Sergey Kovalev Destroys Vyacheslav Shabranskyy
Live from the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York, NY, HBO had a lineup of great fight for the night of November 25th. The action did not disappoint.
The main event of the evening was a 12 round light heavyweight title fight featuring the return of Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, 31-2-1, 27 KO’s, as he faced off against Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, 19-2, 16 KO’s. Both fighters started out establishing themselves early. Near the minute mark Kovalev dropped Shabranskyy with a hard right hook. Shabranskyy was able to answer the count and was dropped again with a ferocious combo capped off by a set of hard right hooks.
Kovalev started the second round with a hard combination that rocked Shabranskyy. Around the minute mark he landed a combination that once again dropped Shabranskyy who was visibly hurt but able to continue. Kovalev continued to control range and Shabranskyy continued to press forward. Shabranskyy’s fate was finally sealed when Kovalev landed a hard straight right that rocked Shabranskyy again as he followed up with a combination of around multiple shots that rocked Shabranskyy left and right before referee Harvey Dock stepped in to call a halt to the contest giving Kovalev the technical knockout victory. Kovalev looked good and showed that he still packs a hell of a punch. With Andre Ward now retired, Kovalev can be considered the best in the division once again. That said, there is a new crop of light heavyweights that will surely keep him busy and offer the fans a multitude of great fights.
The co-feature was a light heavyweight showdown between the red hot Sullivan Barrera, 21-1, 14 KO’s, as he took on Felix Valera, 15-2, 13 KO’s. Valera caught Barrera with a vicious left hook to drop him near the minute mark of the first. Barrera was able to return the favor with a knockdown of his own with a right-left hook combo just as the 10 second marker sounded off. Both fighters were throwing heavy shots as the traded punches early in the second. Valera started to show-boat making Barrera wing heavy shots and actually catching Valera. Barrera was cut in the round as well.
Valera was deducted a point for a hard low blow at the beginning of round three. Barrera poise and tact as the round went on and was able to likely take the round with effective punches as he forced Valera to back up for the majority of the round. The fourth round saw Barrera land a hard overhand right in the opening seconds. Barrera caught Valera with another hard right midway through the round and Valera was able to answer back with a right hook of his own.
Both fighters had their moments in the fifth and Valera seemed to bounce back showing more of his offensive skill once again. Barrera continued to press forward applying an effective offense of his own. Valera was again deducted a point for a low blow at the beginning of round six. Valera, riding off of an angry high, started to bang with aggression, inviting Barrera to fight it out. Barrera obliged and landed heavy, clean shots and looked to have seized the momentum as Valera started to show fatigue.
Barrera continued to apply his skill in the seventh landing clean shots. Valera didn’t back down and traded with Barrera in spots, successfully. Barrera landed a solid left hook to cross combo midway through as he continued to show his boxing prowess. In the eighth Barrera continued to mix his shots to the body and head before catching an additional low blow. Valera was deducted a third point for low blows. Barrera continued to work, applying pressure to Valeria’s body and closed the round strong.
Barrera was deducted a point at the start of the ninth for a low landed on Valera. Barrera continued to win the round. In the 10th and final round, Valera remained game and landed a flurry as he looked for the knockout. Barrera continued to continually invest in Valera’s body to slow what momentum he sought to gain. Barrera close the fight looking for the knockout with boat banging it out until the final bell. Officially all judges saw the fight in favor of the winner, Sullivan Barrera, with scores of 98-88, 97-90, 97-89.barrera showed that he belongs in the mix at the top of the division and showed great resolve. I wouldn’t mind seeing Valera again as well.
The telecast kicked off with a decent fight between Yuriorkis Gamboa, 28-2, 17 KO’s, against the rugged Jason Sosa, 20-3-4, 15 KO’s. Both fighters pushed for their offense in round one with each seeing some success. Gamboa landed a combination capped off by a right hook to the body which was the best punch of the fight thus far. Gamboa showed great speed in the second by beating Sosa to the punch, early. Sosa missed on many wide shots. Gamboa landed a solid two punch left hook to the body near the minute mark. As the round wore on Sosa landed a shot that opened a cut on Gamboa. Sosa was also able to land a hard double hook combo to Gambia’s head right before the round ended as Gamboa tied up.
Both fighters were aggressive in the third and each landed their own good shots. The round saw some sloppy moments as Gamboa went down from a trip and the two tied up in many occasions. Overall, Sosa seemed to have the more effective offense in the round. The fourth took a similar tone and feel to the third. Early in the fifth the two fighters found themselves in a flurry where Gamboa landed a solid, fast combination showing shades of his featherweight days. Sosa continued to press forward as the aggressor and landed the occasional hook.
The sixth round saw each fighter having their moments. The latter part of the round was all Sosa as he landed the cleaner, harder shots including a hard left hook and Gamboa lunges in to tie up. In the seventh round saw Sosa hurt Gamboa early with a left hook to the top of his head that wobbled him and forced a glove to touch the canvas, resulting in a knockdown. As the round wore on Gamboa had to be warned for continuous holding. Sosa was able to land a hard right hook to Gamboa’s body that hurt him again though he was able to finish the round standing. Near the minute mark of the eight round Sosa was able to land a few unanswered left hooks on Gamboa and closed the round with the momentum as fatigue started to show on Gamboa’s end.
Sosa continued to press in the ninth round as he was repeatedly held by the now seemingly surviving Gamboa. The referee had to issue a stern list warning to Gamboa for the holding. Sosa was the more effective puncher in the round and landed a clean two punch uppercut combination to Gamboa’s body to further invest in his work. In the 10th and final round at 1:22 of the round Gamboa was deducted a point for holding. Gamboa stepped up his offensive effort in this round but Sosa continued with his virtue.
The fight officially went down as a majority decision victory for Yuriorkis Gamboa with scores of 94-94, 95-93, 96-92 from the judges. The fight was close and an argument could be made that Sosa pulled off the victory. Gamboa gets back into the win column and will hopefully be more active moving forward with his new team. Both fighters deserve an applause for their efforts.
Great showing by HBO with a card that delivered from top to bottom. There are still a number of great fights coming before the year ends. Stay tuned fight fans.
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