LAS VEGAS, NV (Aug. 27, 2016) – Tickets for the most anticipated fight of the year go on sale to the public on Friday, Sept. 2 at 11:00 a.m. PT. The Saturday, Nov. 19 showdown between No. 2 Pound-for-Pound* and WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) and No. 4 Pound for-Pound* and Two-Time World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) will crown the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Tickets start at $55 and are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.
Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound for Pound” is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
The mega-fight will be only the third bout in the history of The Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list to pit two undefeated Top 5 ranked pound-for-pound fighters against each other.
Kovalev, the Russian Wrecking Ball, 33, has been dominating boxing’s light heavyweight division with his aggressive, fan-friendly style since his breakout performance against then-unbeaten Nathan Cleverly in 2013. His rise to boxing stardom has been meteoric, as he has gone from an unknown fighter from Chelyabinsk, Russia to headlining HBO Pay-Per-View in just four years after signing with his first promoter, Main Events. Out of of Kovalev’s 30 career victories 26 have come by way of knockout. Additionally, he has entered into championship rounds only twice in his professional career. Kovalev has always sought to test himself against the best boxing has to offer; he wants to prove in the ring that he deserves that mantle.
Ward, 32, the last American man to win an Olympic Gold Medal in boxing (2004), reigned as the WBA Super Middleweight World Champion from 2009 to 2015 while fighting mostly out of his hometown, Oakland, CA. He announced his intention to move to up to the light heavyweight division in search of a bigger challenge in 2015, shortly after signing with his current promoter, Roc Nation Sports. He has been a top rated pound-for-pound fighter since 2011. Ward is seeking to assume his place and leave a legacy at the top of the sport.
Kovalev said, “I am very excited to finally get my chance to face Andre Ward on November 19. I want to face the best competition. I want to be the best Pound-for-Pound fighter in the world. Thank you to all of my fans and I hope everyone will come out and see this great fight on November 19 in Las Vegas.”
Ward responded, “I am excited, man. I am looking forward to it. I want to be the light heavyweight champion of the world… We will see you in November. I have been doing this for 22 years and if I am not ready to fight the best now then I will never be ready. I have been preparing for these moments since I been a kid. You got to respect Sergey for the way he has gotten to where he has gotten. He didn’t have any soft touches. He wasn’t protected. He wasn’t really pushed by the media. He is a guy who should get a lot more credit than he has. The winner of this fight could possibly be pound-for-pound #1.”
Main Events’ CEO, Kathy Duva, added, “There is no greater thrill for a boxing promoter than putting together a fight that the fans want to see. Sergey has always strived to be the best and face the best and on November 19 the new Pound-for-Pound king will be crowned. I think it is fitting that this fight is taking place in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has been home to many of the biggest and best fights, including both Taylor-Chavez I and De La Hoya-Trinidad. Now it will be the venue for the first Pound-For-Pound showdown of the new millennium. This should be a great night!”
Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy, Michael Yormark, said, “From its inception, Roc Nation Sports Boxing has remained committed to promoting the biggest fights featuring the world’s best fighters. That is exactly what we have in Kovalev-Ward – a fight that transcends boxing, transcends sports, and enters the rarefied realm of seminal cultural events. On Nov. 19, on boxing’s most legendary stage, we will find out who the best boxer in the world truly is. It will be a clash of cultures, styles, strategies and personalities and we are proud to represent Andre and be a part of history.”
“This pound-for-pound battle between two great champions will be a sensational matchup at T-Mobile Arena,” said Richard Sturm, president of Entertainment and Sports for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to working with both Main Events and Roc Nation Sports on this championship event which should be one of the most anticipated fights of the year.”
*According to The Ring Magazine
