Artur Mann serves as Sergey Kovalev’s retirement fight on Friday in Chelyabinsk, Russia. (REUTERS/Ints Kalnins)
(REUTERS / Reuters)
“I’m not sure why [Sergey Kovalev] has picked me,” Artur Mann ponders, with a smirk on his face. The German cruiserweight sits in a lonely hotel room in Chelyabinsk, Russia, contemplating what the next few days will have in store for him.
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On Friday night, the 34-year-old has been chosen for a very special assignment — to be Sergey Kovalev’s (35-5-1, 29 KOs) final opponent as a professional boxer, in the home town of the former unified light-heavyweight world champion. It will bring a close to the Russian’s Hall of Fame worthy 16-year career, which at its peak saw Kovalev threaten the top of the sport’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Fighting inside the Yunost Arena in a scheduled 10-rounder, Kovalev and Mann will meet in the 200-pound division as part of the IBA Champions tournament.
Twenty-six fights into his pro career, Mann (22-4, 13 KOs) is no stranger to life on the road.
“Thunderman” has fought on away soil in the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Latvia, South Africa, the United States and Russia previously before, but never before have the stakes been so high for the Kazakh-born German.
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“I have dreamt about an opportunity like this for my whole career,” he says. “I’ve been following his [Kovalev’s] career and wasn’t really sure I’d get a chance to fight him. I guess you could say I am going from a fan to an opponent.
“But as special as this moment is for Kovalev, to me, it can be even more special. This fight gives me a chance to change my life forever, and catapult myself into some of the biggest fights in the division. I need to grab it with both hands.”
Kovalev has fought just twice since losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2019 — beating Tervel Pulev in 2022, then dropping a unanimous decision to Robin Sirwan Safar this past May.
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The now 42-year-old was knocked down in the 10th and final round of his contest against Safar, and showed enough weaknesses for Mann to be encouraged ahead of Friday night’s bout.
“He didn’t look good last time out, but we aren’t underestimating him,” Mann says. “It will be as much fighting Kovalev as it will the crowd and the occasion. The whole of the arena will be supporting Kovalev. And for me? Just my team of five. But we like being an underdog — I proved in Poland [against Nikodem Jezewski] that I can get a win away from home, and look good doing it.
“Maybe his team saw that I have lost in Russia before so that’s why they picked me, but I am determined to show them that it is a big mistake.”
Mann doesn’t seem overly concerned with potential biased judging and refereeing in Russia. In his point of view, it’s part of the deal, and a stoppage victory takes any power away from the officials in Chelyabinsk.
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“We have trained for the knockout, so we aren’t looking for any excuses after the fight,” he expanded. “So hopefully, it won’t matter that I am the B fighter or even a C fighter. We believe we have the correct game plan for this fight, and I’ll be able to overwhelm him from the opening bell.
“All I have done is eat, sleep, drink, train and think about this fight for a long time now, so I couldn’t be more prepared.
“Of course I respect Kovalev, but when we enter the ring that respect is over until the final bell. Perhaps, if I knock him out, I will feel a bit sad afterward — but this is the business of boxing.”
Kovalev may be the one saying goodbye on Friday night, but Mann believes he can slam the door shut.