'Yarde says he's a lion. He's a lion cub. I'll take him to school!' Kovalev on WBO title contender
Sergey Kovalev insists he will put “lion cub” Anthony Yarde “in his place” when the two clash for the WBO light heavyweight title in the Russian’s hometown of Chelyabinsk at the ‘Traktor’ Ice Arena on Saturday.
Kovalev, nicknamed ‘Krusher’ due to his fearsome KO record which has seen him dispatch 28 opponents early in his 33 wins against three losses and one draw, arrived in Chelyabinsk on Tuesday from his training camp in Moscow, and wasted no time in telling assembled press of his plans for August 24.
Three-time world champion Kovalev seemed irritated at Yarde's conduct on social media, particularly interviews since the 18-0 prospect landed in Russia where he reinforces his earlier "f*ck Kovalev" comments and reposted doctored pictures of himself knocking out the Russian.
Despite having refrained from commenting on such, Kovalev retaliated by taking aim at the Londonder's trademark 'lions in the camp' chant, and vowed to put the 28-year-old "in his place" come fight night.
"He calls himself a lion, but I would say he is a lion cub. I’m going to take him to school. Due to his experience, it doesn't really bother me - there’s tonnes like him. You can also understand him," Kovalev said, in his usual laid back yet menacing tone.
“We will put him in his place, he puts a lot of unpleasant stuff of Instagram. There’s no need to get worked up about it - it’s his business and his right,” says Kovalev.
Yarde will be Kovalev's first defence of the title since becoming champion for a third time by besting Eleider Alvarez in a rematch in February. He intially won the WBO title in 2013 against another Brit Nathan Cleverly and then lost back-to-back matches against Andre Ward.
For this fight, Kovalev's training has been completed under the respected eye of Hall of Fame trainer James 'Buddy' McGirt, and the fighter informed that everything in camp had "gone to plan".
“Training in Moscow went excellent, today our first rest day, let’s say, is under way. Until today every day was a training day. Last week I went from one training to another, everything went to plan,” Ring magazine's 2014 'fighter of the year' said.
“There are no worries. I’ve arrived home, I’ve missed my friends and family, everything that was around me while I lived here."
McGirt is making his third trip to Russia and first ever to the capital of the country's South Ural region. Kovalev proudly told journalists that he would take McGirt on a guided tour of his homeland.
“Today we are going to the hotel, everything is going to plan. I’m going to show [Buddy] where I lived after coming here from Kopeysk - it's a communal living area on a tractor factory on Lenin Street, and then where I lived after my mother joined us here,” the 36-year-old said.
Yarde, who has stopped 17 of his 18 opponents in his paid career, previously stated his rough and ready upbringing in East London will stand him in good stead for the "hostility" he expects to experience in Russia.
The fighter landed a surprise shot at Kovalev despite not having faced any real notable opposition at domestic or European level by having won and numerously defended the WBO inter-continental light heavyweight belt, a stepping stone strap that gained him valuable ranking point
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