In all seriousness, I believe what I'm saying about Hopkins 100%. I understand that he is FIFTY-FREAKIN-ONE and that in itself speaks volumes! So the wheels can fall completely off at any moment, and maybe as many have suggested, they already have. But I honestly don't believe that to be the case. I think Kovalev is one of those rare monsters that had the skill, size, and power to neutralize Hopkins' offense completely. I really don't see anyone, save maybe Ward, beating Kovalev at 175. I honestly believe that Golovkin will pose far fewer problems for Hopkins than Kovalev did. I don't think Gennady's power will have the impact at 170 that he has at 160, and Hopkins I believe will be the first A-level talent Golovkin has ever faced as a pro. Golovkin has great footwork, but he doesn't seem to cover as much ground as quickly as Kovalev, even if his footwork is better in a textbook sense. I also think Gennady's jab will be far less effective against Hopkins than Kovalev's jab, and given the fact that Gennady is shorter and smaller in stature than Kovalev, I think Hopkins will have a far easier time maneuvering Golovkin into unfavorable positions, where Hopkins can successfully set traps and mount a decent enough offense to keep things competitive. Maybe I'm underestimating GGG. Maybe I'm overestimating Hopkins. Or maybe I'm underrating Golovkin and overrating Kovalev. But I don't believe that's the case. I still honestly believe that Hopkins can be competitive with all of these guys south of cruiser, even if he winds up losing. If I'm incorrect, it won't be the first time, and it probably won't be the last. But I genuinely believe Hopkins has all the tools and skills necessary to beat Golovkin at 170. I hope we get to find out. :smoke
You make some good points, Rummy. It won't be an easy fight for GGG at all. Certainly will be his hardest fight to date. That said, I feel it's almost a certain lose/lose scenario for GGG. The one major positive for him is that it's a good fight for his mainstream exposure, especially if he wins by KO. I'm interested in this happening. Better than the Wade fight, that's for sure!
Kovalev isn't the only guy that can beat Hopkins. I didn't see anything close to exceptional in that fight,not in the least bit. You don't have to be "special" to beat an old fighter that can't punch for shi.t. :rasta
Depemds on how much Hopkins has left in the tank. Right now I'd probably pick Golovkin to win but wouldn't be surprised if Hopkins gave him his most difficult fight for a long time. Even at this stage Hopkins could possibly beat anyone on Golovkin's resume so it's not a bad fight (no worse than Golovkin's other fights anyway) even if you factor in age. I also disagree with those saying Golovkin can't knock him out because Kovalev didn't. Boxing doesn't work like that, all it takes is one well timed shot.
I agree with the principle of what you're saying, in that, just because fighter A is perceived as more powerful than fighter B, and fighter B stops fighter C, it doesn't necessarily mean that fighter A will automatically KO fighter C. But I think Golovkin stopping Hopkins is exceedingly unlikely. Personally, not only do I see Kovalev is a significantly harder puncher, but I also see him as having the necessary tools to deliver that power effectively. To me, Golovkin's grossly lacking in power (compared to Kovalev), and he's also lacking the attributes needed to properly connect with the type of regularity I think he'd need to stop Hopkins. Additionally, I'd add that Hopkins is far more likely to find ways to take steam off out of Golovkin's engine in ways he was unsuccessful against Kovalev.