"If you go to the body on a guy who drinks vodka like crazy, you're gonna stop him." John D. Jackson.
"There were some personal issues. I just didn't think that he could be guided. I think that Sergey has a mind of his own. Sergey is very strong-willed. Sergey is a very smart guy. I didn't think that he could be guided." Abel Sanchez.
(Each quote from Seconds Out.)
"There were some personal issues. I just didn't think that he could be guided. I think that Sergey has a mind of his own. Sergey is very strong-willed. Sergey is a very smart guy. I didn't think that he could be guided." Abel Sanchez.
(Each quote from Seconds Out.)
Here's a third table-setting quote.
This-time from myself via one of mine olde Sports Edition posts.
"Sergey Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KO) is training for his November 25 MSG Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-1, 16 KO) bout. We now know whom is training him: Abror Tursunpulatov. You mightn't know him as trainer of F.Gaibnazarov, Uzbek 2016 Olympic gold-medalist. Tursunpulatov hath trained a slew of Eastern European amateurs and believes he can sharpen Kovalev. Krusher agrees. He's also stated greater comfort-levels with a white... ... E.European task-master.This-time from myself via one of mine olde Sports Edition posts.
Bandied-about were R.Garcia, V.Hunter, and F.Roach. The latter making least sense outside a' complexion -- offense ain't needing addressed. "Krusher" must impress against Shabranskyy, after two losses in-a-row to A.Ward; and falling-out with former-trainer J.Jackson."
The racism angle is nothing new and I ain't by far the first to address it. Although all whom do address it seem to posit that no one else has. So heroic, they. It's Yogi Berra observing no one going to that restaurant any-more because it's too busy. Still, it bears mentioning in delving into the make-up of the man. There are many instances of this issue. In no particular order and forgive me if I miss any:
The Jean Pascal presser where the Haitian offered Kovalev a banana to give his then trainer, J.D.Jackson. This was seen and presented in such a way as Kovalev showing restraint as his feathers were trying to be ruffled. It also shows the Russian's "personal preferences" perchance are no secret. Then, there's he referencing Adonis Stevenson as a monkey via a pic on the shirt of a kid, arms 'round one-another. Another instance was a clearly race-baiting if not racist social media campaign he helmed 'gainst Ward.
So what if he's a racist? I don't condone, I don't care 'nuff to condemn. I'm not looking for my new best friend. I simply am thinking within the context of developing a character profile of a man I don't know using information from sources he'd fallen-out with prior. With the goal of predicting pugilism. To be clear, Kovalev denies the accusation of being a huge putz. What everything shows though, is he's a bully either purposefully or some-hows accidentally. And in approaching him thusly when predicting his rematch with Ward, that tact helped me do-so successfully. The proof was in the pudding. He was stood up to and withered. Mayhaps due to the vodka was in the gut.
The Kovalev we've known till now is a head-strong fella who is smart -- but I'd wager not as smart as he thinks. He's thoughtless and brash. Because if he ain't a racist, he should realize when he looks like one. How's this all show in the ring? No Plan B. And now it must ALL be about Plan B. His entire career needs redirection. This happens when you drop two-in-a-row, to the same opponent, fighting virtually the same fight. Lemme nip something in the bud: many feel he was right in not changing a thing in the Ward re-match, because he won the first. Regardless of how ya saw it -- he, in reality, lost. Via three (granted) American judges scoring it 114-113 each. Then, of course, the eighth-stanza stoppage wherein Ward pummeled his (alleged)vodka-basket as well as clear on south-ward to his vodka-exit. Multi-faceted, all this. N'ertheless, a man not fueled by nor fueling his own hubris sees need to change... something... anything to get that win. No, drinking more Stoli's don't count.
What is clear is that on the 25th of this month, anon cometh Vyacheslav Shabranskyy at MSG in a bout up-graded to a WBO title-fight. This on account of Ward retiring and in-turn, forfeiting the belt. So yer telling me Kov retired the bum?! (Multi-faceted.) He'll have the already-covered new coach Abror Tursunpulatov to ignore as he shouts instructions in vain and against Shabranskyy whose high-light thus-far is a KO loss to Sullivan Berrera. The then-unbeaten Ukrainian toughed-through an opening-round knock-down to in-turn drop Barrera in the second. Sans defense through-out. Shab. was downed again before a seventh-stanza final-time. Since the loss he's registered a pair of Ws.
So how's he stack up against Kovalev? Poorly, but for one thing: he's shown toughness. He won't be beaten before entering the ring and maybe not even after being knocked-down a time or two or three (I call three). There is a 2% chance of Kov gassing. So will it simply be Kovalev pummeling the tough outta the poor lad? Maybe, but I hope not. For Krusher's sake.
What Krusher needs to show is another dimension. A Plan B. Maybe the new coach will be listened to -- or perchance he was hired to be ignored. We don't know, but we will. If Kov does come out to Krush, he wins. Ultimately though, he's finished and is un-coachable. His inability to learn and develop will be his one-dimensional un-doing. He'll have an alphabet-soup strap but won't win another big fight. If he listens, though -- he wins with a jab. He puts in a full night's work sans losing a round nor running outta gas. Voila! New Sergey Kovalev. It'll look a lot like he laid off the hoochsky.
Plan A Kovalev wins in three. Plan B Kovalev wins either by late-round stoppage or unanimous-decision. Believe me, Shab. wants Plan A.
Step-two of Plan B involves Sergey sitting with himself and figuring out if he's a putz or a schmuck. A putz, as mentioned, speaks to racism whilst being a schmuck just means you're too dumb not to look like what ya ain't. Either-way. Fix-it. I don't care how. Then imagine how easier Kathy Duva's job will be in promoting the guy. What if all these things not going his way are paybacks by them in-the-know? Conspiratory food for thought. The tough decisions, the now hard to book and non-primo matches. Yup, it'll make K.Duva's job a real dream, this reinvented Krusher. Don't worry -- she'll mess it up.
Or, what if this whole-time she's been floundering under the worst-case scenario of a drunken and bigoted and ultimately abusive client she's somehow become captively co-dependent upon? Nah. Now if ya excuse me, I got a birthday party to attend. That's right, gentlepersons. I'm going out on the town for the second-time in as many weeks. I hope to be in bed by nine regardless.
I s'pose I should share my thoughts on Kovalev's alleged racism before I throw on my formal black sweatpants and head out the door. He grows up to be Trump. The embarrassing uncle who keeps saying terrible things that don't fully reflect his shallow thoughts. Methinks it's over for him, as that type don't do no Plan B. Heck, they're most proud'a that.
& does he drink? Like a fishsky. It's a cultural thing. Or a social construct. Or it's just in-keeping with the sorta guy I got him pegged as. I bet he smells of the metabolized stuff.
Report a typo, win a No-prize.
"HERE KITTY KITTY"
What Krusher needs to show is another dimension. A Plan B. Maybe the new coach will be listened to -- or perchance he was hired to be ignored. We don't know, but we will. If Kov does come out to Krush, he wins. Ultimately though, he's finished and is un-coachable. His inability to learn and develop will be his one-dimensional un-doing. He'll have an alphabet-soup strap but won't win another big fight. If he listens, though -- he wins with a jab. He puts in a full night's work sans losing a round nor running outta gas. Voila! New Sergey Kovalev. It'll look a lot like he laid off the hoochsky.
Plan A Kovalev wins in three. Plan B Kovalev wins either by late-round stoppage or unanimous-decision. Believe me, Shab. wants Plan A.
Step-two of Plan B involves Sergey sitting with himself and figuring out if he's a putz or a schmuck. A putz, as mentioned, speaks to racism whilst being a schmuck just means you're too dumb not to look like what ya ain't. Either-way. Fix-it. I don't care how. Then imagine how easier Kathy Duva's job will be in promoting the guy. What if all these things not going his way are paybacks by them in-the-know? Conspiratory food for thought. The tough decisions, the now hard to book and non-primo matches. Yup, it'll make K.Duva's job a real dream, this reinvented Krusher. Don't worry -- she'll mess it up.
Or, what if this whole-time she's been floundering under the worst-case scenario of a drunken and bigoted and ultimately abusive client she's somehow become captively co-dependent upon? Nah. Now if ya excuse me, I got a birthday party to attend. That's right, gentlepersons. I'm going out on the town for the second-time in as many weeks. I hope to be in bed by nine regardless.
I s'pose I should share my thoughts on Kovalev's alleged racism before I throw on my formal black sweatpants and head out the door. He grows up to be Trump. The embarrassing uncle who keeps saying terrible things that don't fully reflect his shallow thoughts. Methinks it's over for him, as that type don't do no Plan B. Heck, they're most proud'a that.
& does he drink? Like a fishsky. It's a cultural thing. Or a social construct. Or it's just in-keeping with the sorta guy I got him pegged as. I bet he smells of the metabolized stuff.
Report a typo, win a No-prize.
"HERE KITTY KITTY"