 11th round, leaving the Russian slumped on the ropes with his head bowed. That was an unsettling image, yes, but Duva, the eternal optimist, sees a clear path forward.

“A lot of people had him beating Canelo going into the 11th round [and] I’m not sure that being competitive with probably the best fighter in the world means your career is over,” Duva said on the recent Everlast TalkBox Podcast. “People have a tendency to write people off very quickly.”

Kovalev has had to deal with such concerns in the past. He was knocked out in brutal fashion by Eleider Alvarez in 2018. Before that he was stopped, albeit controversially, by Andre Ward in 2017. The difference now, according to Duva, is that Kovalev firmly understands that he is in the twilight of his career.

“He knows his career is close to closing,” Duva said. “It’s close to an end, he acknowledges that. But he intends to maybe make another splash before he’s finished, and we’re going to help him do that.”

Part of that help consists of determining the weight at which Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) wants to fight. His next bout, against Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs) on April 25 in Indio, California, will take place at a catch weight of 180 pounds, five over the light heavyweight limit.

Kovalev and Co. are undecided as to whether he’ll campaign at cruiserweight (200-pound limit) or move back down to 175, where he has spent his entire career.

“We’re going to do this at 180 because we want to find out if [making weight] is a problem and if we have to contemplate moving up,” Duva said. “He’s going in a little heavier, not so heavy that he can’t ever go back to 175, but he wants to just see what the difference is, because those last five pounds are the ones that kill ya.”

Kovalev concurs. He recently put up an Instagram post showing him pinching the fat on his body.

 

Weight gain isn’t the only thing on Kovalev’s plate these days. He’s battling disturbing allegations of sexual assault and recently made headlines after reportedly getting arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles.

“He’s a lot happier with the lawyers that he has now,” Duva said. “They’ve made him feel comfortable that this is all going to be OK.”

Duva hopes with a fight on the horizon that Kovalev won’t stray into more trouble.

“When you got something to focus on, you’re mind doesn’t stray into other things,” she said. “He’s not the first fighter who’s fought these problems, and he won’t be the last.”

 

Follow Sean Nam on Twitter @seanpasbon

Sergey Kovalev plans to fight at cruiserweight, says trainer

Sergey Kovalev will be moving up to the cruiserweight division, according to his trainer Buddy McGirt.

The next time Sergey Kovalev ducks through the ropes, expect him to be a bit heavier.

After 39 fights at light heavyweight in a career that spans more than a decade, the former titleholder is looking to start afresh in a new weight class.

“He’s going up to cruiserweight,” his trainer Buddy McGirt told Boxing Junkie. “We’ll start training in about a month.”

Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) recently loss his 175-pound title to Canelo Alvarez after suffering an 11th-round technical knockout in November. The bout, which generated a career purse for the Russian, came on the heels of what was a taxing fight for Kovalev against Anthony Yarde in late August. Kovalev was nearly out on his feet before storming back to stop the British contender in the 11th round.

McGirt said that he signed off on Kovalev’s decision to move up to cruiserweight under one condition: He can’t come in anywhere close to the 200-pound limit.

“As long as we go to 185 [pounds], we’re good. No more than 185,” McGirt said. “He can come in at 180 and beat those guys. He’ll be light, and that’s OK.”

McGirt said the decision had nothing to do with the loss to Alvarez per se. Rather, he based it off of how Kovalev looked in the past couple of training camps. Cutting weight to make the 175-pound limit was becoming harder and harder.

“I think he’ll be better at that weight (cruiserweight),” McGirt said.

It’s not clear when or whom Kovalev will fight next, but his promoter, Main Events, told Boxing Junkie last month that he will likely appear on a DAZN card. McGirt says he has not spoken to anybody from the promotional side about Kovalev’s move up in weight.

“I haven’t spoken to Kathy [Duva of Main Events], so I can’t put that lie out there,” he said.

Main Events did not respond to a request for comment.

Kovalev was recently sued by a woman he allegedly assaulted for non-payment of their agreed-upon settlement. The woman, Jamie Frontz, claims Kovalev punched her in the face and that she suffered a displaced disk in her back. The assault case is still pending.