Sergey Kovalev’s Homecoming Farewell Ended
Sergey Kovalev stopped Artur Mann in Chelyabinsk, Russia, on April 18, 2025. The IBA.Pro 2.0 cruiserweight headliner ended in the seventh round, giving Kovalev the IBA Pro Intercontinental title in a contest promoted as his farewell appearance.
An early uppercut created the first knockdown
Kovalev dropped Mann with a left uppercut late in the second round. Mann recovered and reached the bell, then produced a more competitive response during the middle rounds.
The German remained involved through rounds three, four and five before Kovalev regained stronger momentum in the sixth. The contest therefore required another sustained attack after the opening knockdown.
The seventh-round combination brought the corner intervention
Kovalev landed a right uppercut followed by a punching combination that sent Mann down again. Mann’s corner decided the contest should end, completing the technical knockout.
The victory came in front of Kovalev’s home audience at age forty-two. It supplied the successful conclusion sought by the farewell promotion rather than leaving the evening to the judges.
The cruiserweight assignment followed a major light heavyweight career
Kovalev had held the WBA and IBF light heavyweight championships together and enjoyed three separate WBO reigns. His championship achievements included regaining the WBO belt from Eleider Alvarez in 2019.
The Mann bout concerned an IBA regional cruiserweight title, distinct from those earlier world championships. Its significance was the veteran’s homecoming finish: two knockdowns, a competitive middle stretch and a final combination that persuaded the opposing corner to stop the fight.
Sources
- IBA: April 18 date, farewell billing and light heavyweight championship background
- IBA: second-round knockdown, middle rounds and seventh-round corner stoppage
- The Ring: Yunost Arena homecoming and farewell plans
