Sergey Kovalev, known as ‘The Krusher’, is preparing for his final professional boxing match. He is scheduled to face Artur Mann, a German-based Kazakh boxer, on April 19th as part of the IBA Champions tournament.
The fight will be held in Kovalev’s hometown region of Chelyabinsk, marking the end of his 16-year career that began in 2009. Kovalev previously held the unified light-heavyweight champion title. His last fight saw him lose a decision to Robin Sirwan Safar in Riyadh.
Kovalev rose to prominence in 2013 with a victory over WBO champion Nathan Cleverly. While losses to Andre Ward impacted his career trajectory, he secured notable wins against Jean Pascal, Bernard Hopkins, and Eleider Alvarez. The 41-year-old has a record of 35-5-1 with 29 knockouts.
“I’m happy with my career achievements, and I’m leaving boxing with a peaceful heart,” Kovalev said at an IBA press conference.
“Right now, I’m focused on my fight against Artur Mann, who is still a very live opponent. I’m also glad that my last fight will be in my hometown of Chelyabinsk, and I’m grateful to the organizers for making it happen.
“It’s time to hang up the gloves and move on to the next chapter of my life.”
