Kovalev-Yarde Postponed, Purse Bid Set

A WBO Light Heavyweight title fight between champion Sergey Kovalev and Anthony Yarde has been postponed from its original June 29 date.

The WBO has scheduled a purse bid for this Tuesday, June 11, to take place in the lobby of the JFK Airport Hotel in Queens, New York. Any promoter must produce a minimum $300,000 bid and, if selected, would be responsible for coming up with an agreed upon date and location.

Kathy Duva of Main Events, Kovalev’s promoter, had announced a deal for the fight had been reached and a purse bid scheduled for April was not needed. But as the date of the fight neared without an official announcement, Yarde and his promoter, Frank Warren, did not want to wait any longer before traveling to Russia.

A couple of days ago, Warren told BT Sport that no visa invitations were handed out, and while Yarde enrolled in VADA testing, he believed Kovalev had not.

"We signed the contracts, but they didn't send the visa invitations!" 😤

"Anthony enrolled in VADA testing, I don't believe Kovalev did…"

Frank Warren explains the delay in announcing Sergey Kovalev v Anthony Yarde 👇 pic.twitter.com/EKJcW1YWz1

— Boxing on BT Sport 🥊 (@BTSportBoxing) June 6, 2019

This is set to be Kovalev’s first defense of his third reign as light heavyweight champion and his first fight since defeating Eleider Alvarez to regain the title in February. Alvarez upset Kovalev 10 months ago, knocking Kovalev out in the seventh round of their original encounter after Kovalev dominated the first six . rounds.

Yarde is unbeaten at 17-0, last competing in October, scoring a fourth-round TKO of Walter Gabriel Sequeira.

Original Story: Boxing Scene