Was Kovalev always overrated?

Golovkin is much worthier of the scrutiny than Kovalev, IMO.

 

Once upon a time, Golovkin fans raved about his skills, as if outjabbing David Lemieux was a feat on par with Billy Graham outjabbing Carmen Basilio in '52. Ever since he shared the ring with some guys with world level skillsets, all they seem to talk about is his chin. I've noticed they even try to award rounds for him based on punch resistance.

 

easily beat ward the first fight.

 

and you guys awarded rounds to alvarez and jacobs simply for not getting ko'd.

 

I had Golovkin beating Jacobs (albeit by the slimmest of margins). And I didn't have any expectation of a KO for either man in Canelo-GGG, so I'm not sure why I'd score any rounds for Canelo simply because he survived their duration.

 

I suppose somebody could say Kovalev deserved the win against Ward in their first fight and forced Ward to cheat to win the second fight. Maybe that's why Ward retired he knew he couldn't rely on nut punching for the remainder of his career.

 

He only became overrated after he beat overrated Hopkins.

 

Mental toughness is essentially just having stamina. Ward's body is simply better at delivering oxygen to his muscles than Kovalev's is. And that was the deciding factor in their rivalry. That and a poor decision in the first fight.

Guys like Froch, Pryor, Margarito, Pacquiao, Ward, Calzaghe, Hagler, etc. They aren't mentally tough. It's just impossible to get them to run out of gas.

 

I don’t think so, but now is the time in Kovalev’s career that will answer this question. Having 2 losses back to back to Ward, how he responds and comes back to reclaim his #1 status at LHW will be key. If he fades into oblivion then the answer is clear.

 

Weren't you one if the clowns who said he would mop the floor with Andre Ward?

 

Hell no Kovalev wasn't over rated. He was good. Regardless of whether you think he won the first fight or not, it was his fight to lose, and he handed it to Ward on a platter, by trying to wrestle with Ward, and rough him up instead of boxing from the outside. That's on him. In the rematch Ward simply took his heart. Some guys are top level until their focus is broken. Ward broke his aura of invincibility. Kovalev beat the **** out of Jean Pascal. He blanked a still serviceable Hopkins. That Hopkins doesn't lose to Joe Smith Jr. Kovalev was the real deal. It will be interesting to see if he can get that back.

 

Yeah after watching against Ward I would say he is overrated. Kovalev pissed me off the way he fought Ward.

 

I disagree here.

For example, a man tires faster when he isn't able to mentally cope with a situation well.

For another, what about when a guy needs to hang in there under pressure while his second wind comes?

What about when stamina isn't the issue, but rather seeing a guy absorb some of your best bombs and keep coming? Some start to panic and lose their shape, some hold it together and keep a cool, methodical head.

Mental toughness is real. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be at 100 every time out. A man's mileage may vary depending on circumstance, a particular set of variables, how many times he's been to the well, etc.

 

certainly not, he was a vicious puncher who seemed to be able to walk many down and force them to fight his fight.

andre ward as great a tactician as he is, struggled to pull out a win against kova and was fighting his fight and having a hard time adjusting. no "overated" fighter does that to ward. kovas achievements speak for themselves, and it will say even more if he is able to come back to the sport and perform at the elite level