**** Kirks Championships 2014 ****

Kovalev TKO

 

Kovalev TKO

 

I'll be honest, I haven't given Agnew more than a perfunctory look and have only seen him perform live once (probably the only time anyone has, barring in person at the venue for some non-televised event as this will technically be his TV debut on Saturday...) - the night he fought Alfredo Contreras on the live streamed undercard provided by Top Rank before the Donaire vs. Arce HBO card. Agnew shut Contreras out FWIW on my scorecard as well as one judge's, but in Contreras we do have a guy with a losing record who rather habitually goes all night without even getting on the scoreboard. Outside that full 6-rounder I have only the same handful of Youtube clips to go on as everybody and honestly didn't probe too deeply, skimming through because they both didn't seem to suggest much of a problem for Kovalev and because, well, frankly, he can be a bore.

The book on Agnew is that he was a very handy amateur with impressive speed and can switch-hit effectively on the outside, but that his style is less than ideally adapted for the pros and he carries very little power and still retains some amateurish habits both offensively (light hitting, content to run up clicks on the counter with his right or left jab but effectively shelving his rear power hand in whatever stance he is using at the moment) and defensively (pulling and quick-stepping away from shots in a light trot, enough to lower the quantity someone could land on him in a flurry but not really designed to ensure he can avoid strategically placed bombs from a puncher). He looks an imposing light heavyweight but this belies a lack of real physical strength or the will to use whatever is there. He showed me very little killer instinct even when ungainly lug Contreras was stunned (by Agnew's timing more than power, when it happened) and in no reasonable position to counter with anything dangerous.

If based on his ganders, Drew proves to be correct, and this goes the distance or proves a tough out for Kovalev - color me impressed. :good

 

Kovalev KO

 

The more I mull it over, the more what Drew says does make sense. :think

Agnew's calm-to-a-fault demeanor really could serve in two completely different ways: getting him bushwhacked effortlessly as he finds himself unable to repel or avoid Kovalev's charges and simply bombarded into & on the ropes, or, if he can remain on point and put in just enough work moving and parrying, never really leading or counter punching, with his energy conserved and pace constant and unaffected by Kovalev, yeah, he might be able to survive all the way.

Of course, if he takes any stabs at landing on Kovalev or doing anything but negate the action to lose a decision, he is opening himself up to become in all probability a highlight reel KO victim.

 

Sergey Kovalev WKO

 

kovalev ud

 

Ya think?!
Hope they have doctors and a ambulance on standby then.

 

Sergey Kovalev WKO

 

Kovalev TKO

 

Well, I did say the gut feeling was probably poor.

And given that Agnew lasted longer than expected I don't feel that bad about following this hunch.

 

where is the april fight list ? :think

 

David and/or Kirk were starting to work on it as of last week. :conf

If you guys want, you can use some or all of my Rummy's Challenge list for the week to start off until the full April list comes out.

(Kirk would need to OK that before anybody starts making picks, though, obviously)

 

guys
it was agreed Kirk would do the list
regards