Sergey Kovalev Is Eyeing Andre Ward, but He Won't Overlook Isaac Chilemba

Sergey Kovalev doesn’t have any shortage of things to keep him motivated these days.

The unified light heavyweight titleholder—and most accomplished fighter in the division, lineal title or not—is set to defend his WBA, WBO and IBF Light Heavyweight Championships against veteran contender Isaac Chilemba on HBO in his native Russia.

The unusual Monday fight presents the Krusher with an opportunity to showcase his brand of violence in front of a hometown audience against a credible challenger on a day not traditionally reserved for boxing.

Kovalev is motivated by the opportunity to perform not far from his hometown.

It’s a big deal, but one that he understands carries with it both risks and rewards, given the extraordinary nature of the event and what comes next, should he win.

“Nobody has ever knocked Chilemba out. I want to become the first,” Kovalev said, per Yuri Tarantin of Boxing Scene. “I don’t want to overlook Chilemba, because I have to maintain that mental focus of properly dealing with him in order to earn the right to box with Andre Ward.”

"Any time that I step into the ring, it's always a huge responsibility—and this time especially, because right in front of me I have another big fight waiting for me."

Kovalev and Ward, the former undisputed super middleweight champion who recently moved up to light heavyweight, agreed earlier this year to stage their highly anticipated bout on November 19 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on HBO pay-per-view.

That deal remains contingent on both men winning interim bouts, something that is widely expected (but never guaranteed in boxing) to happen.

Boxing fans have an obvious incentive to hope that nothing comes along to tank those plans.

It’s already been something of a year of disappointments for the people who keep the lights on in the sport with their interest, dollars and passion.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin has been ripped from them by shoddy promoter speak, and a Kovalev-Ward fight shines as the top prize of the fall schedule.

The only thing that can stand in the way now is the sometimes tricky interim bout.

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Chilemba has the opportunity to be boxing’s ultimate spoiler.

He’s been something of a hard-luck fighter throughout his career and dropped a close, disputed decision to top contender Eleider Alvarez last time out.

Chilemba feels—rightly, perhaps—disrespected in this whole process.

It’s no secret that most fans and media are overlooking the 29-year-old Malawian and discounting his chances of pulling what would be a pretty shocking upset. He says that gives him added fire ahead of the fight.

“Clearly they see me as a stepping stone and that’s total disrespect,” Chilemba said, per the South African newspaper Sowetan (h/t Isaac Robinson of Sky Sports). “They [Kovalev] are looking past me when we have not fought which means they see me as just a sparring partner. I am now going out there with more reason to beat this guy.”

“I am going to teach him some manners and in the process make history by becoming the first African fighter to win three titles in one night.”

Chilemba is a competent professional who presents a tricky style matchup for most guys. Two of his three losses came while fighting on the road (the third came early in his career), so he has experience competing in hostile confines.

What he might lack is the ability to handle a hostile opponent like Kovalev.

The Russian is workmanlike in his approach to destroying his opponents. He admitted in January that his rematch with Jean Pascal only lasted as long as it did so he could carry him a few rounds and continue the punishment.

Granted, there was significant bad blood between the two men, but the point is Kovalev is not the type of guy you want standing in front of you with his job being to inflict as much bodily harm as possible.

Add to that the motivations of fighting at home with the biggest fight of his career on the line, and Chilemba could find himself in line for a world of hurt when he steps through the ropes in Mother Russia.