WBC heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson believes Sergey Kovalev, who holds the WBO title, has no intention of ever facing him.

Both fighters are set for tough title defenses.

This Saturday night in Canada, Stevenson will defend his title against former two division world champion Badou Jack. This will be Stevenson's first bout in 11 months.

And then Kovalev will defend his belt against Eleider Alvarez on August 4th in Atlantic City. Alvarez was the mandatory challenger to Stevenson, but he was never able to get the WBC champion in the ring.

According to Stevenson, a fight with Kovalev was very close in 2015 - but the Russian boxer withdrew from a scheduled purse bid.

He believes Kovalev is avoiding the contest - because he knows the possibility of a knockout loss exists.

Should Stevenson win this weekend, he is willing to step in the ring with Kovalev - should he beat Alvarez in the coming months.

"It can happen, but I am focused on and have my eyes on Badou Jack and am hungry to beat Badou Jack, so if everything is good and he wants it, Kovalev can have it too." Stevenson exclusively told Sky Sports.

"If they want it, you will see I am going to knock Kovalev out, too. But Kovalev just doesn't want to fight me. It went to purse bids and everyone knows it was up for purse bids, but he just disappeared. He didn't want it to go to purse bids, and I can't force a guy who doesn't to want fight me, to fight me.

"It's possible. I have a manager so after the Badou Jack fight and everything is good, I am sure this fight can happen. All the fans need it and it should just happen."

Stevenson and Alvarez share the same promoter in Yvon Michel of GYM, so making a deal with Main Events, who handle Kovalev, should be easier this time around.