Two of boxing’s top Light Heavyweights look to defend their titles and set the stage for a unification bout tonight (Sat., Aug. 4, 2018) as Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol face Eleider Alvarez and Isaac Chilemba, respectively, inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
MMAmania will deliver LIVE coverage of “Kovalev vs. Alvarez” below, starting with the HBO Boxing broadcast at 10 p.m. ET.
Kovalev (32-2-1, 28 KO) is working towards once again becoming the most feared 175er in the sport after rough losses to Andre Ward. Though he picked up decent wins over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Igor Mikhalkin, Alvarez (23-0, 11 KO) is easily his stiffest test since the Ward debacle and should give “The Krusher” a genuine fight.
Bivol (13-0, 11 KO) has emerged as the future of the division at 27 years old, most recently dominating and stopping the ever-dangerous Sullivan Barrera. Chilemba (25-2-2, 10 KO) is tough as nails, but came up short in consecutive bouts against Alvarez, Kovalev, and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
“KOVALEV VS. ALVAREZ QUICK RESULTS:
Sergey Kovalev vs. Eleider Alvarez
Dmitry Bivol vs. Isaac Chilemba
“KOVALEV VS. ALVAREZ PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES:
Sergey Kovalev vs. Eleider Alvarez
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Final result:
Dmitry Bivol vs. Isaac Chilemba
Round one: Bivol moving forward early. Both men jabbing. Lead hook lands for Bivol, who opens up with a heavy combination on the ropes. Bivol digs a right hand to the body. One minute in. Chilemba firing his jab. Stiffer jab by Bivol and a left hook soon afterwards. Lead hook lands for him. Low-high 1-2 from Bivol with a minute to go, then a thudding left hook downstairs. Chilemba with a right hook to the body. Left hook connects. Left uppercut by Bivol. 10-9 Bivol.
Round two: Chilemba trying to keep Bivol at range with his jab, but a left hook knocks him back. Bivol on the attack. Chilemba comes back with a left hook. Three-piece by Bivol and a chopping right a minute in. Chilemba lands a hook around the guard, but it’s all Bivol so far. Bivol with a left hook upstairs, then another as Chilemba straightens up. One minute to go. They trade in the center after a stiff Bivol jab. Right hand by Bivol. Left hook catches Chilemba leaning. 10-9, 20-18 Bivol.
Round three: Chilemba’s jab looks alright, but that’s all he’s got so far. Bivol landing his own jab with regularity as well. Bivol backs him to the ropes, clinch. Chilemba tries a hook, eats two in return. One minute to go. Chilemba lands an uppercut that’s met by a left hook. Bivol with more left hooks. 3-2 lands. Bivol landing hard shots on the ropes, Chilemba roars back with an overhand right. 10-9, 30-27 Bivol.
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