A short time ago, when the WBC ordered it's light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson to face Sergey Kovalev later this year, not everyone was thrilled with the Council's decision. Why, some wondered, was the Council ordering a bout when it was clear Kovalev had a mandatory title defense ahead of him? Was that really the way things should be done?
Clearly Kathy Duva, the head honcho of Main Events Promotions, doesn't think so. For she's essentially pulled Kovalev out of a purse bid for the proposed Stevenson bout which was supposed to go down in Mexico. That means hopes for a title unifier between Kovalev and fellow light heavyweight champ Stevenson have been crushed yet again.
Yet I'm not about to point the finger at Duva. Let's not forget that it was Duva who was expecting Stevenson to face Kovalev last year and that Stevenson walked away from the deal. Just because the WBC has now decided Stevenson and Kovalev need to fight doesn't mean Duva suddenly needs to drop all plans and loyalties.
Indeed, Kovalev is an HBO fighter. A purse bid could possibly lead the man to breaking his contract with that network. Could HBO have simply outbid all competitors for the bout? Sure. It most likely wasn't evident that the cable outlet would do that, however, so Duva did what she had to. She's Kovalev's promoter, after all.
It's also worth asking whether or not Stevenson would have given up his WBC strap rather than face Kovalev. He clearly hasn't been all that keen on facing the man in the past, after all. With PBC having downplayed belt ownership already, is the fighter known as "Superman" really that interested in being the WBCs man at light heavyweight?
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