LOS ANGELES — Russian power puncher Sergey Kovalev got back into the win column on Saturday, making quick work of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy with a second round technical knockout win to reclaim the WBO light heavyweight title.

Kovalev, who was coming off a pair of back-to-back losses to Andre Ward, looked like his old dynamite self in knocking down the Ukraine fighter three times in the first two rounds before the referee stopped it with 24 seconds left in the second at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Kovalev got himself back in the 175-pound division mix as he finished Shabranskyy off late in the second round. The referee stopped it with Kovalev landing punches at will as a defenceless Shabranskyy stumbled backwards.

“I did it,” said Kovalev, who improved to 31-2-1. “I know that I am back.”

The 34-year-old Kovalev knocked Shabranskyy down for the first time in the fight with a right hand to the head halfway through the opening round. Then with 20 seconds left he connected again with an overhand right followed by a left hook that sent his opponent to the canvas.

Kovalev continued the onslaught in the second, scoring another knockdown with 65 seconds left and then quickly finishing it off.

“It is my goal to be best in this division. The last fight I was stopped and it was an illegal decision by referee. I am ready to fight for all the titles,” Kovalev said.

Now that he has the WBO belt back in his grasp, Kovalev plans to recapture WBA and IBF titles.

He lost all three belts when he suffered consecutive losses to Ward, who then retired leaving the WBO title vacant.

This was also Kovalev’s first fight with his new coach Abror Tursunpulatov whom he hired after firing former trainer John David Jackson. — AFP

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