All Sergey Kovalev had to do was leave tonight’s fight as champion and a bout with Bernard Hopkins would be finalized. A shaky start put those plans into jeopardy for one of boxings heaviest hitters.
In the first round Kovavlev was hit with a low blow and then Caparello landed a well place shot that took the champion down to a knee. The ref counted it as a knockdown and Kovalev was behind, a feeling he rarely faces.
Like a true champion he came out in the 2nd round with a renewed fire and made easy work of the underdog Caparello. He won by TKO after the referee was forced to stop the bout.
Now a much stiffer challenge awaits in the “Alien” Bernard Hopkins. Logic says that Bernard must eventually look & fight his age but the veteran has shown no signs of slowing down. The fight should be one of the biggest this spring and one of the toughest to predict.