Who picked Hopkins? My only question was would he go the distance? Kovalev fought a smart fight, he didn't get careless, his jab was in Hopkins face all night, the old man had no answer to his long rangefinders and didn't have the power to encourage him to gamble. I cut Hopkins slack for going out pretty tamely ,if it had been a younger, fresher man I think the crowd would have razzed him, retirement doesn't just beckon him now, it positively screams at him. I want to see Kovalev against a fast left- hooker, I have a theory he is susceptible to one. Time will tell.
I had no problem finding people who gave numbers toward Hopkins but I'm in the US. Really blew my mind, actually. I think Hopkins shut down operations after feeling his power in the first. He tried again in the 12th and almost met his mortal end.
Same here. I felt it would be a mis-match, and it was. I pondered why so many in the USA felt Hopkins would win. Blind Patriotism was trumped by objective reasoning. Hopkins was the last USA upper weight fighter worth a darn in a division that has no less than three grade A eastern euros' on the way up and a pretty good champion in his prime.
Do these so called ATGs always win fantasy matches. because i recall barkley beaten the **** out of hearns a few times.
I don't think it was blind patriotism. I think it was Hopkims track record of performing well as the underdog and against good punchers. As it was I felt Kovalev would win but must say I was extremely impressed how he did it. Yes Hopkins tasted his power and closed up shop for remainder of fight. Great win for Kovalev. Whether he was afraid of gassing out, just wanted rounds or really liked and respected Hopkins I had the feeling that if he chose to put his foot on the gas pedal he could of ko'd Hopkins when he liked. He won the fight going away with ease and class.
Nathan Cleverly Kovalev is a massive puncher; each punch is like being hit by a sledgehammer, Cleverly said. He sparked Ismayl Sillah clean out in the second round he was completely gone. He didnt do that to me, he shook me up and I was in no position to continue really, I was drunk from the punches and I have got a great chin, so he does hit hard and hes probably the most dangerous Light Heavyweight out there. Were you surprised by how hard he hit? I suppose I wasn't surprised because with his record it was inevitable that he was a banger and every shot he threw was a thudding shot. It was like a hammer. He wasn't rapid fast, he had good timing, good distance and his punches were just so hard... His jab, his right hand. Just when he caught you on the shoulder he would have an impact and he was just clubbing me. He just clubs you with his heavy hands and he's the type to just club you into submission. That's his aim. To club you until he puts you down. I just kept it tight early but I knew, after taking a few of his punches, I knew I couldn't afford to be caught with a shot on the chin. I knew that. I remember thinking in the first round, if he catches me clean, I'm gone. I remember thinking that. Yeah. I did think I would be able to take it but I knew, I knew and especially from the first round I knew if he caught me clean it was highly likely I would go. Even the shots on the gloves and the shoulder, the impact was really heavy. It was clear to me from the first couple of punches that when this guy landed I would be in trouble. 1:58 [YT]NKxe6GTCw3U[/YT] Lionell Thompson (Thompson's sparred against a who's who of the LHW and SMW divisions) ''No one hits like Kovalev'' 4:18 [YT]zyuvfwaIY8w[/YT] Darnell Boone 'KOD: Who is the hardest puncher that you have fought? Darnell Boone: The hardest puncher was [Sergey] Kovalev. He knows exactly how to use his height and leverage with punches. He keeps you on the outside, away from getting on the inside on him. He fights tall. 0:42-1:23 [YT]Oc4LvkIwH2U[/YT] 1:58-3:23 [YT]jElqgtYAhTk#t=141[/YT] Cornelius White His power is unreal, White said of Kovalev. I've never felt that power before. I've fought heavyweights, cruiserweights and I've never felt that before. And they weren't bricks. It was steel.
Boone is a super middleweight, he went the distance to lose a split dec in their first fight,what does beating him amount to? Who has Silla beat? How many class men has White faced? Thompson's fought heavyweights? He's faced two men over 180lbs: Dave Whitton 185lbs 11-16-1 Donell Riley 191lbs 0-1-0
Darnell Boone may have a sub .500 record but he has fought Tons of name opponents and often gives them a good fight. Kovalev blew him out in their rematch. Boone is the only man to defeat Adonis Stevenson, also dropped Andre Ward. I wouldn't entirely dismiss his opinion.
Stevenson did something Kovalev couldn't do.Ko Boone. I'm not saying Kovalev isnt a serious puncher, I'm saying his power has largely only been tested on also rans,and that to compare him to Bob Foster, who knocked out rated men is premature.
Kovalev would knockout fonfara cold, and it wouldnt be hard either. Fonfara has a shoddy defence, even with high gaurd, he also stands upright and quite immobile, he would get blitzed like sillakh did. stevenson may have a great left hand but he isnt a Krusher like kovalev, and he doesnt smell blood like kovalev. Fonfara is tough but kovalev would have him seeing stars.