An incredible report at the time that claimed Golovkin knocked out Kovalev in a sparring session not that long ago.
Sky Sports’ Johnny Nelson has apparently let a massive cat out of the bag today during a live interview on Sky Sports at the Gennady Golovkin vs Kell Brook public work out in London. Sparring stories always have to be taken with a pinch of salt, but according to Nelson apparently Golovkin knocked out Kovalev one time.
Both men looked in tremendous condition today ahead of final preparations for their world middleweight title bout that took place in the UK.
Nelson, who works for broadcaster Sky Sports was involved in commentating on the event.
He apparently told reporter Fraiser Denton of Sky that he had heard Golovkin had done a number on Sergey Kovalev in sparring, knocking him out.
Now we all know that gym stories can get fabricated, but Nelson isn’t the type of guy to perpetuate those type of rumours without a solid source.
Furthermore, since the news was leaked online, the boxing Twitter world has went into over drive to the point where across the pond in the States, the news reached Kovalev who was doing some media rounds himself.
Journalist Mike Coppinger said of this when he put the question to Kovalev, who is regarded by many as one of the world’s top pound for pound fighters – regarding the story:
Asked @KrusherKovalev if it was true @GGGBoxing knocked him out in sparring. He waved his hand at me dismissively and refused to answer.
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) September 6, 2016
He went on to add that Kovalev gave him a rather unnervingly hard pat on the back afterwards for asking the question:
When Sergey Kovalev left, he gave me a few hard slaps on the back to express his displeasure with GGG sparring question.
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) September 6, 2016
Make of that what you will.
If true however, promoter Eddie Hearn might have re-considered saying he felt his fighter Kell Brook was unbeatable at the moment, ahead of what turned out to be in the end a one sided beating dished out by Golovkin.
Credit to Brook though, he put up a very brave effort.
Whether Golovkin knocked out Kovalev perhaps we might never know.
