By Vadim Pushkin

Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (28-0-1, 25 KOs) is ready to hand out a lot of punishment when he defends his WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight titles against Jean Pascal (30-3-1, 17 KOs) in an HBO televised rematch from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

They faced each other last March, with Kovalev gaining a stoppage victory in eight rounds at the very same venue. Pascal has promised to have some new tricks after hiring Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach late last year.

Some wonder if Roach, who trained numerous world champions over the years, can change the outcome. Pascal is a very big underdog coming into the fight.

WBA cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev is training with Roach as well.

Lebedev is backing his countryman to retain his titles with an early knockout. Although Pascal is now his stablemate under Roach's care, Lebedev believes they haven't spent enough time together as a working unit. He expects Pascal to revert to his old form during the contest. Lebedev also hired Roach after suffering some setbacks in the ring, but the two of them have had a lot of time to create progress and fix existing issues.

He says Kovalev will make much quicker work of Pascal the second time.

"A one time approach to a training camp with Roach will not create some crazy effect. After only two months time, a person will not simply change. He needs more time. Maybe there will be some minor changes, but everything else will be the same. My prediction? The fight will end early, four to six rounds," Lebedev said.