Ahead of the final fight of his 16-year professional career, Sergey Kovalev, unlike many others who come to the end of their lives as boxers, beams that it's finally time to hang up his gloves.

"Even when I don't have workouts, my body is already feeling no good. I've decided to make this my last fight," he tells The Ring.

The Russian, 42, will compete for the final time on Friday, April 18 in front of his hometown fans at the Yunost Arena in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Artur Mann is Kovalev's opponent and the bout will be contested over 10 rounds at cruiserweight.

Kovalev (35-5-1, 29 KOs) enjoyed a fruitful career in which he was a unified and three-time light-heavyweight champion, bursting onto the scene in 2013 when he knocked out Nathan Cleverly in four rounds to claim the WBO title at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.

After that, 'Krusher' went on to beat Bernard Hopkins and stop Jean Pascal twice before coming unstuck, unfairly on both occasions, in his opinion, against Andre Ward in November 2016 and June 2017, respectively.

But 2019 brought more high-profile fights for Kovalev as he avenged a knockout loss to Eleider Alvarez before forcing a late stoppage against Brit contender Anthony Yarde six months later. His run at the top, however, came to an end in November of that year when he was sparked out by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in the 11th-round of their WBO 175-pound title clash in Las Vegas.

A couple of fights have followed in the five years since then but major inactivity has set in and Kovalev now knows that it's time to finally round things off.

He adds: "I'm happy that I have a fight again but I'm not happy that my fights are seldom. If fights are going to be every five or six months, maybe I'd continue. But one fight a year is not good.

"I'm glad that I chose one day and decided to be a boxer. I was right that I chose this role, you know. Because boxing gave me everything I dreamed and wished. I have proven myself very well and I know that I can be at a high level of boxing.

"I've had some amazing fights, of course, those fights when I won the titles, and also I have a very big memory of when I got my first million dollars against Bernard Hopkins.

"Also dirty fights, when I was really disappointed and robbed against Andre Ward, but that's life.

"But I have no regrets, because everything is like a challenge, you know. God gives you hard situations in your life, it's like a challenge, and you should face them and look forward."

Kovalev still remembers the date he first walked into a boxing gym. "December 1, 1994," he says.

"I remember I met the coach, played basketball, did school boxing, no sparring, just shadowing to start.

"I dreamed about having big successes like Olympic gold but I avoided success in the amateurs, and when I turned pro that's when I achieved my goals."

These days, the light-heavyweight division is on fire. One wonders what the landscape would look like with a prime version of Kovalev in the mix with his compatriots Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.

Both men impress Kovalev, who seems frustrated he's not in a position to capitalise on the financials being bandied around the 175-pound division.

"I'd fight [Bivol and Beterbiev] right now if boxing agreed with me, but it doesn't," he says. "Money is a big motivation for me but fighting with very big pauses in between fights is no good.

"I think we will see some interesting fights, more between [David] Benavidez, Bivol, maybe. Beterbiev is going to be fighting a couple more fights because the money on this level right now, is good money."

Acceptance has already set in for Kovalev, though, and his future away from the boxing ring awaits.

Perhaps a transition to training? "No, no, no," he says. "I had an idea to open a boxing club here in Tashkent, but we'll see. I'm heading back to America in May.

"First, I'll be busy with my family and my kids."