The shake-up of networks and promoters have created a wall of match-ups that are suddenly not happening. For many years I lectured MMA fans that Dana White's monopoly was not good for that sport, and eventually it would create an equal opponent, except fights between promoters would never get made. Well, all these years late, there are many small timers, and other big games have come and gone, but Dana White still stands atop the MMA world, with very few big fights gone unmade. However, boxing has gotten so polarized, that the networks and managers are now the greater fear than even the promoters.
We can see no promotional issue with Kovalev-Stevenson, however, once Al Haymon (a man legendary for sparing his fighters tough assignments) signed Adonis Stevenson, and moved him to Showtime, pretty much means Kovalev is off the table. Even if Main Events and Yvon Michel can come to terms, HBO and Showtime would have to relinquish one of these men. Fat chance. We will now see Stevenson making big money to fight Pascal and the Hopkins-Shumenov winner. He will likely will take a big money fight with Andre Ward, and lose his title that way. Ward will then be saddled with the task of Kovalev, if someone hasn't already upset that plan in any way.
Kovalev will probably take on the task of facing the fighters left behind by this network division: Despaigne, Oosthuizen, Brahmer, Maccarinelli, etc will all be dug up and shoved towards the Russian's deadly fists. Sergei may have seen his first adversity in the ring last Saturday against Cedric Agnew, but it says something as to how dominant he has been lately, that it was still during a shutout performance. Kovalev was hit low and cut over both eyes from headbutts. However, Agnew had no intention of winning, and he still could not get out of the 7th round. In the process, he was felled twice, to body and head, by jabs! That is how hard this man hits.
Stevenson may actually have superior offense, and even be able to match Kovalev's power. Kovalev has a Froch-like gait and movement, with superior footwork. Even as Agnew made his rare pushes forward with offense, the Russian was able to move back with surprising quickness. The difference between Kovalev and Stevenson would really be chin. Kovalev simply has a better beard, and has shown against Campillo and Agnew that lefty stances do not bother him. At some point, probably early on, that fight will end with Stevenson losing by brutal KO. That's why it will not happen until they've squeezed every dollar out of him, Chavez Jr. style.
As for the other televised fight on that card, kudos for Dulorme for fighting a disciplined fight, and gaining back some confidence. However, something was wrong with Karim Mayfield. I don't know whether it was rust, or training mistakes by Virgil Hunter, but Mayfield had no plan, and no legs in this fight. He stood awkwardly, and other than the occasional jab, seemed to be content with trying to win the fight with one right hand, all night long. No hooks, no body work. You don't beat a legit fighter that way. All Hunter had to offer was inspiration by about the 7th round onward. It looks as if Hunter may be this decade's Buddy McGirt... overrated ability because of one great fighter in his stable.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
