The unified master of lightweight heavyweight Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (36-5-1, 30 KO) ended his 16-year professional career with a positive note, winning a technical technical knockout in the seventh round over Artur Mann (22-5, 13 KO) on Friday evening at Yunost Arena in Chelyabinsk.
Fighting in front of a family crowd, 42-year-old Kovalev landed with a handsome left, right left combination to put manna on canvas. After Mann, born in Kazakhstan, returned to her feet, his corner decided to stop the fight. His legs swayed after he returned, and it would not be a good idea to let him continue.
Manna’s resistance
Earlier in the fight Kovalev knocked Mann with a low left hook in the second round. Mann was seriously hurt after he returned, but survived the storm after inflammation of the bulky blows from Kovalev. In the last seconds of the Mann round fell for the second time, but the judge said it was a slip. It seemed that this could be justified to knock down.
In third and four rounds, he fought well, tagging Kovaleva with low blows and making him utilize energy. Mann suffered a cut on the right eye in the third round of hitting with repeated stiff stabs from Sergey.
“Krusher” looked clearly tired of energy, which he spent in the second round. Despite this, Mann could not utilize his fatigue because of his low exit. He was still approaching, but he did not throw, and allowed Kovalev to land stabs and power. Mann had power, but he didn’t let his shots leave.
Kovalev got his second wind in the sixth and significantly increased his result. In this round he marked Mann with many blows and it could be said that the fight would not last longer if Artur did not start to reject something.
Thoughts in retirement?
This Kovaleva performance can give him second thoughts about his retirement because he looked good in this fight compared to some of his last. However, he did not have to worry that nothing would come back to him because Mann was like a training bag. The circuitous weight division is faint. So it is possible that Kovalev has gone to the title.
His age can be an obstacle because he cannot afford to spend years, trying to gain a position for the title of world champion. In addition, the money does not change life for Kovalev, unless Turki Alalshikh was interested in financing the fight between him and one of the masters.