Preview: Sergey Kovalev vs. Cedric Agnew
Photos by Rich Graessle for Main Events
by Raymundo Dioses
Russian super-puncher Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev will face Chicago’s Cedric Agnew in a match-up of unbeaten light heavyweights on HBO Saturday night from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Agnew, (26-0, 13 KOs) is unbeaten, yet considered a soft-touch who was supposed to set ‘Krusher’ for a puncher vs. puncher mega bout with light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson this fall on HBO. Stevenson will be defending his title against Andrzej Fonfara in May; Fonfara, (27-2, 15 KOs) has faced better competition than Agnew, but is also considered a walk-through bout so HBO could make the Kovalev-Stevenson fight before the calendars turn.
However, events this week threw a proverbial punch in the best laid plans of men. Stevenson (23-1, 20 KO) aligned himself with shadowy advisor Al Haymon, and the Fonfara fight was shipped to HBO rival Showtime. Most of the industry sees this move as a buzzkill, scuttle-butting a potential knockdown, knockout-fest between two 175-pound lions.
For the time being, what we are left with at 175 lbs. is two planned roll-over title defenses this weekend and in May, and from there a potential Showtime fight pitting Stevenson against living legend Bernard Hopkins. Meanwhile on HBO, Kovalev will punch himself toward an uncertain future.
Regardless, Kovalev’s promoter, Kathy Duva of Main Events, wishes to continue building her boxer’s East Coast brand, starting in Atlantic City tomorrow night against Agnew.
“Atlantic City has been looking for a guy like Sergey since Arturo left,’’ said Duva, whose also promoted Gatti. “The same working class, blue-collar, real boxing fans who loved Arturo because he was a tough, hard-nosed, bad ass, are going to love Sergey.’’
In Cedric Agnew, a product of the Windy City, Kovalev will be facing an opponent making his first major title bid. Kovalev’s last seven fights have ended in seven rounds or sooner. Tomorrow’s fight is scheduled for 12 rounds, but few expect it to last that long.
There is a bit of intrigue in Kovalev, (24-0, 21 KOs) other than his one-punch knockout power. The younger of the two top light heavyweights, (Kovalev is 30 to Stevenson’s 36) he has popped upon HBO fight cards both here and abroad as a fan in the stands, and seemed the more willing of the two before the tentatively-set showdown was railroaded earlier this week.
“In the past 30 years not a single legendary champion has been built on any other network than HBO,’’ Duva said. “Sergey’s plan is to become a legendary champion and not someone else’s opponent.’’
So with that, the premium cable network is left with one-half of what was supposed to be the marquee fight of 2014. Fortunately, Kovalev has a promoter dedicated to making him a star, and a style to win the fans over quickly. At Thursday’s press conference, Kovalev was asked about the Stevenson situation.
“I never go into the ring thinking about someone else. I want to say good luck to Adonis is in his career but someday he will meet my punch. We will talk about it after the fight.”
Although his future is uncertain, the boxing world knows one thing: Kovalev is just going to keep on punching.
The HBO co-feature should be heated, between junior welterweights Thomas Dulorme of Puerto Rico and Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield of San Francisco. Mayfield is almost a decade older, but Dulorme has still yet to live down his stoppage loss to Luis Carlos Abregu in October 2012. We like Mayfield to score a knockdown and win a decision.
ESPN Friday Night Fights features the semifinals of the Boxcino lightweight tournament. Read our coverage of the opening round here….Telemundo has a show tonight headlined by once-beaten Filipino bantamweight Marvin Mabait against Alejandro Hernandez from Mexico City…Integrated Sports Pay Per View will offer a lackluster card tonight from Gatineau in Western Quebec, headlined by welterweights Antonin Decarie and Pablo Munguia…Chris Chatman will step up against Grady Brewer in Lincoln, R.I…UniMas has a Saturday show from Las Vegas, headlined by Jose Benavidez and Brian Viloria in separate bouts.