Why don't we hear more about Kovalev's unlikely rise to the top of boxing

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by tinman, Mar 29, 2017.


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  1. tinman

    tinman Loyal Member Full Member

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    This guy has overcome all odds. I watched a couple of videos on him and his boxing upbringing. The guy had to scrap for everything that he ever had. A real FIGHTER who came up the hard way. No quitting, no denying, no backing down.

    First with the break up of the Soviet Union and having to endure poverty. Then his dad died when he was a teenager. He was never blessed with tremendous raw talent. Instead, he honed his boxing through time superb technical skill and power. He didn't even get to turn pro until he was 26 years old. And being from Russia where pro boxing was just getting it's start he had nowhere to go for money.

    So he spent the first 20 or so fights of his career not even getting paid. That's right, he wasn't even being paid. Then he had to deal with tragedy of Roman Simakov dying from over punishment. Then he stopped Nathan Cleverly and he could finally gain some traction and get on HBO. From there he established himself as an overwhelming force at the 175 pound division.

    Finally, he secured his legacy when 80 percent of the media thought he outboxed Andre Ward who is by all accounts a truly exceptional fighter himself.

    From the bottom to the pinnacle of the sport.
     
    tinman, Mar 29, 2017
    tinman, Mar 29, 2017
    #1
    Absolutely!, radupidu, SnatchBox and 2 others like this.
  2. Steve_Fox

    Steve_Fox Well-Known Member Full Member

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    he is very good but he was headlocking ,fail to ko ward and needed judges decision.
    he let us down
     
    Steve_Fox, Mar 29, 2017
    Steve_Fox, Mar 29, 2017
    #2
  3. Contro

    Contro Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Because HBO feels more like hyping GGG
     
    Contro, Mar 29, 2017
    Contro, Mar 29, 2017
    #3
    pincai and alexthegreatmc like this.
  4. Drachenorden

    Drachenorden Active Member Full Member

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    Yeah, his story is pretty amazing. He's like an old school pro fighter, just not from the USA like the old school fighters were. I think he would love to box in the 50s. He's willing to fight anybody and doesn't want to bother with money negotiations too much. His career wasn't guided that much but he still kept the 0 until the big stage.

    Don't forget that he was also sidelined in the amateurs and had to come over to America where he had absolutely nothing. He wasn't good at English at first either and Jackson was about to drop him.
     
    Drachenorden, Mar 29, 2017
    Drachenorden, Mar 29, 2017
    #4
  5. TinFoilHat

    TinFoilHat Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think it's because HBO originally wanted to paint him as "the bad guy". They didn't tell his story because they didn't want us to sympathize towards him at all. They wanted him to be someone we'd root against.

    The problem is when your main opposition is Super Pimp and SOB Ward, you can't really look like a bad guy.
     
    TinFoilHat, Mar 29, 2017
    TinFoilHat, Mar 29, 2017
    #5
    junkhead, Ant Sutton, Robney and 2 others like this.
  6. tinman

    tinman Loyal Member Full Member

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    You could be right, but you would think an exciting boxer-puncher would be someone to have the fans root for. It's not like he's a boring technician like Andre Ward.
     
    tinman, Mar 29, 2017
    tinman, Mar 29, 2017
    #6
  7. MVC!

    MVC! The Best Ever Full Member

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    Ward clearly won that fight, and many agree with that. 114-113.
     
    MVC!, Mar 29, 2017
    MVC!, Mar 29, 2017
    #7
  8. tinman

    tinman Loyal Member Full Member

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    MVC, thread hijack incoming...
     
    tinman, Mar 29, 2017
    tinman, Mar 29, 2017
    #8
  9. MVC!

    MVC! The Best Ever Full Member

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    Well don't be mad I'm speaking the truth.

    Ward clearly won that fight, a close competitive fight I might add.
     
    MVC!, Mar 29, 2017
    MVC!, Mar 29, 2017
    #9
  10. andrewa1

    andrewa1 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    No natural talent? Uncommon level of power and instinct.

    Also, few 114113 decisions are "clear". I think Kov deserved the nod but it was debatable either way.
     
    andrewa1, Mar 29, 2017
    andrewa1, Mar 29, 2017
    #10
  11. TinFoilHat

    TinFoilHat Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yeah you would. I think though that the fact that he had killed a man, is kind of a mean spirited guy at times, HBO wasn't sure what to do with him storyline wise. Also not having good english seems like a liability.

    But at the end of the day I would much rather hang out with KRUSHER, than Diva Ward and especially Super Pimp Stevenson. He just hates some of his opponents, and I would to if a guy promised a rematch and signed for it, then didn't deliver when he got a gift decision.

    I want to like American fighters, but when they are DIVAs like Ward, it is really hard to.
     
    TinFoilHat, Mar 29, 2017
    TinFoilHat, Mar 29, 2017
    #11
    Ant Sutton likes this.
  12. Forza

    Forza Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Sadly the judges robbed him on the biggest night of his life
     
    Forza, Mar 29, 2017
    Forza, Mar 29, 2017
    #12
  13. greenhornet

    greenhornet Boxing Addict Full Member

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    your opinions aren't worth a hill of beans.
     
    greenhornet, Mar 29, 2017
    greenhornet, Mar 29, 2017
    #13
  14. MVC!

    MVC! The Best Ever Full Member

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    Your opinion really matters to me! /s
     
    MVC!, Mar 29, 2017
    MVC!, Mar 29, 2017
    #14
  15. Adil

    Adil Active Member Full Member

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    Kovalev got Ward's inactivity virus. You know Sergey is risking spending his prime years in inactivity thanks to Ward playing with rematch/retirement. That's what happens when you deal with people who don't honor their contracts.
     
    Adil, Mar 29, 2017
    Adil, Mar 29, 2017
    #15
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