Sergey Kovalev - Fighting on the Outside

Froch > Kovalev.

Froch was the second best SMW behind Ward and twice stopped the man who would go on to be the best SMW after Ward. Plus he has a superior resume to Kovalev.

In terms of actual skills he showed a more multi dimensional approach compared to Kovalev and was able to switch it up when he was falling behind on the scorecards. I'd say the only advantage Kovalev has over Froch is power, but then again Kovalev never one bombed someone as good as Groves and never walked right through someone as good as Bute.

There isn't a whole lot in it, I have them one place apart in my ATG list, but I think Froch is the better fighter of the two.

Magee, Dodson, Reid, Pascal, Taylor, Dirrell, Abraham, Johnson, Bute, Mack, Kessler, Groves

Against

Campillo, Whyte, Sillah, Cleverly, Agnew, Caparello, Hopkins, Pascal, Chilemba, Shabranskh and Mikhalkin

In the losses Froch was outpointed by Ward, Kovalev arguably beat Ward. But then Kovalev has been stopped twice.

If I was of the belief that Kovalev definitely beat Ward I would give him the edge, but as it is I see it as an incredibly close fight that whilst I scored it for Kovalev, I have no issues with Ward getting the decision.

I mean I kinda bought into the belief that he felt he got shafted in the first fight so didn't train for the rematch and then rediscovered his hunger in his comeback, I actually picked him to go on and dethrone Stevenson who I felt might pursue the fight with Kovalev losing twice but grabbing a belt back. But then this fight happened and I had to re think again.

On his best day, Kovalev proved that, worst case scenario, he is on the same level as Ward. And for that he proves he is a great fighter in my mind as Ward is undoubtedly an ATG level fighter. Froch fought competitive with Ward but lost very clearly, however he has more quality wins than Kovalev so I give him the edge.

Not a lot in it. Both great fighters, both amongst the best 100 to ever lace them up imo.

I talk a lot about resume in this post but that's only a small part of how I rank fighters, more than resume I rank on p4p winnability. Both these guys are great when enforcing their will on an opponent and both are there to be outboxed, but the huge difference is Froch doesn't tire, he is still fresh down the stretch and he's the one working the body softening his opponent up, where as Kovalev is the one who gets softened to the body.

In real life this would have been a 50/50 fight in my mind, but if there's a way of getting Froch to move up and be as good as he was p4p I'd give Froch to edge to stop him late on.

At the time I'd never have picked that, but after seeing Kovalev twice get stopped in the second half of the fight I would do now.

I was a bona fide Froch fan though,so I perhaps am a bit biased, usually I don't become a fan of boxers but in Frochs case I was.

So yeah I stand by my first sentence Froch > Kovalev

 

So Ward lost the first fight against an average fighter? I don't think so. Apart from that, Kovalev was on a steady decline since the Chilemba fight. Even JDJ who now hates Kovalev acknowledges that.

 

He smashed you, leave it at that lol

 

Good accurate post...Chilemba as awkward as he is had a bit too much success for me too..I think Sergey's lifestyle caught up with him quicker than I first thought, he's a shell and needs to hang them up

 

Care to elaborate?

 

Wow... such bull****.

 

If they had fought, Kovalev would have destroyed Froch.

 

Boxing history from its start up to present day is full of fighters who came up the hard way and overcame.

Personally, I think he kinda got to a point where he thought he had arrived and didn’t do the work to keep improving, must less stay atop the mountain — which is another type story we see a lot in boxing.

 

Kovalevs best wins were Cleverly, Chilemba, Pascal x2 (former Lineal champ) and Hopkins
Alvarez best wins a way past his prime Bute, Pascal, Chilemba and Kovalev
Stevensons best wins Dawson (lineal champ) Cloud, Bellew, Fonfara most of those were in his first year of champ.

I never thought Stevensons or Kovalevs resumes had quite a trademark victory. I was saying for weeks and weeks that if Kovalev beats Alvarez even in a close fight it's a very good win, but everyone laughed it off and said he'd win in 4 rounds. Kovalev to his credit wanted the top fights and he also had a very close fight vs ward that over half the people watching thought he won 114-113. I think Kovalev is just short of an all time great but it's that he was so avoided. Now beterbiev is being avoided and has a nothing resume despite possibly being the best guy at 175.

 

Has this been documented or only postulated, his stamina issues? Do we know he didn't put in the work, that he boozed it while in camp, etc.? I have seen it said many times, just wondering whether it has ever been verified.

 

I have been out of town for a couple of days and didn't respond to this reply in a timely fashion but I will at this time. First let me say that there is no doubt in my mind that Ward won the first fight with Kovalev and there is no doubt in my mind that he beat Froch as well. My contention is that Froch has a better ring IQ than Kovalev and a bigger heart. Ward exposed his lack of heart in the first and second fight.

 

Not acknowledging that Ward won the first fight taints

You are entitled to your opinion. I disagree.

 

Well if Froch is better than Kovalev then so is Kessler. Because Kessler is better than Froch.

I rate them Kovalev then Kessler then Froch. And Froch is my favorite fighter of the 3.

 

Froch > Kovalev > Kessler. And Froch is my favourite fighter of the 3.