Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal
Photo by David Spagnolo/Main Events
Tony Calcara, Staff Writer
Sergey Kovalev, 31, comes off an A+ performance against Bernard Hopkins. He proved he could start fast and finish strong.
At 32, Jean Pascal is fun to watch and is generally entertaining when he steps into the ring. He will need to showcase his hand and foot speed every second of every round to have a chance.
Kovalev is becoming a better fighter every time out and is a machine. I don’t think he has yet captured the imagination of the public. If he continues to win, and punch hard in the process, he will.
I like him to find his range and lower the boom on Pascal as his power will be key and overwhelms him. I like Kovalev to win.
Prediction: Kovalev
Lou Catalano, Senior Writer
Sergey Kovalev was already a terrifying man-beast before he easily out boxed BHop. All that did was prove that he’s not just somebody who can punch directly through your brain stem, he can box.
That is not good news for Jean Pascal. Pascal is a solid fighter, but he doesn’t hit hard enough to dissuade Kovalev from attacking, and unlike his trainer, Roy Jones, he doesn’t have the boxing skill to out maneuver and out box “The Krusher” over 12 rounds.
I actually think he’ll hang for the full 12, it just won’t be very close. Kovalev by wide UD.
Prediction: Kovalev
Alex McLeish, Staff Writer
A lot of people are picking Sergey Kovalev to destroy Jean Pascal by knockout, I’m not one of those people. We know Kovalev can knockout subpar competition, and he proved that he has the technical prowess to dominate every round against a 49-year-old legend who was coming off of wins over three straight tomato cans. I’m just not convinced Kovalev can so-easily dominate Jean Pascal at this point.
Pascal’s no slouch, he’s a former Light Heavyweight lineal champion who’s athletic and multi-dimensional enough to bang and box. At the age of 32, he might just be the best he’s ever been. He seemed renovated against Lucian Bute, imitating a Roy Jones style that really worked for him, and could keep him on his feet over the course of this fight.
Am I picking Pascal to win? No. I’m predicting he does everything he can to make it to the scorecards, hoping for some home cooking, while winning some rounds along the way. Kovalev will go into the championship rounds up on the cards, and will seal it undoubtedly with a late knockdown of Pascal.
Prediction: Kovalev
Brandon Glass, Contributing Writer
Sergey Kovalev wins this fight. Jean Pascal is a veteran, a former champ who is trying to make his way back to the belt and remain a hero for Quebec after dismantling Lucian Bute (which I doubted he would do).
He has an awkward style, much like Shawn Porter, and has never been stopped. I think that might change come Saturday.
Like I stated in another prediction, shared opponents mean nothing, but Kovalev is a severely hard puncher who had the skill set to outbox Bernard Hopkins, a legend that Pascal struggled with twice and got outfoxed by the second time. Kovalev defends and Pascal disappoints the new boxing Mecca aka Quebec again.
Silver lining: This could get the Krusher noticed by Canadian boxing fans and provide some of the push to bring us closer to the possibility of an Adonis Stevenson vs. Kovalev unification bout.
Prediction: Kovalev
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
I haven’t heard many people talk about the possibility of a hangover for Sergey Kovalev–after a career-best victory over living legend, Bernard Hopkins. The only reason I mention it is because that’s the only way I see Jean Pascal beating the Krusher.
I think Kovalev–the hard-hitting machine we’ve come to love–will continue to impress and evolve as a fighter and stop Pascal in the mid-to-late rounds after a competitive first few rounds.
Prediction: Kovalev
Juan Carlos Galvez, Photographer
Sergey Kovalev by late-rounds stoppage, likely in the 11th round.
Prediction: Kovalev
Header photo by Photo by David Spagnolo/Main Events
