LOS ANGELES, Calif., November 15, 2017 – An energized, reinvigorated Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) spoke with Southern California’s leading boxing journalists and websites and put on a show of skills at a media workout on Tuesday, November 14. The event also featured Kovalev’s new trainer, Abror Tursunpulatov; Kathy Duty, CEO of Main Events, and Egis Klimas, Kovalev’s manager.
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev – former unified light heavyweight world champion
“Right now, God has blessed me and given me this opportunity to get back to this level. Maybe in the future, we can do unification fights between every champion. In every division, there must be one champion. I follow this goal, and right now I’m working on it.”
“I worked hard by myself, but with Abror, these workouts are different dosages, intervals. If today we’re working very hard, then next day is a little bit lighter, working on my style. When I work myself, I work hard every day. I didn’t give a rest to my body, it wasn’t good.”
“We’re just working on my strengths, what I can do the best. We are working on my body, my style, and what I can do much better.”
On his new diet regimen:
“More natural, more organic. I like it. If you cook right, it’s very delicious and very healthy. You’re feeling this, I’m feeling what I’m eating. I am what I’m eating. You are what you eat. Really, I feel this and my energy is much better with the right food.”
“I’m very glad to work with Abror. We understand each other; we speak the same language. It’s the most important thing. I understand what he wants. If he says something about an exercise and I don’t agree, we discuss it and we find compromise, some solutions. It’s almost never happening, because what he’s giving me, I understand it can help me. We are the same mentally, I understand where we go, for what, and why. I feel very comfortable to work with him and very happy has control of my training camps and my conditioning for my shape.”
“Slava Shabranskyy is a real fighter. The fight is going to be interesting. He is ready to fight and I am ready, too. He is very motivated because it is a title fight for the WBO title. We’re both happy and very motivated. It will be a great fight.”
“Let me show you November 25 different boxing, the real Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. I’ve changed a lot of things. I’ve deleted a lot of mistakes. It’s time to change.”
Abror Tursunpulatov – trainer, Sergey Kovalev
“We come from the same training facility, we have the same manager, Egis Klimas. We live there like brothers, and if someone is in a bad situation, someone is hurt, all of us is hurt.”
“I don’t have no pressure. Of course, I want to prove he is the best. I can do it and I feel very comfortable.”
“The main important thing is for Sergey to work under my supervision, under my plan, and if works under my plan and my supervision, that is when we are going to get results.”
“We are just changing right now a little bit, we need more time to make more changes. We’re trying to add, I hope until the fight is done.”
Kathy Duva – CEO, Main Events:
“We’re having fun now, it’s a job but it’s always better when you can enjoy your work.”
“Sergey’s made it very clear that this was all a wake-up call for him. He’s decided to get it together. You can’t be the champion of the world and out with your friends.”
“The day he won the title from Bernard Hopkins, Bernard told Sergey, ‘You’re going to be a champion as long as you want to be. As long as you keep focus, nobody’s ever going to beat you. You’re going to lose when you lose focus.'”
“He’s got a chance now to hit the reset button. He’s still the man in the division. There are a lot of talented fighters in the division. They are all climbing up to beat him. Now they are all going to have to chase him. It’s a more comfortable place to be. We’ll see what happens on November 25.”
“Everybody else in the top ten, all those young guys coming up, they stand there and fight. We’re going to have some amazing fights in the light heavyweight division, it’s going to be entertaining.”
Egis Klimas – manager, Sergey Kovalev
“I see a completely different person. He is more concentrated, more focused, more dedicated, he’s training hard, he’s watching his diet. He made the big changes in his head.”
“Because of theses couple of losses, I can even blame myself for some of it, it was my mistake … I realized he needs to get out of his comfort zone. Everything is for the better.”
Kovalev vs. Shabranskyy is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight World Title promoted by Main Events and Krusher Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Barrera vs. Valera is a 10-round light heavyweight fight promoted by Main Events in Association with Shuan Boxing Promotions. Gamboa vs. Sosa is a 10-round super featherweight fight promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Peltz Boxing and ZR Entertainment. The event will take place at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT