A Krush Full Of Options
Sergey Kovalev (28-0-1 25 KO) stopped Nadjib Mohammedi (37-4 23 KO) by third round knockout this past Saturday night in Las Vegas. Not a lot of drama leading up to this one, it wasn’t if Kovalev was going to KO Mohammedi, it was when. Mohammedi had some weird foot movement thing going on and never settled in. Kovalev stalked him from the opening bell and had it not been for Mohammedi’s unorthodox style, we might not have seen round two.
So, what’s next for the three belt (WBA/IBF/WBO) light heavyweight champion, a unification bout with the holder of the WBC belt, Adonis Stevenson? That situation changes by the day, the latest a 50/50 offer to Stevenson to fight on HBO (whom Kovalev is in a multi-fight contract with), with Team Stevenson not exactly favorable towards HBO, believing more money can be made elsewhere. Stevenson is advised by Al Haymon, so…………
How about a fight with rising prospect Artur Beterbiev (9-0 9 KO and IBF # 2 contender), a brawler who apparently holds a few amateur wins over Kovalev? The fight would be huge in Russia as they both have roots from the same region. Apparently Kovalev’s promoter Main Event’s Kathy Duva has been in preliminary talks with Beterbiev’s promoter; however, Beterbiev’s advisor is Al Haymon so……
Maybe a fight with Andre Ward, which would fit nicely under the HBO umbrella or a rematch with Jean Pascal who………
Petty Crime If Anything
Jean Pascal (30-3-1 17 KO) beat Yunieski Gonzalez (16-1 12 KO) by unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 96-94. Gonzalez was the busier fighter throwing over two hundred more punches but landing only nine more than Pascal. While Gonzalez landed the harder shots staggering Pascal from time to time, the former light heavyweight champion was more accurate and countered nicely while using slick head movement making Gonzalez miss repeatedly.
The fight was close but the decision didn’t resemble highway robbery as most have claimed, at least not from my seat. If anything, it was like filling a large cup up at the drink machine when you paid for a medium. I thought the fight might have been a draw but had no problem with the decision. This was a good close competitive fight and one of the best of the year between a former champion and rising prospect.
I’ll be re-watching that one because I was surprised by the outcry that followed; maybe I was channeling my inner CJR??
Give The Judges The Night Off
It was announced that middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin will face fellow titlist David Lemieux in a unification bout from Madison Square Garden on October 17. Standing-8 had always thought that it would take an opponent with a solid active jab to make things interesting for the “Big Drama Show” and Lemieux has a good one but can also bang with GGG. This is going to be good as long as it lasts.
Standing-8 