1. Show Patience
Sergey Kovalev beat Bernard Hopkins at his own game by out boxing the crafty veteran. Jean Pascal has an awkward style, which can confuse fighters, but Kovalev will undoubtedly try to test Pascal’s chin to see if he can handle the power shots. As he did in the Hopkins fight, Kovalev must be leery of taking unnecessary risks.
In Kovalev’s fight against Cedric Agnew last March in Atlantic City, Agnew was hurt but managed to withstand the big shots to last into the later rounds. Kovalev simply began picking Agnew apart with jabs and hooks to the body and ultimately he was able to stop Agnew in Round 7.
Pascal makes his home in Quebec so the fans will be on his side and they will be rowdy. Kovalev must block them out, not feed into the noise and focus on his game plan similar to when he fought Nathan Cleverly in the UK.
