I’m trying to figure out why many fans think Hopkins will win

However, if Pascal was able to knock Hopkins down twice, then imagine what Sergey could do to B-Hop

 

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i bet a small $100 bucks on hopkins to beat kovalev only because as history shows boxing always wins....not saying kovalev cannot box, just saying hopkins has more boxing skills and experience. Kovalev has the power but not sure if he can land any meaningful punches to bother hopkins.

 

If Kovalev is legit he should dominate. I think he exposed himself to counter right hands quite easily which is Bernard's favorite punch so it is an interesting fight. I will say this, Kovalev is more athletic, naturally bigger and has better experience than Pavlik did. He is also more confident. If Bernard took this fight thinking he's just another Pavlik he may be rudely mistaken.

 

I don't think it's just hope fueling Hopkins support. It's also a classic situation of vastly deeper experience pitted against younger talent. I do see talent in Kovalev but there's also some question marks surrounding him. I think the big question is not so much what Hopkins is going to do in the face of big puncher but what Kovalev is going to do with a cagey veteran that doesn't give up angles. Hopkins also can read tendencies. And Kovalev does have a tendency to go back in a straight line at times. That's how he got knocked down.

Frustration can be a big impediment to a fighter's psyche. Just watching Hopkins can be a exercise in frustration.

 

Those are not excuses. Tarver had bulked up to 220 lbs to play a HW champion in Rocky 6 during January 2006 filming. After filming ended, Tarver had no plans to come back down to LHW. He was looking for fights at HW and when there were no HW fights that were available he accepted a fight with Hopkins in early March 2006, giving him approximately 4 months to 45 of mostly muscle weight. During the fight the HBO panel of Merchant, Lampley and Steward we constantly mentioning how weak and listless Tarver appeared to be(signs of severe dehydration). Tarver was also 37 years old. Dropping that much weight at that age I would imagine would be a terrible detriment to athletic performance. Kovalev is not in the same predicament as Tarver, he is in shape and won't be weight drained coming in. He's also a much better puncher than Tarver ever was. So it is HIGHLY illogical to make any kind of prediction for a Hopkins victory against Kovalev based on that fight.
With Tito and Pavlik they were coming up from their natural weights(2 weight classes for Tito who was naturally suited for WW).

 

Who was the last power puncher who did'nt have to plant his feet to punch?

Kovalev does throw a nice hard straight jab to the body, there's a few things Hopkins is going to make certain dont land on him and that straight jab to the body is likely going to be one of them.

Kovalev can beat Hopkins imo if he keeps busy and is willing to take some hard straight rights from Hopkins for his efforts.
If Kovalev takes one of those Bernard right hands and decides he does'nt want to get hit by it again, then there's a strong chance Hopkins will do a number on him.

Kovalev is younger and stronger, he should fight like it and be willing to take the old man's incoming.

 

When Hopkins fights it brings out all the insecure racist Crackas. Pathetic.

 

Pavlik never laid hands on Hopkins, so you cant really blame and point to him not bringing his punching power up with him.
What benefits Kovalev now though is that Hopkins has aged significantly and imo cant fight at the pace that he fought in that Pavlik fight, which is something that can be a difference maker during the course of the fight.

 

Found one :rofl
Cracka isnt racist. Racism isnt just about skin colour, its about the social power of a race. Calling a white boi cracka as a black man could be considered rude at best. :good

 

Speed

The only two that gave your boy absolute hell were Meldrick and Pernell

Kovalev is NOT fast. He's brutally powerful, and much more skilled than someone like Kelly

And i agree with the posters saying Kov will just hit him anywhere - Marciano style - and eventually bull him down (if the fight goes fairly)

And those who're saying Kov has a weak chin and paper skin are deluded

 

I'm one that will be happy to see Hopkins get his arse handed to him. Hopkins however is very savy, I'm not seeing a slow guy just walking him down and pushing him around.

I'm looking at Hopkins to go Johnny Ruiz on poor Kovalev.
One punch, hold, rinse and repeat.
Hopkins prepares himself well for that type of physical grind when he wants that to be the gameplan.
Hope Kovalev trained to fight against that, because if he did'nt, there's not a damn thing he's going to be able to do in the ring against the savy tooth of Bernard Hopkins.

I wish Referees would'nt allow fighters to fight in the one punch and hold style, but I'm not looking at the ref to put a stop to it all of a sudden for this fight when they've allowed Hopkins to fight that way many times.