Sergey Kovalev vs Ismayl Sillah

The November 30, 2013, WBO light heavyweight title fight at Quebec City's Pepsi Coliseum marked Sergey Kovalev's first defence of the belt he had violently wrested from Nathan Cleverly just three months earlier in Cardiff. Challenger Ismayl Sillakh's technical skills proved futile against Kovalev's power, with the fight ending 52 seconds into the second round.

After dismantling the undefeated Cleverly in four rounds on August 17, 2013, in Wales, Kovalev showed the same destructive force against Sillakh. While the Ukrainian challenger's superior boxing ability earned him the first round, Kovalev's adjustment in the second round was decisive. A well-timed right-hand dropped Sillakh, and though he beat referee Marlon Wright's count, he remained vulnerable. Kovalev closed the show clinically with a right hand followed by two left hooks that left Sillakh prone on the canvas.

The victory pushed Kovalev's record to 23-0-1 with 21 knockouts, while Sillakh dropped to 21-2. The outcome highlighted Sillakh's lack od punch resistance at an elite level despite his technical proficiency.

With this win, which coincided with Adonis Stevenson's title defence against Tony Bellew on the same card, Kovalev has firmly established himself among the division's elite power punchers. His transformation from a challenger to a convincing champion, with two emphatic stoppage victories in just four months.