Light Heavyweight

Boxing fans who aren't buying the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury pay-per-view—or simply want more of the sport—can still get their fix on Saturday night as Adonis Stevenson (29-1-1, 24 KOs) defends his WBC world light heavyweight title against Oleksandr Gvozdyk (15-0, 12 KOs).

For nearly six years, Stevenson has set up camp in Canada, content to fend off overmatched challengers from his adopted home with cracking left hooks, comfortably securing his lone title.

By lording over his own little corner of the boxing world, the 41-year-old has carved out a nice career, even though it has kept him away from the superstars of the division in that time, like Sergey Kovalev or Andre Ward.

But it's possible that Stevenson will venture out and try to secure another title if he can get past a tough opponent in Gvozdyk on Saturday night.

Here's how to watch. 

       

Stevenson vs. Gvozdyk Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7:45 p.m. ET

Where: Centre Videotron in Quebec City

TV: Showtime

Live Stream: ShowtimeAnytime.com

Odds: Gvozdyk -175 (bet $175 to win $100), Stevenson +146 (bet $100 to win $146)

Odds are courtesy of OddsShark and updated as of Thursday, Nov. 29 at 7 a.m. ET.

      

Stevenson may be the champion, but the oddsmakers have Gvozdyk as a slight favorite. Although "Superman" has made nine straight title defenses since winning the WBC belt from Chad Dawson in mid-2013, his age has to catch up with him at some point. Of the fighters who do continue into their 40s, the drop off can be precipitous. 

The southpaw also came as close as he has in years to relinquishing the belt his last time out, when he fought Badou Jack to a majority draw.

In that bout, Stevenson controlled the early rounds but couldn't get the left-handed power shots going, and Jack took over in the latter half of the bout. Unable to impose his will on a tough opponent, Stevenson might finally be fading from championship form. 

And yet, the Haitian-born fighter is apparently ready to open up a new chapter. Calling himself the "king of the light heavyweights," per SkySports.com's Tim Hobbs, Stevenson says he is open to taking on any of the other champions at 175 pounds. 

That would be Dmitry Bivol (WBA), Artur Beterbiev (IBF) or Ring's current top man in the division and the guy who knocked off Kovalev, Colombia's Eleider Alvarez (WBO). Any one of those fights would be tough, lucrative and good for the division, but there's a good chance Stevenson doesn't get that far. 

Gvozdyk is no youthful upstart, but at 31, he is a full decade younger than Stevenson. The Ukrainian prizefighter has 12 stoppages in 15 fights without a loss, a record that backs up the nickname "The Nail."

He has some solid stoppage wins against the likes of Isaac Chilemba, Yunieski Gonzalez and Nadjib Mohammedi. Ring has him at No. 6 in the division, just below the championship tier (and one spot ahead of Beterbiev, as it turns out).

If you need any more convincing, Bloody Elbow's Fraser Coffeen pointed out he has a fine pedigree as well:

"Oleksandr Gvozdyk is a part of this new rising tide at light heavyweight. The undefeated Ukrainian is a 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist—a part of that same incredible team that produced Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk."

That's excellent company, and if Gvozdyk has the technical abilities of either Lomachenko or Usyk, two of the best pound-for-pound boxers right now, he has a good chance of surviving Stevenson. 

This bout could be decided in the early rounds, even if it doesn't necessarily end there. Stevenson will look to hammer away with the left hand, hoping to either score a knockout or at least bank enough rounds that he can hold on to a decision.

If Gvozdyk can avoid getting his head scrambled or his body crushed, he has a chance at making a push like Jack did and win the middle and late rounds.

Do that, and it might be Gvozdyk who takes the WBC belt out of Canada and into a high-profile unification bout.

Adonis Stevenson will take on one of his toughest challengers in years on Saturday, when he defends his World Boxing Council world light heavyweight title against Badou Jack at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Stevenson (29-1, 24 KOs) has carved out his own little fiefdom in boxing, holding onto the WBC belt for eight straight defenses on the strength of his devastating left hook and fighting exclusively in Canada. The quality of the fighters he's beaten during his reign, however, has left plenty to be desired, especially with the likes of Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev working in the same division.

Jack (22-1-2, 13 KOs) represents one of the biggest risks Stevenson has taken in a long time. Jack is now a two-weight world champion, having won the WBA world light heavyweight title off Nathan Cleverly in August 2017 after spending years duking it out as a super middleweight. He's impressed in several bouts, and just may have the defense and skill to avoid Stevenson's lights-out left and get a win.

Here's how to watch the fight. 

Stevenson vs. Jack Info

When: Saturday, May 19 at 10:05 p.m. ET

Where: Air Canada Centre in Toronto

TV: Showtime (U.S.), Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Action (UK)

Live Stream: ShowtimeAnytime (U.S.), SkySports.com (UK)

Stevenson is the slight favorite heading into this bout, at -150 (bet $100 to win $150) as of Thursday, per OddsShark.com. In his most recent fight, he made quick work of Andrezj Fonfara in June 2017, a rematch that clearly took a bit too long to come together.

Fonfara was unable to withstand the detonation of Stevenson's famed left hand, and the ref called a stoppage in the second round. Here's how the fight ended, per Showtime Boxing: 

Boom, stoppage. @AdonisSuperman takes down @andrzej_fonfara in round 2 via TKO. #StevensonFonfara2 pic.twitter.com/EUP0oCOV0I

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 4, 2017

Stevenson, 40, is riding a three-knockout streak, proving that at an age when most boxers have long quit the sport, he's lost little of his trademark power. He also hasn't quit promoting himself as the best in a division that features fearsome pound-for-pound fighters like Ward and Kovalev.

"I'm the best fighter in this division, period. When I win on [Saturday], I'll just be doing my job. People might still talk trash, but I'll still be the champ," said Stevenson, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole.

The heavy-handed Haitian will be looking to pick his spots against Jack, who is six years younger. He might give up some speed and agility to his younger opponent, but he has a weapon that can alter the course of a bout in an instant. 

Jack will likely be looking to box his way to a decision, unless he senses Stevenson's age has caught up with him in the 11 months since he last stepped into the ring. Jack has kept a bit busier than his opponent, defeating Cleverly and working to a draw with James DeGale in 2017. 

If "The Ripper" manages to defeat Stevenson, he might finally become something of a household name at 34. It seems quite a few people are expecting him to break through. BoxingScene.com did a round-up of fight predictions, and nine writers picked Jack to win, with only two expecting Stevenson to pull through (by stoppage, of course).

Whether Jack will have much time to trade on any potential new glory before his body betrays him will be something to watch, but it's all a moot point unless he can finally topple "Superman" in his own backyard. 

Six-time former world boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. ended his career in the ring by beating Scott Sigmon 98-92 in a 10-round cruiserweight fight at Pensacola Bay Center, Florida, but he left the door open to a return should MMA fighter Anderson Silva accept his challenge, per Alex Richards for the Mirror.

Jones Jr., who has held world titles in four different weight classes, "entertained the crowd with smiles" during a relatively straightforward victory, per Husmukh Kerai for Sky Sports, and did so despite carrying an injury.

"I love each and every fan that came out to support me tonight," he said, per Richards. "I knew Scott was tough, I knew Scott was game, and I knew Scott was gonna keep coming. I don't make excuses, but last week I tore my biceps in my left arm again. But because it was my last fight in Pensacola, I refused to pull out."

Jones Jr. was comfortable throughout, "toying" with his opponent before "exploding with combinations to the body and head." in front of a joyous hometown crowd in Florida, according to a match report by Brian Mazique for Forbes.

The final round... of the final fight... of a legendary career! @RealRoyJonesJr pic.twitter.com/PJiStXEtGd

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) February 9, 2018

Few boxers can boast a career as successful, or as long, as Jones Jr.'s. He won 66 of his 75 bouts, and the victory over Sigmon came some 25 years after the American-Russian won his first world title.

However, this might not be the end. Speaking to reporters after the fight and directly addressing UFC president Dana White, Jones Jr. reiterated his desire to fight Silva, who could face a lengthy ban from competition following a failed drugs test, per Marc Raimondi for MMAfighting.com.

"Dana, I know you're listening," he said. "I know Anderson's suspended. But that's the only other fight Roy Jones will return to the ring for. Other than that, chapter's closed."

A bout between these two has long been mooted, resurfacing in May 2017 when Jones Jr. confirmed on the Ask Gary Vee Show that talks were under way, and a boxing MMA crossover had been their idea.

"I'm still trying to fight Anderson Silva right now," he said, per Jed Meshew for MMAfighting.com. "Me and Anderson Silva have been trying to fight way before Floyd Mayweather and [Conor] McGregor ever thought about this."

But with Silva facing a lengthy ban, Jones Jr. has almost certainly had his final fight in a long and illustrious career. In front of his hometown fans, it was certainly a fitting way to bow out.    

Boxing fans will get to witness the sport at its highest level on Saturday with a much-anticipated rematch, as Sergey Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) looks to get revenge against Andre Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) in a light heavyweight title contest.

In November of last year, Ward stormed back from an early knockdown to nick the powerful Kovalev on the cards, with all three judges scoring it 114-113 in the American's favor.

Ward used every bit of his intelligence, skill and accurate counter-punching to come up with the result, which saw him win the WBA, IBF and WBO world light heavyweight titles in just his third fight in the division. 

Kovalev, who one could make a compelling case for having deserved a win against Ward, will get a chance to avenge the only loss of his career to this point.

Both fighters' unimpeachable talent, determination, power and speed will be on display in the boxing mecca of Las Vegas on Saturday night. Here's how to view the fight.

             

Ward vs. Kovalev 2 Viewing Info

When: Saturday, June 17 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas

TV: Sky Sports 1 (UK), HBO pay-per-view

Live Stream: SkySports.com (UK Only)

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

               

There is more on the line than pride and three world titles for Ward, who only just a couple of years ago faded from the sport's spotlight as he dealt with injuries and a contract dispute. Of course, those who watched his ascent through the super middleweight ranks couldn't forget his calculating, precise style and ability to pinpoint opponents' weaknesses.

Sure enough, after a 19-month layoff from November 2013 to June 2016, Ward returned with a stoppage win over Paul Smith, and three more fights later, he reached the pinnacle of the sport with his win over Kovalev. 

Indeed, Ward is Ring's top pound-for-pound boxer, with Kovalev right behind him. Other outlets have Ward very near the top, so a loss to Kovalev would mean relinquishing his titles and his spot as boxing's top dog in any division. After barely surviving an early onslaught from Krusher to win by a close unanimous decision in their first meeting, Ward hopes to deliver a more clear-cut victory this time out.

"I expect a hard, tough fight and I predict a tremendous victory. I've got to have it and I want to do it in a better fashion this time," per SkySports.com's Mark Crellin.

If Ward can avoid hitting the canvas this time around, he'll certainly have a much easier time of it. He was certainly behind on the cards early on, as Kovalev's powerful punching and occasionally overlooked technical ability saw him control the first few rounds, with his second-round knockdown the obvious highlight.

The Oakland native had to dig deep to pull out a win, pressuring Kovalev to close the distance and prevent him from winding up his crushing right hand. CBSSports.com's Brian Campbell analyzed the first fight, detailing how Ward used his skill, tactics and psychology to defeat Kovalev:

"Ward not only proved to be Kryptonite for Kovalev's offense once he adjusted, he kept coming back after getting up off the deck, which can have a hand in playing against a big puncher's psyche when he's unable to finish an opponent off. 

"It's because of this that Kovalev has more questions to answer in their second fight. To do so, he has promised to be more aggressive, which should make the first half of the fight in particular a tense game of chess for Ward."

As for Kovalev, he will have no shortage of motivation to pummel Ward, knowing his power is far greater than his opponent's.

If he gets another knockdown, look for him to apply even more pressure in the aftermath as he looks to end the fight early and avoid a repeat outcome, one that left him with a hollow feeling in the immediate aftermath of his lone defeat to this point, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael: 

"Yes, I was quiet because I was empty. I had no emotions, no energy to do something, you know? I was empty and I was just killed by [the] decision. I shouldn't do something. I couldn't change something. What happened has happened. I just understood that I was robbed and I don't have any more belts now. I already thought, "When will be the rematch?'" 

There is so much on the line for these two highly accomplished boxers. If Ward wins again, he will be able to dictate how he handles the rest of his career, with potential opponents having little to prevent him from making fights on his terms (of course, that is if top contenders dare to challenge him). A fight with the powerful Adonis Stevenson could be in the making.

Should Kovalev win, he too could take on Stevenson, or perhaps prepare for a rubber match against Ward, which would no doubt be something to look forward to no matter his manner of victory on Saturday. 

A rematch three years in the making turned out to be a short exhibition for one of the best weapons in boxing, Adonis Stevenson's left hand.

The WBC world light heavyweight champion made quick, easy work of Andrzej Fonfara (29-5, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, beating Fonfara for the second time by forcing a stoppage early in the second round.

Stevenson (29-1, 24 KOs) rocked Fonfara repeatedly with his sledgehammer of a left, scoring a knockdown in the first round before Fonfara's trainer, Virgil Hunter, waved for the official to call the fight at the beginning of the second round, quickly recognizing there was no reason for his boxer to take further punishment.

Here's the stoppage, per Showtime Boxing:

Boom, stoppage. @AdonisSuperman takes down @andrzej_fonfara in round 2 via TKO. #StevensonFonfara2 pic.twitter.com/EUP0oCOV0I

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 4, 2017

NYFights.com's Michael Woods noted Fonfara didn't protest Hunter's decision:

Fonfara cool with Virgil stopping it and protecting him.

— Michael Woods (@Woodsy1069) June 4, 2017

Bad Left Hook felt the rematch was overdue and suffered as a result:

The rematch was past its sell-by date and it showed. Joe Smith did this last year. If you’re shocked, you shouldn’t be.

— Bad Left Hook (@badlefthook) June 4, 2017

It was Stevenson's eighth and quickest defense of his WBC belt, and a lightning-quick follow-up to his first bout with Fonfara, which Stevenson won via unanimous decision in 12 rounds despite being knocked down in the ninth round.

The 39-year-old Haitian has made easy work in the majority of his title defenses, and this lopsided affair will certainly have fans clamoring for him to take on better opposition. Prior to the bout, Stevenson gave two options for his next contest, per Showtime:

"I want winner of Ward-Kovalev. If not, I'll take the winner of Alvarez-Pascal. I'm as strong as ever."- @AdonisSuperman #StevensonFonfara2 pic.twitter.com/ingj74DvFp

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 2, 2017

However, in the post-match interview, Stevenson avoided calling for the winner between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the sport, per boxing journalist Andreas Hale:

Jim Gray out here trying to force Adonis Stevenson to call out the winner of Ward-Kovalev 2. Didn’t work.

— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) June 4, 2017

While he takes criticism for his opposition, it's clear the southpaw Stevenson knows exactly how to use his thunderous left.

It didn't take long for Fonfara to eat one of those massive lefts. With just over a minute in the opening round, Stevenson clubbed him with a hook, and Fonfara appeared to take it but eventually crumbled to his knee. It was a repeat of their first encounter, which saw Fonfara go to the canvas in the first.

Showtime Boxing has the knockdown:

.@AdonisSuperman sends @andrzej_fonfara to the canvas in the opening round. #StevensonFonfara2 pic.twitter.com/PUE2Y94xrI

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) June 4, 2017

Fonfara barely survived the end of the first frame, absorbing a string of counter lefts and a flurry in the corner before the bell bailed him out.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden was impressed by Superman's display:

If Fonfara doesn't earn some respect he's going to be in real trouble like this in every round. My God, Stevenson is a monster. #boxing

— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) June 4, 2017

The 29-year-old Fonfara had absolutely no answer for Stevenson. His chin was the major question coming into the bout, as he suffered a first-round knockout against then-unheralded Joe Smith Jr. last year. His trainer, Hunter, made the correct call in stopping the bout. Eleider Alvarez is owed a bout against Stevenson, which could make for an interesting test. Alvarez showed off a great jab and some fine power in defeating Jean Pascal on the Bell Centre undercard Saturday.

However, the real test for Stevenson would be the winner of Ward-Kovalev. Based on the quality of opposition in recent years and his age, fans should probably expect Stevenson to take on Alvarez first before he thinks about risking it all against Ward-Kovalev and potentially unifying the division.

In many cases, rematches in boxing don't take all that long to put together. A competitive, entertaining fight between talented, recognizable fighters that ends in a close decision simply begs for an immediate follow-up (see: Andre Ward versus Sergey Kovalev 2). 

However, boxing sequels sometimes take a bit longer to put together, and when that happens, it's not often because of a great demand for the bout.

Such is the case in the rematch between WBC world light heavyweight titleholder Adonis Stevenson (28-1, 23 KOs) and Andrzej Fonfara (29-4, 17 KOs), which comes more than three years after the first. 

Stevenson won that fight in May 2014, a 12-round unanimous-decision victory that saw him up comfortably on the cards in the end despite the fact that both men hit the canvas. 

Since then, Stevenson has maintained his grip on the title he won from Chad Dawson in 2013 by beating up on some relatively lackluster opposition. Fonfara has more name recognition than most in the light heavyweight division, but he has not acquitted himself all that well as of late and could be another notch for Stevenson unless he can turn in an inspired performance.

      

Stevenson vs. Fonfara 2 Fight Info

When: Saturday, Jun. 3 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Bell Centre in Montreal

TV: Showtime

Live Stream: Showtime Anytime

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

While the first contest between these two was a fairly entertaining affair (the full fight video is below), the odds suggest Stevenson should win comfortably again, and there is reason to believe it could be more lopsided this time around. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhPId-zopx4

Stevenson is a 1-11 favorite over his Polish opponent, per OddsShark (as of Thursday, Jun. 1). 

Fonfara bounced back from his loss to Stevenson with wins against the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nathan Cleverly but lost a stunner to the then-anonymous Joe Smith Jr. in June of last year, suffering a surprise first-round knockout. 

He followed that up with a 10th-round TKO win over a well-past-his-prime Dawson but didn't fare all that well in the bout, nor did he pass the eyeball test, per Saturday Night Boxing's Adam Abramowitz: 

Fonfara was never really hurt against Dawson, just mostly ineffective. I actually saw that fight.

— adam abramowitz (@snboxing) March 9, 2017

to be fair to Fonfara, a prime Dawson would have schooled him. He'll always struggle with that style.

— adam abramowitz (@snboxing) March 9, 2017

Fonfara, who has suffered a recent knockout and doesn't have much of a track record as a big puncher, will now have to take on an opponent who has already defeated him soundly once, still possesses an abundance of power and is fighting in the comfort of his home, Canada.

In three of his four wins since fighting Fonfara, the 39-year-old southpaw has scored stoppages in the fifth round or earlier. Sakio Bika managed to take Superman to the cards in April 2015, but even then, Stevenson won handily.

Age might eventually catch up to Stevenson, but the Haitian-born prizefighter believes he still has plenty of mileage on him, enough to complete his lofty goals. Stevenson said, per PremierBoxingChampions.com's Rich Manuso:

"I want to unify the titles. I think all the fans want that. I'm focused to win this fight with Fonfara and then unify the title. I started [my pro career] at 29 years old. I did not have a lot of amateur fights. My body is still good compared to other fighters that are younger."

Unifying the title would mean taking on the winner of Ward-Kovalev 2. Ward owns the IBF, WBA and WBO world light heavyweight title after beating Kovalev by a razor-thin unanimous decision in November. Either one of those fighters would be a massive step up in competition for Stevenson, who ranks behind both in Ring Magazine's light heavyweight listings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eZC5eMiNXo,352

Assuming Stevenson beats Fonfara, which is hardly a foregone conclusion, another potential opponent would be Eleider Alvarez, who fights Jean Pascal on the undercard in Montreal. The undefeated Alvarez has been desperately waiting for a title shot.

"I'm fully ready for my title shot. I've been ready for 18 months, but for some reason it didn't happen," said Alvarez, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "I'm ready to face everybody. I'm probably in the toughest division in boxing right now, but once Stevenson comes, I'll be ready."

If Alvarez and Stevenson both win, this could make for an excellent world-title bout, potentially setting up either man to take on Ward or Kovalev and bring some more intrigue to the light heavyweight ranks.

Bernard Hopkins has more than earned the right to go out on his own terms, and he's going to do exactly that. A legend of the sport of boxing and one of the craftiest to ever step between the ropes, the 51-year-old Hopkins has decided he has one more fight in him, for better or for ill.

He will take on Joe Smith Jr. on Saturday at the Forum in Inglewood, California, for what he says will be the last bout of his storied career.

This is no canned exhibition match, nothing like those farewell testimonial games afforded retiring legends in soccer. This is the real deal, a scheduled 12-round bout for Smith's WBC International light heavyweight title. Yes, that's right, after all is said and done, Hopkins could go out with a glimmering strap slung across his shoulder.

Or, he could go out battered and broken, losing to a powerful man just over half his age and doing unnecessary harm to his aging mind and body. There are eminently justifiable concerns about this bout even taking place, but none of those worries about waning energy levels and fading reflexes will stop the show on Saturday. 

Hopkins is a marvel of the sports world no matter the outcome of Saturday's fight. Here's how you can catch what is expected to be the final bow of one of the sport's greats.

Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Smith Jr. Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Where: The Forum in Inglewood, California

TV: HBO

Live Stream: BoxNation (UK Only)

Hopkins		Smith
55-7-2, 32 KOs	Record	22-1, 18 KOs
48%	KO Percentage	78%
506	Rounds Boxed	73
51	Age	27
6'1"	Height	6'0"
75"	Reach	N/A
Orthodox	Stance	Orthodox

For Hopkins, whose incredible career spans four decades, this will be his first fight since losing a 12-round unanimous decision to Sergey Kovalev in November 2014. A then-49-year-old Hopkins surviving to the final bell with the bruising Kovalev (81 percent knockout rate) was the latest otherworldly feat for the man they call "The Alien."

Pardon me, "The Executioner." Hopkins has no time for the extraterrestrial nickname ahead of this bout, instead conjuring up the image of a lethal foe, one who defeated the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Winky Wright, Felix Trinidad and Antonio Tarver (among many, many others).

"While 'The Alien' may be retired, 'The Executioner' has one fight left, and Joe Smith Jr., is going to find out the hard way how well prepared I am for my final fight," Hopkins said, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "A lot of people will focus on my age, the history of my run in the sport, the titles, etc., but I'm focused on one thing—knocking Joe Smith out."

That last sentence is pure boxing bluster, as Hopkins hasn't scored a stoppage since knocking out De La Hoya in 2004. If Hopkins is going to win this bout, it will have to be through defensive mastery and technical wizardry, utilizing a sharp boxing mind that has catalogued every trick and strategy known to pugilism. 

He will be looking for the kind of fight that saw him defeat Tavoris Cloud in 2009 to win the IBF world light heavyweight belt. Bleacher Report's Kevin McRae detailed in October 2014 how the hard-hitting Cloud was no match for Hopkins' intelligence and cunning:

He had a reputation as a thunderous puncher, and there were more than a few observers who wondered how Hopkins would deal with that power if he got caught clean.

But that didn’t happen.

Hopkins confounded Cloud in the majority of rounds, using all the tricks in the book—both legal and illegal—to frustrate, beat up, demoralize and cut his foe.

The cuts—one in Round 6 and another in Round 12—were both the result of accidental headbutts, but they weren’t the story of the fight.

The story was Hopkins, then fighting at the tender age of 48, forcing another foe to fight his pace, his fight and his way.

It was an "imposing of your will" type of fight, and Cloud had no clue what to do with the old master.

Avoiding heavy blows is key for Hopkins in this bout. Though he survived Kovalev's barrage of punches, he's two years deeper into middle age, two years older and possibly slower, going without any sanctioned ring work in that time.

Hopkins has done himself no favors with this final bout, taking on a serious puncher in Smith. 

The Long Island native has 18 knockouts in 23 career fights. Six of his last eight opponents have succumbed to his punching prowess inside three rounds. Smith is coming off a first-round TKO of Andrzej Fonfara in June, a bout that saw him capture the WBC International belt. The 27-year-old is entering his athletic prime, born nine months after Hopkins made his pro debut in 1988.

He will have to avoid Hopkins' tricks and ability to take the air out of a fight, keeping his range and stinging the older man with hard blows to the body and jaw. If he can pick his spots and manage not to get sucked into a defensive slog, he should be able to win this bout.

But of course, Hopkins has been defying expectations for several years now, finding ways to win at ages when people are giving up playing in after-work softball leagues, not professional boxing. 

His ability to stay both physically and mentally sharp after so many years of punishment actually has him as a favorite in this match. According to OddsShark (as of Thursday, Dec. 15), Hopkins is a 4-11 favorite and Smith is a 43-20 underdog.

So, fans just might see the improbable happen on Saturday. Vegas seems to expect it to some degree. Hopkins could dodge and deflect Smith's best punches, while peppering him with his own variety of shots and getting out of trouble. He could go out on top, teaching a lesson to one more young pugilist before calling it quits.

Or Smith's ascent through the light heavyweight ranks could continue unperturbed, with Hopkins marking a rather historic but nevertheless successful chapter in his burgeoning career. 

Either way, it's going to be worth checking out for boxing fans hoping to catch one of the greats before he finally hangs it up.

It's a common gripe among boxing fans that the sport's biggest and best fights don't get made often enough, or at the very least take far too long to come together. 

However, that complaint will be put to rest for at least one weekend, as two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world—Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev and Andre Ward—square off in a massive, pay-per-view light-heavyweight title bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

While other fights might draw more viewers and garner more media attention, from a pure boxing standpoint, there might not be a better fight to make in the current landscape of the sport than Kovalev-Ward.

Both fighters are undefeated and have beaten excellent competition over the course of their careers. There is also an intriguing contrast in styles, with Kovalev a premier slugger who rips through his opponents with ease, and Ward a level-headed technician capable in both offense and defense. 

Isaac Chilemba and Maurice Hooker highlight the HBO undercard, and two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields will make her professional debut on the free-to-view support slots that will be live-streamed on YouTube.

       

Kovalev vs. Ward Fight Info

Date: Saturday, November 19

Time: 9 p.m. ET (main card), 7 p.m. ET (free undercard)

TV: HBO (PPV)

Live Stream: YouTube (free undercard)

          

Preview

Kovalev		Ward
30-0-1, 26 KOs	Record	30-0-0, 15 KOs
84%	KO Percentage	50%
114	Rounds	218
33	Age	32
6'0"	Height	6'0"
72.5"	Reach	71"
Orthodox	Stance	Orthodox

Kovalev is putting his WBA, IBF and WBO light heavyweight belts on the line in this bout. After dominating the super-middleweight ranks, Ward doesn't have a strap on the line in Las Vegas, but he is no underdog here.

There are arguments to be made for both men. Kovalev is a knockout machine who dispenses wall-crumbling punches while offering little in the way of a discernible weakness in defense. 

His 84 percent knockout rate is a testament to the ease with which he rips through opponents. Kovalev's boxing record is littered with bouts that saw his opponents crumble within the first four or five rounds, including recognizable names such as Nadjib Mohammedi and Nathan Cleverly.

Though he failed to stop Chilemba in July, Kovalev did send the Malawian to the canvas for only the third time in his career.

The only other fighter to go the distance with Krusher since he became an established boxer was Bernard Hopkins, but Kovalev earned a shutout on the cards. Simply surviving to the final bell might stand as one of the more impressive feats of the American fighter's long and storied career. 

Final-bell fights aren't Kovalev's style, but he did seem to learn something from going the distance against Chilemba and Hopkins, per Boxing News' John Dennen:

I got some experience from my fight against Bernard Hopkins. He showed that never give up. That you should to fight all 12 rounds and hope for your win. I think my last fight against Chilemba, it was like a similar fight you know, because Chilemba’s [style is] a little bit like Andre Ward. But Andre Ward is Andre Ward, a little bit different and stronger, smarter, undefeated and more motivated than Chilemba. I’m interested what he will bring November 19 to the ring.

Kovalev's technique is polished and his power is devastating, so any extra insights gleaned from a rare foray into the later rounds should serve him well on Saturday night.

Armed with an array of power punches, Kovalev is definitely Ward's toughest opponent to date, not that it's prompted the Oakland-born boxer to change his approach ahead of this match, per Robert Morales of the Long Beach Press-Telegram: (h/t the Los Angeles Daily News):

Mentally, it’s honestly the same to me. Obviously, there’s a lot at stake and it’s a different challenge moving up in weight, pay-per-view, all of those things make it a little bit different. Whether it’s Alexander Brand or Sergey Kovalev, I approach every situation the same way.

Ward is the epitome of equanimity inside the ropes, sometimes to the detriment of his star potential.

In his tuneup win over Alexander Brand, a gangly, awkward fighter, Ward outclassed his opponent in every way, but he didn't press or try to overwhelm his opponent at any point. The moment simply didn't call for it.

Ward's stoic nature and process-oriented approach will likely serve him well against Kovalev, who has the surging power that will quickly switch a fighter over from frontal-lobe thinking to the chaotic backup generator that is the fight-or-flight response.

Bleacher Report's Lyle Fitzsimmons expects Kovalev to bring pressure early. He wrote: 

Come Saturday night, Andre Ward will be facing the same behemoth with the same toolbox. 

And in order to do more than simply survive 12 rounds, a la Hopkins, he's going to need to break from the gate with far more offense.

Given that he's fighting a man unaccustomed to taking shots from a burly light heavyweight, Kovalev is likely to press the fight and try to rough his man up from the start. Ward, on the contrary, will be forced to use his superior movement and hand speed to get through unscathed and begin to build an advantage on the scorecards. 

His ring smarts will also come in handy when probing for a weakness. Ward's trainer, Virgil Hunter, believe's Kovalev has at least one tell.

“Kovalev’s right hand is impressive, but he tips it off,” Hunter said, per the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire “I haven’t seen a Thomas Hearns shot. It’s usually an accumulation of punches that get his knockouts.

“And you’re not going to accumulate punches on Andre Ward.”

Of course, Jackson would tell you that the accumulation isn't quite necessary, but one has to think Ward could see Kovalev's best shot coming and do enough to diffuse at least some of the power with the right maneuver. 

Indeed, Ward's defense will need to be at its best if he is to defeat Kovalev. Any gambit the American employs to gain an edge on offense must be carefully and precisely deployed, lest he get caught in an open position. 

Kovalev doesn't necessarily have to crush Ward to earn a victory. If he can consistently make better inroads on offense and dish out more visible damage, it could be enough to win a close fight.

The Russian has shown in his longer fights he also knows how to build on an advantage. If he stuns Ward a few times early, he could yet win on points.

Kovalev will also need to keep his wits about him in this bout, whether it's avoiding frustration borne of Ward's elusiveness or anger from his opponent's supposed dirty tactics. The Russian has said he "will kick him if he does something dirty to me," per the Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies, so there is that to look out for.

Ward is the relative newcomer to the light heavyweight division, having only fought twice at this weight, but he looked no worse the wear for it. His move up to the division was preceded by a layoff from the sport of almost two years.

So if there's a nit to pick, it's that it has been some time since Ward's been in a truly high-profile scrap. Then again, the preparation and poise remains the same, so it might not matter at all.

Though it's difficult to predict who will emerge victorious from this bout, one thing is for certain: It will be a career-defining bout for both men, one that will propel the winner to the top of the boxing world and deliver the loser the first bitter taste of professional defeat.

Nathan Cleverly is a two-time world champion after taking the WBC regular title from Juergen Braehmer in Neubrandenburg, Germany.

The two light heavyweights were involved in a very watchable tussle through six rounds before the bout came to a rather abrupt halt before the start of the seventh.

Southpaw Braehmer, who had previously not tasted defeat since 2008, retired citing a dislocated right elbow, handing Welshman Cleverly the belt.

You can relive the action by reading Bleacher Report's blog:

Like the motion picture Avatar, a fight between light heavyweights Juergen Braehmer and Nathan Cleverly has been a long, long time in the making.

The duo were scheduled to meet in 2011, only for then-WBO champion Braehmer to pull out at late notice due to a cut suffered in training. His failure to make it to the O2 Arena in London meant he surrendered his belt to Cleverly without ever making it to the ring.

Now, five years on from the missed opportunity, the pair will try again, only this time in Germany.

Braehmer puts his WBA title on the line this weekend on home soil at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg.

However, having to travel for the opportunity to win a world title again shouldn't concern Cleverly, who had a brief stint campaigning at cruiserweight before dropping back down to 175 pounds last year.

   

When: Saturday, October 1, 10 p.m. BST (5 p.m. ET)

Where: Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, Germany.

TV: SAT.1 (Germany) Sky Sports (UK)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK)

   

No Place Like Home

Braehmer has fought just once outside of Germany in a 50-fight career—and even then it was only a short trip to Hungary to take on Aleksy Kuziemski in 2009.

His no-show in London was a disappointing way for his reign as WBO champion to end, yet the 37-year-old doesn't feel much has changed since the pair were first scheduled to meet.

"This fight is five years in the making, and I believe that it has got bigger over the years and the interest in it has only grown," he told Sky Sports (h/t Matt Horan of SkySports.com). "I rate Cleverly the same as I did in 2011, he has the same offensive style and I know how to prepare for him."

What certainly hasn't altered since then is the number of losses on Braehmer's record.

The southpaw has not tasted defeat since losing to Hugo Hernan Garay in November 2008. Since then, he's reeled off 17 wins on the spin and become a two-time world champion.

Take the streak on face value and it's hard not to be impressed. However, delve a little deeper and you notice there are not too many noticeable names on Braehmer's long list of victims.

Per The Ring magazine's rankings, the southpaw from Stralsund has not faced another member of the top 10.

Still, a record of 35 KO victories should not be sniffed at. While Braehmer may not always be stretched by the toughest level of competition, he often finds a way to get rid of his foes before the final bell.

If he can find a way to stop Cleverly—whose only career loss inside the distance came against Russian Sergey Kovalev—it would be his most impressive result to date.

Last time out: Beat Eduard Gutknecht on points (March 12, 2016)

In a rematch of their 2013 bout, Braehmer defeated Gutknecht on points for a second time. The challenger, who was deducted a point in Round 10, had stepped in at relatively short notice following the withdrawal of Thomas Oosthuizen.

     

Career Crossroads

Cleverly: This is my destiny https://t.co/nEMTAQeLUp pic.twitter.com/VYrsPElYvX

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) September 26, 2016

To suggest it is a must-win fight for Cleverly is perhaps going a step too far, considering he is still only 29.

Yet it's hard for the Welshman to deny he's at a crossroads in his career. He will have lost four of his last seven bouts if he fails to grab the title at the weekend, a worrying number for a boxer with a degree in mathematics from Cardiff University.

Admittedly, one of those defeats came against rival Tony Bellew up at cruiserweight.

The move up to a new division may have made life easier on the scales for Cleverly, but carrying a few extra pounds didn't do him any favours in the ring at all.

Since dropping back down to light heavy, the former world champion has had one walkover win and one absolute war.

He needed just 24 seconds to see off Tomas Man last May, but he couldn't shift Andrzej Fonfara five months later during 12 brutal rounds in Chicago, Illinois.

Cleverly—who suffered a broken nose and needed blood drained from a damaged ear—lost on points, yet he showed a hunger (perhaps due to the weight limit) that had been lacking since losing to Kovalev in 2013.

Revitalised and ready for the chance to finally face Braehmer, Cleverly has appeared confident of victory in the buildup.

"I don’t feel we’ve seen the best of what I can offer, and getting my hands on that belt will allow me to showcase what I can really do and make this second phase of my career the best yet," he said in a Matchroom Boxing press release.

The stakes are high for Clev; win and he can contemplate potential unification fights, lose and he may find himself stuck in limbo.

Last time out: Lost to Fonfara on points (October 16, 2015)

According to CompuBox, Cleverly and Fonfara combined to throw 2,524 punches, landing 936 of them. The latter came out on top on the scorecards to retain his WBC International title, although he has since lost the belt inside a round against Joe Smith Jr.

https://twitter.com/thefightbuzz/status/655277885511610368

   

Prediction

Cleverly's background in numbers won't help him solve the equation of beating Braehmer on German turf—but his boxing skills might.

The challenger opted to go toe-to-toe with Fonfara, a brave decision that won him some new fans in the United States but resulted in him losing the actual fight.

Braehmer's power means Cleverly shouldn't be looking to stand and trade too often. Instead, by boxing from a distance, he can pick off the champion and pick up the belt.

A result inside the distance seems unlikely either way, but Cleverly has the technical ability to triumph on points.

   

Bleacher Report will be running a live blog for the main event on Saturday. Join us from 9 p.m. BST (4 p.m. ET) for updates on the action.