Campillo vs Kovalev on NBC Sports Network Preview

On a big sports weekend that includes an HBO Boxing triple header, a UFC card and the NFL’s conference championship games (GO RAVENS!), Main Events is putting on another very compelling fight on NBC Sports Network when two of the best Light Heavyweights in the world square off. You really have to respect what Main Events is doing with their limited resources as they put together the best fighters they can get their hands on instead of building records and waiting for a payday. It’s truly a shame that the bigger companies don’t follow their lead.

Gabriel Campillo has been victimized by judges against Beibut Shumenov & Tavoris Cloud in the eyes of just about everyone. Here is another chance for him to push forward into a title fight. The Spaniard is a slick southpaw who fires off beautiful combinations and carries more power than the eight knock outs in twenty-one wins would indicate.

Campillo will probably feel the urgency to press the pace and take things out of the hands of the judges, but he has to be careful against a puncher the caliber of Sergey Kovalev who packs a wallop in both hands and Gabriel has a tendency to keep his hands down which leaves him more open for straight right hands. I think he needs to mix it up here with spurts of aggression and counter punching. If he has things going his way he needs to be wary of catching a bomb.

As I mentioned, Kovalev has power in both hands and he was very impressive in dispatching Lionell Thompson in three rounds on another NBC card. He throws very tight punches for a power puncher and while Darnell Boone isn’t a contender, anybody who takes him out can definitely punch.

Campillo is a different animal from competitive standpoint for Sergey so a quick start could be very important from a mental standpoint. Not only that, but Campillo has been known to start slow and is nearing a year layoff. While Gabriel hits hard enough to earn anyone’s respect, and is too accurate to get completely reckless with, I think he needs to really press the pace hard right at the opening bell and show Campillo, and himself, that he belongs at this level.

This is a fantastic contrast of styles, two tall and lanky Light Heavyweights, a Boxer versus a puncher and a southpaw versus an orthodox fighter. I think Kovalev will start quickly while Campillo gauges his foe and finds his timing. I expect Sergey to floor him in one of the early rounds and build a lead.

Phase two of the fight I see as being very competitive when Gabriel gets his jab and rapid combinations going in the middle rounds while Kovalev still lands the more powerful blows and stuns his rival a time or two to make the rounds tight.

Down the stretch I’m looking for Campillo to take over, his activity rate is very high for a higher weight fighter and that coupled with the moment will have Kovalev slowing down late. I think the ten round distance is a big benefit for Sergey and I’m taking him to stave off the late rally and take a deserving split nod that could go either way.

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