by Cliff Rold
When a fighter finds the opponent who the most people want to see him against unavailable, the best course of action is simple.
Fight everyone else.
As long as they keep winning, and keep their knockout percentages in the 90s, there will be interest in a puncher’s showdown between Sergey Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson. While Stevenson, history’s champion, looks down to Super Middleweight for his next challenger (Sakio Bika), Kovalev is playing a game of keep them coming.
In his last fight, he shut out aged great Bernard Hopkins. Now he takes on a former champion who has never been shy about challenges. Jean Pascal faced Carl Froch, Adrian Diaconu, and Chad Dawson all with their undefeated records intact. Now he tackles Kovalev.
There’s easier ways to make a living. Pascal hasn’t taken them. Will he wish he had come Sunday?
Let’s go the report card.
The Ledgers
Sergey Kovalev
Age:
31
Current Title:
WBO Light Heavyweight (2013-Present, 4 Defenses); WBA “Super”/IBF Light Heavyweight (2014-Present, 1st Attempted Defense)
Previous Titles:
None
Height:
6’0
Weight:
174.2 lbs.
Hails from:
Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Born in Russia)
Record:
26-0-1, 23 KO
Rankings:
#1 (BoxingScene, TBRB, Ring), #2 (ESPN, BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights:
5-0, 4 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced:
3 (Gabriel Campillo TKO3; Nathan Cleverly TKO4; Bernard Hopkins UD12)
Vs.
Jean Pascal
Age:
32
Title:
None
Previous Titles:
WBC Light Heavyweight (2009-11, 4 Defenses); Lineal/Ring Light Heavyweight (2010-11, 1 Defense)
Height:
5’10 ½
Weight:
175 lbs.
Hails from:
Laval, Quebec, Canada (Born in Haiti)
Record:
29-2-1, 17 KO, 1 No Contest
Rankings:
#3 (BoxingScene, TBRB, ESPN, Ring, BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights:
4-2-1, 1 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced:
6 (Carl Froch L12; Adrian Diaconu UD12, UD12; Silvio Branco TKO10; Chad Dawson Tech. Dec. 11; Bernard Hopkins D12, L12; Lucian Bute UD12)
Grades
Pre-Fight: Speed – Kovalev B; Pascal A-
Pre-Fight: Power – Kovalev A; Pascal B
Pre-Fight: Defense – Kovalev B+; Pascal B-
Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Kovalev A+; Pascal B+
If one picks fights by way of comparison-shopping, this one is already over. Bernard Hopkins solved Pascal sometime in their first fight and kept him solved through their second. Kovalev bested the master class Hopkins.
Boxing doesn’t always work that way. While he remains a technical mess at times, Pascal presents a different challenge to Kovalev than Hopkins did. Pascal’s speed is continually underrated in fights and could be a factor here. He shocked Dawson by getting off first. He was able to drop Hopkins twice in their first fight, and hurt him late in the second, because he gets to target so quick.
He also throws from angles that aren’t always orthodox. Kovalev, if Pascal can get off counters, could find himself backing up and taking more leather than usual. The stiff jab of the Russian can prevent some of that.
Kovalev, for all his power, can box too. He puts together effective, heavy combinations off the jab. He also has shown mental toughness so far. In big moments, he comes through big. He exploded on the US scene walking through Gabriel Campillo. He went on the road and blasted Cleverly. He didn’t seem to have any care about the reputation of Hopkins.
Both men can be hit but Pascal seems the easier target of the two. Kovalev is good at keeping range, also a reflection of the sort of focus he applies.
That sort of focus will serve him well with Pascal. Pascal isn’t a particularly clever fighter. His athleticism and toughness have made up for technical flaws. But he’s shown he can be outboxed (against Hopkins) and outbrawled (against Froch).
Kovalev is capable of doing both.
The Pick
Kovalev is likely going to get some exciting moments from Pascal early. It won’t last. His jab and power will make Pascal cautious and eventually take over the fight. Pascal has never been stopped before and he’s not going to just lie down. It may fall to his corner as the rounds wear on to save him from himself. The pick is Kovalev by stoppage in the second half of the fight.
Then boxing fans can start wondering again if Adonis Stevenson will take on the man now perceived as the class of his class.
Report Card and Staff Picks 2015: 10-2 (Including Pick in Berto-Lopez)
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com.
