Kovalev: If I Lost, I’d Have Retired

If Anthony Yarde defeated Sergey Kovalev last month, not only would he have lost his WBO light heavyweight title and a shot at Canelo Alvarez, but he’d have walked away from the sport.

“I understood what would happen if I won,” Kovalev said Wednesday to Keith Idec.

“I understood my career would continue if I won. If I lost, I would’ve stopped my boxing career. I didn’t want to stop my boxing career, and therefore I got the victory.”

“I’m very happy to be part of this event,” Kovalev said of the November 2nd defense against Alvarez, the sport’s biggest star.

“It’s a very exciting fight for me and a very exciting event. When I [first] met Canelo in 2012 in Big Bear [California], I couldn’t have imagined this fight. But now this fight is happening, and this is a huge test for me because he’s a young guy, he’s very talented, very strong, with a high IQ in the ring. It’s a good test and I’ll be ready.”

Report: Boxing Scene