What can Kovalev do to solve the riddle of Hopkins?

If he can fight going backwards he can make his life a lot easier. Bhop will probably use his craftiness and smother Kov. Kovalev needs to win the distance battle so he can land.

 

It's almost a guarantee Hopkins will try to control distance for the majority of the fight or smother him when he's not. Kovalev can't get lulled into Bhop's Sunday stroll type fight and just follow him around. He has to cut off the ring and apply a varied attack, both to the body and head. Then I think he has a chance at doing some damage.

 

Kovalev: "My strategy will be very simple, to punch my opponent as much as I can."

 

Perhaps my favourite Kovalev quote.

Along with; Q - Watch the fight, tell me what you see?
SK - I see only target.

In simple terms Sergei shows more skill, more mobility, more punch variation and more power than Bernard has faced in many years, if ever.

I ain't writing Hopkins off simply, well, cos he's Bhops and he's been beating the odds for years, but this time - Jesus no, this ain't another Murat or Shumenov he's facing.

 

Kov doesn't have the crazy stamina Calzaghe had and his grit is still to be tested. Kov keeping Bhops at bay with his jab making it long range fight I think Kov being the bigger man supposed to have the advantage, but on the inside, Bhops might break him down. Footwork is Bhops advantage too so he'll negate Kovs size. My question is if Bhops can stay that mobile for that long. Obviously he's going to take Kov into deep waters, probably even stop him, Kov has been clipped hard before, questionable defense. If Bhops can neutralize the right, Kov will have to dig really deep. Bhops has a good habit of neutralizing powerpunchers, not so much volume punchers. Kov is obviously not a volume puncher or threw punches in bunches like Calzaghe and Taylor did. Kov should use his jab as key for victory, muscle the older, more injury fighter in clinches, put gl9ve in his face, to **** him off. Even veterans like Bhops still can lose their cool.

 

He can only hope that Hopkins can't move and counter attack as he used to without running out of gas and be forced to stand flat footed. Based on styles, Kovalev is nothing new to Hopkins.

 

:rofl

 

No riddle to solve. He just needs to hit him as often as possible anywhere he can, arms chest..etc and wait for the head shots. I think his power after 3 or so rounds will trouble Hopkins quite a bit and have him on the run.

 

Kovalevs footwork and mobility are good and if he needs (or chooses) to he can set the 90/100+ punches a round pace Calazaghe would... the question is whether a high early pace with far greater power will be enough to finish BHops and whether Kovalev can sustain a high pace in to the the later rounds.

There's a lot of of questions going into this fight and all of them just add to the interest - Kovalev vs Stevenson shoulda been the ultimate battle of the KO artists, but the rather lacklustre Stevenson performance against Fonfara and his apparent avoidence of Kovalev makes Hopkins vs Kovalev the best fight in the division.

 

:deal

and kovalev is powerful enough to stop anyone, even bernard.

 

Let the hands go hit him where ever he can, BHop will fold

 

why is this rough house

cheating piece of cowardly **** considered great fighting

missing a hook and then leveraging your elbow to hold down their head, because they expertly ducked your hook is not skill

its cheap

its dirty and its cheating

in 'Merica its considered an art form

 

This is a good part of how Kovalev wins IMO, and this is exactly how JDJ has put it. Hopkins brings the most experience of any top level fighter into the ring and ain't a guy who can realistically be outsmarted. Kovalev is a big hitter but he's also mobile and uses unusual combos and switches to get his power punches through.

Mainly though he's just gonna have to beat that ol' Legend up. Consistent activity and the big punches from either hand or in combination.... Kovalev has shown what he can do against the youngsters and even some skilled fighters, but well - I just hope Bernard brings his A game.

Y'Know I am genuinely kinda torn. I'm a big fan of both fighters and have to be picking on Kovalev to win, but if BHops could pull this one off given his age it'd have to go down as an amazing achievement in boxing history.

 

Just show up. Hopkins is f.ucked.