"I couldn't touch my sparring opponents" - Sergey Kovalev discusses training after long layoff

Sergey Kovalev didn't have an easy time preparing for his return this weekend.

The Russian was last seen in the ring in November 2019 against Canelo Alvarez. The-then WBO Light-Heavyweight Champion put on a good fight against the Mexican superstar. However, he wound up losing the bout via a brutal 11th-round knockout.

That KO loss was the beginning of a rough few years for Kovalev. Following that defeat, he ran into several legal issues, as well as having multiple fight cancelations. After nearly three years out of the ring, he's set to return this weekend against the undefeated Tervel Pulev.

Ahead of his comeback fight, the 39-year-old spoke to BoxingScene about what it was like preparing for his return. To put it lightly, things weren't easy for Kovalev when he got back into the gym. Discussing his training, he said:

“Of course [I am worried about ring rust]. When you don't fight for a long time, you lose boxing skills and fighting skills. When I started sparring sessions [for this training camp], the first two weeks I couldn't touch my sparring opponents. I was very heavy, like 210 pounds. But then my boxing skills came back, and everything is fine.”

See Sergey Kovalev's interview with BoxingScene below:

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Will Sergey Kovalev defeat Tervel Pulev this Saturday?

Sergey Kovalev has spoken about his goal of winning a title at cruiserweight ahead of his return. The first step to accomplishing that ambition is defeating Tervel Pulev.

The two are set to clash in the main event of the Triller pay-per-view event this weekend. While Kovalev is a well-known competitor, he does bring a lot of ring rust into this bout. Pulev, on the other hand, is a much more unknown quantity at the top level of boxing.

The younger brother of former heavyweight title challenger Kubrat Pulev is currently sitting with an undefeated 16-0 professional record. However, his level of competition is far from great. While he's a very accomplished amateur boxer, his professional career leaves a lot to be desired.

As of now, Kovalev is a solid favorite heading into this fight and it makes sense. He's a former world champion and one of the greatest light-heavyweights of the last decade. However, if his ring rust shows like it did in training, there could be an upset brewing on Saturday.