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| Photo Credit: Top Rank |
I was back and forth all week and at various times was prepared to select either fighter.
Kovalev was the more skilled fighter, but more often than not, the general rule in boxing proves true- In a rematch, the winner usually wins easier than in the initial encounter, so I reluctantly selected Alvarez, although I would have been just as reluctant to take Kovalev as the fight looked to be that close.
It wasn't as Kovalev shrugged off the barbs of Andre Ward and seemingly everyone at ESPN (other than Tim Bradley) tracing back to George Grande in the pre-fight analysis to deliver arguably the best performance of his career.
Kovalev threw many more punches than Alvarez, took the occasional counter right that stopped him in the first fight, very well, and dominated the fight by controlling Alvarez from the outside with the left jab.
Steve Kim of ESPN put it best, this Kovalev fought more like the technician that dominated Bernard Hopkins and less like the Krusher that steamrolled so many light heavyweights.
Kovalev turned back the clock and with his promoter (Main Events) having the ability to work with Top Rank, Kovalev could find himself in unification talk with WBC champ Oleksander Gvosdyk and new Top Rank signee IBF champion Artur Beterbiev to prove this version of Sergey Kovalev might be the best of all.
It was a crazy night for ESPN and fans watching this card.
The undercard ran from 7 (All times EST) to 10 on their streaming service before cutting to the main channel then for two title fights and then back to ESPN+ for prospect Teofimo Lopez and the Kovalev-Alvarez fight.
I understand the finances of Kovalev-Alvarez on ESPN+, but the network might have been better served just putting the entire card online.
Two lopsided blowouts led to way too much talking and some of the comments mentioned earlier were noted by what would be my choice for the crew that I would say I like least in the sport.
By the time both fights were completed on ESPN+ and the Kovalev/Alvarez interviews were completed, it was just short of 2 AM Eastern time.
Hopefully, someone involved with the boxing program will begin to see just how unpopular the late finish along with the jumping from platform to platform like one steps on rocks to cross a stream and attempt to avoid situations as these again.
I might try to work on a piece this week that looks at the broadcasting talent and production from each of the three forces in televised boxing, you might want to count on some less than flattering words on ESPN.
The ESPN+ fight that preceded Kovalev-Alvarez allowed the best prospect in boxing to get some work and he delivered not only a beating to former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno for seven rounds- he also added the early leader for knockout of the year.
Teofimo Lopez did about everything one could ask for, he boxed, punched, scored a sixth-round knockdown and he carved Magdaleno's face into pieces before finishing him in as an impressive manner as you could imagine with a left hook that landed with booming force and sent Magdaleno crashing to the mat without the consciousness to even try to break his fall.
The only bad part was with the concussed and prone Magdaleno out on the floor, Lopez, who had already danced a small jig and leaped to the turnbuckle, then ran across the ring to stand over Magdaleno and offer a walk-off swing, which could be considered a baseball uppercut or even a long drive off the tee.
Magdaleno's corner was justifiably upset with former world champion and Diego's brother Jessie leading the charge, but fortunately, any incident was avoided.
Lopez is fun to watch and has loads of talent, but behavior like that is ridiculous.
I know part of building a fan base can also be making fans want to see you defeated, but there is a line and Lopez crossed it.
The two ESPN fights ended early with Richard Commey dispatching Isa Chaniev in two rounds to win the vacant IBF lightweight title along with a ticket to unify his newly gained title with that of WBA/WBO champion Vasyl Lomachenko in April.
Commey showed the power that he hadn't shown often of late as he dropped Chaniev near the end of the first round, put him down again in early in the second and then punished Chaniev along the ropes until referee Lawrence Cole was forced to end this one early.
Richard Commey will give Vasyl Lomachenko a tougher fight that he's been used to (Jorge Linares aside) and he just might have some moments roughing Lomachenko up to a degree that hasn't been seen since Lomachenko's only loss, the controversial split decision to Orlando Salido.
Oscar Valdez kept his WBO featherweight title in his first fight in eleven months with a relentless performance over Carmine Tommasone with a seventh-round knockout.
Tommasone never threatened, although he did what he could with the limited skills that he brought to the fight, and was knocked down four times including the knockdown that ended the fight.
Valdez did exactly what he needed to do, get some rounds in, dominate an overwhelmed foe and be ready to move to the next and hopefully more competitive opponent with the hopes that might be IBF champion, Josh Warrington.
In the boxing challenge, Ramon Malpica tied the challenge at 20 for the year as he scored six points to my four on the evening.
Ramon added two points each from Valdez, Commey and Lopez, while I posted two from Lopez and just one each from Commey and Valdez.
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