Sergey Kovalev sets up Bernard Hopkins clash with Blake Caparello win

Sergey Kovalev will defend his WBO light-heavyweight title against Bernard Hopkins at the end of the year after he scored a second-round stoppage victory over Blake Caparello.

It had been made known before the Atlantic City showdown that Hopkins, the IBF champion, would be waiting for the Russian should he get past Caparello, and the 31-year-old delivered another strong display to secure a November clash with the legendary American.

Caparello had stunned Kovalev with a flash knockdown in the opening round, but the champion wasn't hurt and it wasn't long before he showed why he is regarded as one of the hardest punchers in boxing.

Early in the second, Kovalev dropped Caparello with a brutal shot to the body which took the wind out of the Australian, and, after two more knockdowns in quick succession, the referee called off the fight.