Sergei “The Krusher” Kovalev (35-5-1, 29 KOs), who has won the light heavyweight world title three times, will step into the ring for what he says will be his final bout on April 18, 2025. The event will take place at the Yunost Arena in Chelyabinsk, within his native country of Russia, and will be broadcast live.
Boxing enthusiasts worldwide can view his final bout live and for free through Boxing News.
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The previous undisputed light heavyweight titleholder is set to confront Artur Mann, who is a Kazakhstan-born fighter based in Germany, during the IBA Champions tournament. This match will serve as the finale for his remarkable career that has lasted more than 16 years and dominated the top tier of boxing at the 175-pound weight class.
The bout will be broadcast worldwide via
Boxing News
Starting at 1:30 PM Eastern Time / 10:30 AM Pacific Time. Viewers in Russia can watch on Match! TV.
How to Watch:
Global Stream: Boxing News
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Russia: Match! TV
Main Event Ringwalk Times:
1:30am (Russia)
9:30pm (UK)
4:30pm (ET)
1:30pm (PT)
At 42 years old, Kovalev departs with a legacy primarily remembered for his thrilling knockouts and legendary evenings.
The renowned Russian boxer entered the world of combat more than three decades ago at the age of 11. His initial foray as an amateur took place during the 1997 Russian Boxing Junior Championships, from which he emerged with a gold medal.
He secured numerous additional titles and concluded his amateur career with a record of 195 wins against 18 losses.
From his professional start in 2009 to his dominant victory over Nathan Cleverly in 2013, which earned him the WBO title, Kovalev rapidly established himself as one of boxing’s premier knockout artists.
He proceeded to consolidate multiple world championships and overcame legendary fighters such as Bernard Hopkins, also securing significant victories against Jean Pascal and Eleider Alvarez.
In 2016 and 2017, he experienced narrowly missed victories against Andre Ward, signaling the start of a downturn. However, his reputation as a formidable opponent persisted within the division, with notable wins over fighters like Igor Mikhakin, Anthony Yarde, and Tervel Pulev.
Following ‘Krusher’s’ loss of the WBO light heavyweight title to Canelo in 2019, his career took a dip. His planned return match in 2020 got scrapped because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and later in 2021, he failed a drug test for using a prohibited substance.
In 2022, he made a comeback and beat undefeated Tervel Pulev in California. His most recent defeat was against Safar in Saudi Arabia last year.
Kovalev’s last fight will be held in his hometown region of Chelyabinsk, providing a suitable backdrop for the end of his remarkable career. This event occurs almost a year since his previous match, where he suffered a decision defeat against Robin Sirwan Safar over 10 rounds in Riyadh back in May 2024.
Sergey stated, “I’m excited about getting the chance for the last battle of my career right here where I belong—in Chelyabinsk.”
Fans are thrilled because it’s been quite some time since I last stepped into the ring. Facing Artur Mann will be challenging, but I’m equally keen to deliver an impressive performance for all those who’ve backed me throughout my career.
I’ve had the privilege of traveling and gaining numerous fans worldwide, which makes me happy because my dedicated followers in the United States and United Kingdom can watch my last bout for free on the Boxing News YouTube channel.
The British-based boxing promoter Al Siesta, who is the CEO of IBA Pro and the organizer of Friday’s fight night, stated: “We at IBA Pro feel incredibly proud and honored to present the concluding bout of Sergey’s illustrious career.”
Sergey is a competitor who has consistently delivered immense value and thrill to audiences worldwide. That’s why it was crucial for us at IBA Pro to ensure this event would be accessible globally without cost on the Boxing News YouTube channel—allowing enthusiasts everywhere to watch and experience Krusher’s concluding act together!
We are delighted to offer this thrilling bout to fans worldwide at no cost via our broadcasting partners, Boxing News.
“We have a full night of action in Chelyabinsk, featuring several of the region’s top emerging talent and some potential stars of the future, so watch this space!
“IBA Pro is here to deliver compelling, competitive match-ups for fans… and you can see that, for free, on Friday night on the Boxing News YouTube channel.”
Fight Card:
Sergey Kovalev vs Artur Mann
Timur Bibilov vs Joshua Wasike
Akhmadshokh Makhmadshoevs vs Artem Pugach
Albina Moldazhanova versus Nuriyat Alibekova
Karen Soloviev vs Islam Koloev
Tamirlan Kasymov versus Kamil Radzhabov
Luis Miguel Bayona versus Valery Danilogorsky
