Former light heavyweight boxing champion Sergey Kovalev hasn’t been back in the ring ever since he suffered a knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in 2019.
He finally reemerged during a recent Triller event. He was matched with the younger brother of Kubrat Pulev, Tervel Pulev.
Kubrat Pulev famously knocked out Frank Mir in Triller.
Tervel, 39, ended up landing a major elbow on Kovalev, 39, during a recent event.
Tervel Pulev dropping an elbow in a #boxing fight. #TrillerVerz5 pic.twitter.com/2cphpGYzfp
— TrillerTV (@FiteTV) May 15, 2022
Over ten rounds, Kovalev easily defeated Tervel. However, an unintentional elbow in the seventh round put his chin to the test.
After 31 months break, Kovalev is looking for a hectic schedule to compensate for the lost time.
“I’m just going to keep in shape after this fight, we’ll rest one week and then get back in the gym.”
“I worried how it was going to be in the fight, of course there was some ring rust. Without boxing at a high level for over a year, my body doesn’t like this. I want to fight every three or four months,” Kovalev said.
“The plan was just to use the jab and distance. But I felt like I didn’t have enough energy in my body.”
“I think in my next fight, it would be at a higher level. Give me one more fight, and I’ll be ready for a world title opportunity.”
Pulev, 39, had defeated southpaw Jerry Forrest earlier in the night. The Bulgarian was making his comeback after losing to Anthony Joshua in December 2020.