In the seventh round Alvarez knocked out Kovalev due to exhaustion and stamina depletion. Kovalev was up on all score cards and beating Alvarez . Me personally I don't even think Alvarez belongs up there with the top guys . To me he is a good fighter but what highlights did he show in the first fight besides the knockout ? He has an ok jab but nothing out of this world. Tonight Alvarez will confirm if he is legit or not . If Alvarez wins I'll believe he is legit . If he doesn't win I'll think the first fight was just a fluke and he had gotten lucky . I got Kovalev winning but if Alvarez wins then good for him
I don't know about being tired. Because that was a massive shot to eat and I'm not sure many people at 175 can take a sunday shot like that at any point in a round. I do think kovalev didn't prepare properly and wins but I disagree with the reason you claim he lost.
also you discredit a possible win in the rematch vs Kovalev it makes it sounds like he beats a meh fighter in a rematch. I disagree I think Kovalev winning is a big win not a meh win.
Kovalev ate big punches that made him drop his poker face & back peddle in a way very out of character. Alvarez easily detected this. Did Kovalev admit exhaustion? I thought stiff punches had Kovalev's feel wooze. Also Alvarez cracked Kovalev's back on the ropes twice. Rough tactic but manhandled Kovalev, Kovalev even grabbed his back in pain.
I think Alvarez is a really good fighter and this will be Kovalevs best win when he wins the rematch. I do think Kovalev took him lightly but Alvarez did a lot right and Kovalev never really hurt him save for round 4. I think rounds 5 and 6 is what most of the fight looks like for 12 in the rematch however close rounds with Kovalev winning close
I agree and I dont agree. Because of the exhaustion, kovalev's defense (that is normally sloppy) became even sloppier, it allowed Álvarez to connect a couple of shots that knocked kovalev out. So yes, it's because of kovalev's exhaustion that Álvarez could KO him. But that's not what I usually call a ko because of the exhaustion, which is different.
Kovalevs next punch when alvarez landed to the body was very predictable a jab. Alvarez took a gamble that Kovalev would do that and he put all his power into a shot and Kovalev ate it. I feel it was more very good set up and Kovalev didn't select his punches well. but I think that's corrected tonight.
I had it even going into round 7. Alvarez set a fast pace early and won the first 3 rounds, which made Kovalev work hard and exert a lot of stamina to win the next 3 while he cruised. Did a lot of good work to the body, started to break Kovalev down and picked his moment to head hunt as soon as he smelt blood. It was a perfectly executed gameplan, the opposite of a fluke. Kovalev said he overtrained for the first fight, if he’s managed to get his conditioning right this time round then he has a chance, but I’m fairly sure he gets stretched again.
It was not a gamble. I have been saying this for ages, once kovalev gasses, he doesnt pull his hands back properly after hitting. It happens specialy with his jab and his straight right hand. Everybody and his mom knew since ages that we would see kovalev being koed like that. Specially with his jab, once he gets tired he cant pull properly his jab back. With his straight right hand he has the same problem, as I said, but it's even worse because he's left hung in there after the punch. Man, kovalev's defense SUCKS BIG TIME when he gets tired since long ago. The only difference is that now his oponents are passing the 5th round barrier in good conditions, and previously they didnt. EDIT: Actually Ward exploited the same flaw when he put kovalev to dance the judah dance. EDIT2: Kovalev is an outstandig figther, but he's a lazy ***** with no stamina at all. Lazy bitches get knocked the F out after round 7, that's how the world is made. Hence, you know guys, never be a lazy ***** or you all will get knocked the F out.
Rofl, he can say whatever, you see the ko and you see that kovalev is completely knocked out. He sais no? he's a liar. Easy as that.
Yeah but Kovalev says a lot of things. If it didn't hurt his head why did he go down and look very badly hurt? When being exuasted you don't look very badly hurt you just breath harder. Kovalev also fought at a odd pace. those will be corrected. the issue I have is you think this will be a good win but you don't seem to think Alvarez is a good fighter. I think Kovalev wins but I also think this is a massive win and a comeback story. If everthing you said is true then I should think "meh, he beat a guy he should have big deal. I think this is a great win Also that was a massive shot one that I don't think Alvarez will land again it wasn't a regular straight it was a haymaker educated gamble. Just because Kovalev says the punch didn't hurt him at all doesn't make it true.
It's very easy to see how when kovalev receives the left cross he gets automatically shutdown, that's not exhaustion, that's a knock out.
It was a right cross, Alvarez is orthodox. If alvarez can land a shot like that again he'll win but can he. I'm going with no but I could be wrong. depends if Alvarez can adjust and Kovalev can't
A left cross. Álvarez connects his right hand over kovalev's jab, and then his left cross, and kovalev is shutdown. Then he recovers and get koed again and the fight is over. That's how I remember it. Maybe I'm wrong, though. EDIT: yes, I have rewatched, it was like that. The left cross shuts kovalev down. Though, Ávarez connects another right hand before kovalev touches the canvas. EDIT2: I remembered the shut down to be more abrupt. Maybe thegoose has a point.