Contender Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba is furious for being undermined by Russian world light heavyweight champion, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, ahead of their fight on July 11.
Kovalev holds International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Federation (WBF) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) belts, which are at stake for the Malawian. Chilemba wants to become the first African to win all the three belts at once.
But the Blantyre-born fighter is unhappy that Kovalev is using the fight in Russia as a mere tune-up for his subsequent bout against unbeaten former super middleweight champion, Andre Ward, on November 19.
“Clearly they [Team-Kovalev] see me as a stepping stone; total disrespect,” Chilemba, 29, told Sowetan Live website of South Africa last week.
“They are looking past me when we have not even fought which means they see me as just a sparring partner. I am going to teach him some manners and in the process, make history by becoming the first African fighter to win three titles in one night. I am now going out with more reason to beat this guy.”
The fight is scheduled for the DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia. The Malawian’s record is 24-3-2 against 29-0-1, 26 KOs for the 33-year-old Russian.
Chilemba, who is bitter being counted out by many boxing fans as another knock-out victim for Kovalev, has since relocated from his South Africa base to Russia for the last stretch of training.
The online publication added that the Malawian lost to arguably lesser fighters than Kovalev in Tony Bellew, Eleider Alvarez and Willbeforce Shihepo in the past, hence the odds are staked heavily against him.
Chilemba lost to Alvarez by a 12-round majority decision in Canada last November.
If Chilemba had more offensive skills, then he would not be overlooked for this fight, added the publication. His lack of punching power puts him in a real bind against Kovalev.
Chilemba only has one way of beating Kovalev—out-boxing him over 12 rounds. The Malawian recently said every boxer has strength and that his is speed and not power.
But the publication insisted that speed will certainly not work because Kovalev is a pretty good boxer with a great jab.
Kovalev has not gone the full 12 rounds since his win over Bernard Hopkins in November 2014.
However, Chilemba took the big punches from his last opponent Alvarez without getting hurt.
Chilemba’s fight will be televised on HBO Championship Boxing.—Additional reporting by Boxingnews24.com
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