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Steve KimESPN
As word began to circulate in the boxing world last weekend that Willie Monroe Jr. — who was scheduled to face WBC interim middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York — might have failed a drug test, organizers of the event quickly scrambled for a replacement.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed Monroe last Saturday that he showed elevated levels of testosterone on a test conducted in early November. By Monday, the WBC had officially ruled Monroe out of this Saturday’s bout, pending further investigation.
Given that the contest is one of the featured fights on Fox, there was a premium on finding not just a substitute, but one who had some credibility and was at least somewhat known to boxing fans.
It was then that Matt Korobov’s phone rang.
“My manager Mike [Borao] called me and it was during a nap and he woke me up after the morning training and he just gave me the news, and I didn’t realize it because I was like sleepy,” Korobov (28-1, 14 KOs) told ESPN.com as the fight with Charlo (27-0, 21 KOs) was made official.
Korobov, 35, quickly accepted the assignment, and he understands the challenge that lies in front of him.
“I know it’s short notice, but I was preparing and waiting for this opportunity for my career. Especially in the past four years, I fought Andy Lee for a title [a TKO loss in 2014], it was a hard time for me and my family,” Korobov said. “But this is it, it was such a surprise and I’m happy at the same time.”
With Korobov already scheduled to be on this undercard, and being a southpaw like Monroe, it made him a logical replacement. His original bout against Juan De Angel was a catchweight contest at 162 pounds.
“So it’s not a big issue, a couple of pounds,” said Korobov, who must now make the 160-pound limit. “We’re professional athletes, I’ve been doing this my whole career, so I know how to make it.”
The past several years have been frustrating for Korobov, who came into the professional ranks with high expectations after a decorated amateur career that saw him post victories over the likes of Sergey Kovalev, Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Danny Jacobs.
After representing Russia in the 2008 Olympics, Korobov was signed to a promotional contract by Top Rank as he turned professional. After 24 fights, he got a title shot in December 2014 against Lee for the vacant WBO middleweight belt.
In a fight where he controlled the action throughout the first five rounds (with two judges having Korobov up 50-45), he was hit by a right hook from Lee, which dazed him; a flurry of punches that followed caused Kenny Bayless to wave off the fight.
After coming so close to potentially being a world champion and making six figures for future title defenses, he quickly became an afterthought. After not boxing once in 2015, he has fought just four times since his lone professional defeat. One fight — really, one punch — completely changed his career fortunes.
The Lee fight is something Korobov still thinks about.
“Yes, I do, of course,” he said. “How many times I was thinking, ‘Why I did this?’ and, ‘Why I rushed in to go there?’ I was winning and stuff, so I analyze my mistakes, and that keeps me up.”
Korobov was also sidelined throughout 2017. There was talk of matching him with WBO super middleweight belt holder Gilberto Ramirez, but that never came to fruition.
“I was prepared and I was ready and stuff, and finally Bob Arum called me and said, ‘[Ramirez] doesn’t want to fight you,'” Korobov recalled. “I did everything I can to make this fight, less money, everything, and it didn’t happen.”
But through all this, Korobov never contemplated walking away from the sport.
“No, never, I’ve trained, I’ve been focusing on preparing for some good opportunities and this is it. So I just kept on doing it, what I’ve been doing all my life,” the resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, said. “Even the undercard fight, I was focusing so much to kind of let people see that everything that I’ve got right now, to get bigger fights and stuff. There was God’s blessings, a message for this Saturday for me, my family, my team.”
Charlo is considered one of the most dangerous 160-pounders in the world, a blend of speed, power and athleticism, and at age 28, in the prime of his career. But Korobov doesn’t seem all that concerned given that he’s faced world-class competition since he was a teenager.
“I know I’m an experienced guy, I’ve been fighting a lot of different styles and stuff,”said Korobov, who won the 2005 and 2007 world championships as an amateur. “So I just focus in on what I need to do with him and that’s it. That’s a key for myself.”
What’s interesting is that even with the layoff, Korobov might still be the best middleweight Charlo has faced thus far in his run in the division.
“There’s a plan for myself for the fight from my team, but I don’t want to share,” Korobov said with a chuckle.
But just how ready can Korobov be on a week’s notice? Well, him getting this fight wasn’t just complete serendipity, according to his manager.
“I asked specifically to be on this undercard because Monroe’s a southpaw and anything can happen — especially with VADA — and so we were just as prepared as we can be for this opportunity,” Borao said. “It’s not just haphazard, we put him on the undercard for a reason.”
And the specific circumstances of this fight might favor Korobov, according to Borao.
“He’s used to doing this, he’s used to doing it in the amateurs, he’s used to fighting the top guys on very short — and no — notice,” Borao said. “I don’t think Charlo’s used to that. So that’s a plus for Matt.”
For Korobov, it’s now or never, most likely.
“I put everything behind me, I’m just really happy and just enjoying the moment to fight and show everything that I got on Saturday night,” said Korobov, whose past disappointments are now fully in the rearview mirror. “It’s gone, I finally got the opportunity, no matter how it’s going to be on Saturday. That’s my focus.”