Sergey Kovalev-Jean Pascal II: Pre-Fight Report Card

By Cliff Rold

Every once in a while, rematches turn out dramatically different than expected.

Ezzard Charles had already defeated Jersey Joe Walcott twice entering their third contest. Walcott did him in with a one-punch knockout for the ages. Edwin Rosario appeared on his way to a second win, in fabulous fashion, against Jose Luis Ramirez only to have the tables turned. Sugar Ray Leonard appeared to be picking worn bones until Tommy Hearns was kicking his ass the second time around. Juan Manuel Marquez took five trips to the deck in four fights before landing the perfect shot against Manny Pacquiao.

Crazy things can happen in boxing. Is there any hope for a little bit of crazy this weekend?

This Saturday’s rematch (HBO, 9:45 PM EST/PST) between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal looks, on paper, like a time sucking cynical cash grab. The first fight was entertaining but competitive only in spots. Since then, Pascal was lucky to win against Yunieski Gonzalez to get a second chance.

News reports indicate the hopes for the long awaited clash between the divisions best, Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson, have again gone nowhere. Kovalev might find himself in a truly compelling fight late in the year with former super middleweight titlist Andre Ward.

That’s something to look forward to.

This is something that is on first.

Let’s go the report card.

The Ledgers

Sergey Kovalev

Age: 32

Current Title: WBO Light Heavyweight (2013-Present, 6 Defenses); WBA “Super”/IBF Light Heavyweight (2014-Present, 2 Defenses)

Previous Titles: None

Height: 6’0

Weight: 174.6 lbs.

Hails from: Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Born in Russia)

Record: 28-0-1, 25 KO

Rankings: #1 (BoxingScene, TBRB, Ring, BoxRec), #2 (ESPN)

Record in Major Title Fights: 7-0, 6 KO

Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: 4 (Gabriel Campillo TKO3; Nathan Cleverly TKO4; Bernard Hopkins UD12; Jean Pascal TKO8)

Vs.

Jean Pascal

Age: 33

Title: None

Previous Titles: WBC Light Heavyweight (2009-11, 4 Defenses); Lineal/Ring Light Heavyweight (2010-11, 1 Defense)

Height: 5’10 ½

Weight: 174.3 lbs.

Hails from: Laval, Quebec, Canada (Born in Haiti)

Record: 30-3-1, 17 KO, 1 KOBY 1 No Contest

Rankings: #2 (BoxingScene), #3 (TBRB, ESPN), #4 (Ring) #8 (BoxRec)

Record in Major Title Fights: 4-3-1, 1 KO, 1 KOBY

Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: 7 (Carl Froch L12; Adrian Diaconu UD12, UD12; Silvio Branco TKO10; Chad Dawson Tech. Dec. 11; Bernard Hopkins D12, L12; Lucian Bute UD12; Sergey Kovalev TKO by 8)

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

Let’s start with the mile Pascal has picked up since the opening bell of the first Kovalev fight. As is typically the case for Pascal, he showed a lot of guts in that fight. He’s always had technical issues but Pascal has never been one to give easily. In the second fight with Bernard Hopkins, he found a way to create some drama late and even rock the cagey old man despite being well behind.

Against Kovalev, he was taking a beating early and willing himself into the fight. He even stunned Kovalev a couple times. It was never enough to turn the tide. It was more than enough to give fan’s their money’s worth. It wasn’t that fight as much as what followed that drains some of the enthusiasm from this return.

Pascal was lucky against Gonzalez to be sure. That too though was a hell of a fight. It was a bruising affair, ten more rounds on Pascal that were anything but easy in 2015. Kovalev by comparison had a walkover mandatory since their first bout and took much less wear last March. Already the better fight, Kovalev arrives Saturday also fresher.

Pascal is now being trained by Freddie Roach but it’s hard to see what Roach can do with Pascal so late in his career. Pascal has always been an athletically gifted fighter but he doesn’t set up his offense well and fights in spots. Against Kovalev that was, and will remain, a big problem.

Kovalev is an exciting puncher. It’s what catches the eye. He is also a technically sound, something he is increasingly credited before. His jab might not be as quick as Bob Foster’s but it is probably the most lethal stick in the division since. Add to that a body attack and a nasty demeanor in the ring and you’ve got one of the more fearsome light heavyweights in a long time.

It may have been watchable but nothing in the first fight suggests Pascal ever had a chance to beat Kovalev. Nothing since does either. One guy is better.

Period.

The Pick

It’s hard to get excited about this fight, especially with the latest news that some network/political baloney is going to keep Kovalev and Stevenson out of the ring together yet again. Rematches like this made sense in eras where fighters fought a hell of a lot more often than 2-3 times a year. Now they feel like an insult to boxing fans that are constantly being baited with something better later.

It doesn’t mean the fight won’t be entertaining. It just feels like the ultimate foregone conclusion. This isn’t Marquez-Pacquiao or Charles-Walcott. Those featured great fighters doing great things. Pascal has never remotely been a great fighter. Kovalev might have the potential to be one. He’s already 32 and now is the time to define that. This rematch, on the heels of the Mohammedi mandatory and whatever he does to kill time until maybe the Ward fight really happens, wastes precious moments of Kovalev’s absolute prime.

It’s a shame.

It’s too often par for the course.

It’s an easy pick.

Kovalev is going to win again, probably sooner this time around. The pick is Kovalev in six.

Report Card and Staff Picks 2016: 4-1

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel, the Yahoo Pound for Pound voting panel, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com