Kovalev overpowers Pascal to retain titles
IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) overpowered former world champion Jean Pascal (30-4-1, 17 KOs) over seven rounds on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Kovalev stopped Pascal in the 8th round in their first fight last March. But the rematch was much easier for Kovalev, who dominated every round before Freddie Roach, who was working as Pascal's trainer for the first time, stopped the fight in the corner after the 7th round.
The powerful Russian dropped Pascal with a jab in the first round, but referee Michael Griffin ruled it a slip. However, replays showed it was a clean knockdown.
Kovalev landed hard shots throughout while the Canadian challenger was only landing the occasional punch. The champion rocked Pascal with more right hands and Roach threatened to stop the fight at the end of a one-sided fifth round.
Kovalev continued to land to the head and body in the following rounds and when the 7th was over, Roach signaled to end the fight.
"This was a personal fight because Pascal was a special person," said Kovalev. "I mean, he's not polite with anybody around him and don't respect fighters. Anybody he don't respect, believe me. When I'm in Montreal, everyone said to me, 'Kick his ass.'
"I would fight more rounds and make him more pain and punish him more. I don't respect him at all."
Kovalev will fight once more before a scheduled September showdown with unbeaten American Andre Ward, the former super middleweight world champion who is set to fight Sullivan Barrera on March 26 in his first fight at light heavyweight. And Kovalev said he wants WBC champion Adonis Stevenson, who was ringside.
"I want to unify all the titles. I would like to fight Adonis 'Chicken-son,'" said Kovalev as Stevenson entered the ring and attempted to go after him until security quickly separated them.
Kovalev has been looking to fight Stevenson for a couple of years now, but believes the Canadian puncher is ducking him.
The negotiations for a planned unification fight for June failed due to a disagreement over which American network would televise the fight. Stevenson fights on Showtime while Kovalev is under contract to fight on HBO.
So it is unlikely that fight will happen soon and Kovalev is expected to face a lesser opponent in June.