Sergey Kovalev vs. Cedric Agnew

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It's not like he didn't try anything, it was the power that kept him so defensive. I just don't think there is anyone out there that can really take Kovalev's power to the degree that is needed in order to win against him.

It doesn't have to be Adonis, but I'd still like to see Kovalev in there with somebody that has skills and better than a 50% KO rate vs pretty dubious opposition.

[Mr. Mojo Risin']

It's not like he didn't try anything, it was the power that kept him so defensive.

No, it wasn't. He did the same thing against Mack. He threw 15-20 punches a round. Often with significantly long periods of inactivity. Mack didn't have the power or the interest to try to make Agnew open up. I went into the Kovalev fight thinking it might have just been Agnew not really wanting to take any unnecessary chances against Mack. Agnew did just enough not to lose. He even said himself in an interview "I just did what I had to do to win." That doesn't sound like a risk taker. My point is, what we saw Saturday is just how Agnew fights. Therefore it's really hard to get a good assessment of Kovalev based on an opponent who notoriously does not take chances. Agnew is a DEFENSIVE fighter. Plain and simple. You couldn't pay me to watch him again.

[Russian Crushin]

Who has looked "good" against Kovalev though? The guys that really try to beat him punch for punch don't even make it out of the second round on average. To me, I'd rather see a guy try a different approach for the sake of trying to take the fight into deep waters to tire him out than go for broke and get sparked out in 6 minutes. It's not like he didn't try anything, it was the power that kept him so defensive. I just don't think there is anyone out there that can really take Kovalev's power to the degree that is needed in order to win against him.

I don't want to make it sound like I think the guy is the living terminator but based on what I have seen him do to guys, I don't think other attributes (reflexes, movement, speed, etc.) are enough to bridge the gap that exists between Kovalev and his opponents when it comes to the power edge.

He didnt try. What is the strategy in covering up and throwing 100 punches in 7 rounds? Yes id rather see a guy try and go out on his shield. These guys work their whole lives to get this title shot and then do nothing but take punches with a high guard? There's a difference in trying to survive and trying to win

[Hougigo]

He didnt try. What is the strategy in covering up and throwing 100 punches in 7 rounds? Yes id rather see a guy try and go out on his shield. These guys work their whole lives to get this title shot and then do nothing but take punches with a high guard? There's a difference in trying to survive and trying to win

His strategy was to wait him out then fight in the later rounds. That seems to be the strategy that everyone wants to use on Kovalev and Golovkin since people think they're only punchers.

My feed was crap, can never tell when a fighters mouth is open unless it's really obvious, but they said that about Kovalev and that he was tiring.... of course that was before the jab to the body KO

[VG_Addict]

Does anyone know when Kovalev started training under JDJ? I want to watch some fights where he didn't have JDJ, and compare them to his most recent fights.

[SUBZER0ED]

No, it wasn't. He did the same thing against Mack. He threw 15-20 punches a round. Often with significantly long periods of inactivity. Mack didn't have the power or the interest to try to make Agnew open up. I went into the Kovalev fight thinking it might have just been Agnew not really wanting to take any unnecessary chances against Mack. Agnew did just enough not to lose. He even said himself in an interview "I just did what I had to do to win." That doesn't sound like a risk taker. My point is, what we saw Saturday is just how Agnew fights. Therefore it's really hard to get a good assessment of Kovalev based on an opponent who notoriously does not take chances. Agnew is a DEFENSIVE fighter. Plain and simple. You couldn't pay me to watch him again.

Agreed, Agnew just waited & waited, then threw a couple of counter shots here and there. I kept hoping he would actually fight Kovalev, because when he threw punches, he backed him up. With all the waiting and covering up that Agnew did, he just gave Kovalev a good look at what was open. Since he couldn't get him clean to the head, he went to the liver.

[Citizen Koba]

Does anyone know when Kovalev started training under JDJ? I want to watch some fights where he didn't have JDJ, and compare them to his most recent fights.

Yeah, AFAIK he was training with Sanchez up at the summit until the Simakov fight (dec 2011)...it's never really made clear, be it kinda sounds like Sanchez and Kovalev didn't quite gel...perhaps Sanchez was a little to cerebral or maybe hands-on or buddy-buddy whereas Kovalev seems to like his (mental) space.

It seems that Kovalev started in the US with Don Turrner in S.Carolina but found the regime and location excessively austere and isolated (he had El Ruso at the camp too, but nowhere close where a coupla Russians could go to loosen up)...I think relocated to Big Bear in perhaps late '09 or '10.

Try kovalboxer.ru (a lot's in Russian, but any decent translator should get you most of it) I've not delved back into the earlier pages but it seems like he kept an e-diary of sorts tho I gather it's sporadic through the early part of his career.

[Weebler I]

His strategy was to wait him out then fight in the later rounds. That seems to be the strategy that everyone wants to use on Kovalev and Golovkin since people think they're only punchers.

My feed was crap, can never tell when a fighters mouth is open unless it's really obvious, but they said that about Kovalev and that he was tiring.... of course that was before the jab to the body KO

That was Max Kellerman. He also implied Kovalev was huge compared to Agnew which didn't look true.

Kovalev was literally chasing the guy around the ring while throwing non-stop, I would be more surprised if he wasn't tiring.

[The Hammer]

[IronDanHamza]

I've yet to see the fight.

But just saw the highlights, can't tell much from them really.

If Kellerman said Kovalev looks huge compared to the guy then he needs his eyes checking.