Can BHOP take kovalev's bombs?

I struggle to know how to respond to this. If Hopkins does win though, it is likely to be through 'veteran' tactics IMO.

Hopkins might be able to neutralise Kovalev, but Kovalev is not Pascal (though his stamina remains untested over more than 8 rounds so it's not impossible they share a common flaw), and Kovalev is absolutely not a Cloud, Murat or Shumenov.

For all that his achievements are remarkable for his age (and his career accomplishments make him a great of our time), Hopkins has not really shown himself to be a really elite LHW.

Hanging around the top level? Yeah... but really he hasn't beat a top level fighter at 175 since Pascal - and Pascal has never really proved himself as a top level LHW anyway.

And that was well over 3 years ago.

 

Are you sure you're not a little bias? Could you perhaps give less credit....? Pascal is a great LHW and people are avoiding him like the plague! Always have really.....and as for BHop, I see no reason to think Kovalev is some massive step-up to 'proper-elite-best-ever' comp.

BHop is more than capable of hanging with Kovalev though it's a good match-up.