Kovalev will have one more fight!

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev is gearing up for a farewell bout on April 19 in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia. At 41 years old, the former unified light heavyweight champion says he’s ready to hang up the gloves after one more trip to the ring. His opponent, Artur Mann, is no soft touch, having gone the distance with solid competition like Mairis Briedis and Kevin Lerena.

Kovalev’s last outing came in May 2024, when he lost a unanimous decision to Robin Safar on a Riyadh card. That was only his second fight since his 2019 loss to Canelo Alvarez, and though he showed grit by going all ten rounds with Safar, he was floored in the final frame. The “Krusher” admits Father Time caught up with him, and he’s looking to close out his career on a high note.

Watch Kovalev vs. Safar highlights: Watch

Across his 16-year run, Kovalev mixed it up with some of the best - Canelo Alvarez, Andre Ward, Bernard Hopkins, Jean Pascal, and Anthony Yarde. He unified titles at 175 and created plenty of fireworks with his puncher’s style. Now the big question: is Kovalev Hall of Fame material? It’s a toss-up, but he certainly left fans with memorable showdowns and highlight-reel knockouts.

For now, all eyes will be on Chelyabinsk, where the hard-hitting Kovalev hopes to give a final glimpse of his old magic against Mann - 12 years his junior and more active in recent bouts. Regardless of the outcome, Kovalev says he’s “happy with what I’ve achieved in my career” and is at peace stepping away.