WBO light heavyweight world champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (33-2-1, 28 KOs) will defend against Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (23-0, 11 KOs) on August 4 at the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. HBO will televise. Kovalev-Alvarez is the first boxing event at the newly opened venue.
Alvarez had been the mandatory challenger for WBC champ and stablemate Adonis Stevenson and stepped aside several times. Groupe Yvon Michel eventually got Alvarez a fight for Kovalev’s title instead.