Wednesday 15 April 2020 09:27, UK
Sergey Kovalev says "everything that comes from Adonis Stevenson's mouth is trash" and hopes Badou Jack rips the WBC title away from his long-standing rival this weekend.
Stevenson, who WBO champ Kovalev mockingly refers to as "Chickenson", takes on two-weight world champion Jack in Toronto, live on Sky Sports, in the biggest light-heavyweight fight of the year.
It will be the Haitian-born Canadian's ninth defence of the coveted Green and Gold belt, but fearsome Russian Kovalev has shot down his rival for years of inactivity and a failure to unify world titles in the past.
In an interview with Sky Sports earlier this week, Stevenson claimed it was actually 'Krusher' who "disappeared" from unification negotiations in the past, but Kovalev has been quick to respond.
I hope Badou Jack beats him and gets his title because he's more motivated and busier than 'Chickenson'
"He talks trash! He can say whatever he wants but whatever comes from his mouth is trash," Kovalev exclusively told Sky Sports.
"I don't believe anything he says, he is a b**********. To say and do something are two different things, he didn't back up his words before.
"I hope Badou Jack beats him and gets his title because he's more motivated and busier than 'Chickenson'. 'Chickenson' manages to keep his belt somehow, it's strange and I don't understand it.
"If Jack wins, it will be easier to make a fight, I hope.
"[Olexsandr] Gvozdyk is the interim champion also and I want him to get a shot, he deserves to be the WBC champion."
'Krusher', who will take on unbeaten challenger Eleider Alvarez on August 4, formerly held the WBO, WBA and IBF titles before back-to-back defeats to now-retired Andre Ward stopped the Russian's destructive streak in the 175lbs division.
Now, the 35-year-old , who has since regained the WBO belt, feels he has turned a leaf in his career and is intent on finally becoming an undisputed champion.
"Of course I want to unify," Kovalev added. "I am ready to fight any of the other champions.
"It doesn't matter who, I'll fight any of them. I am here for unifications and to get all the titles and be undisputed.
"Alvarez is one of the best in my division so I'm very happy to have this fight. If I am at my 100% best, which I will be, I believe I can beat anyone.
"I'm back now with a clear mind, I've deleted the mistakes I made earlier in my career.
"I have a new Uzbeki trainer who was a coach on the Uzbekistan boxing team at the Rio Olympics. He is a specialist and a real coach, I am much happier now than before.
"When I was champion of the three titles, I was like an amateur, I had no coach in my training camp, just a person there. It was just like a passenger in my car that I was driving.
"I am concentrated now and more professional and responsible for my training and life I wanted to continue my boxing career and am on the way to a huge fight again."
Watch Adonis Stevenson's WBC title defence vs Badou Jack in Toronto on Sunday, May 19, from 2.30am, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.
