I got you, but i also think his mentality is also ruined. Dont you agree with me that he wasnt trying to win fight and just wanted money? For me was clear that he didnt want to hurt Alvarez. Look at Martinez - Cotto fight. Sergio looked miserable. He was fighting on crutches with his shorts sliding down every 10 seconds and he still was trying to win. While Kovalev was just smiling and laughing before the fight, pitty patting in ring and looking very happy after being KTFO by dwarf.
He did it for his family. I get and admire it. Still sad to see a warrior like him go out like that. Like an old lion who has been defanged and cannot roar anymore.
I think he respected Canelo's power. It's clear to everybody that knows Kovalev that he's a master boxer at long range. Landing long range punches at range was easy for him, but putting power on them means potentially getting countered. The truth is that Canelo has an absolutely cast iron chin and I think Kova might have been risking it by trying to hurt him. In one sense he was fighting a smart fight, staying away from Canelo's combinations and shoeshining him ad lib with his jab. In another sense, he fought a stupid fight, because he should have known that he was never going to beat Canelo on the cards in Vegas and that he needed to hurt him. At this stage of his career SK has not got the physical fortitude left to go to war with a tank like Canelo. He was fading already back in the days when he fought Chilemba. I didn't want to believe it but it was true. I think KOvalev fought the only fight that he really could fight, beating Canelo in the ring and then losing on the cards - and he was going to always lose on the cards, we all know this.
Good Post & on the money ...so I'll take this opportunity to point out that canelo was not able to make a dent in the God of War GGG in 24 rounds, not once did he hurt GGG nor as some claim did he back the G-man up as that was G's tactic to canelo's tactics of plodding in....no Kovalev did his best (?) but it also highlights how good & solid ,teak tough GGG is! (Sorry BCS8 for juming in on your post but when opportunitys to educate isal & co present themselves ...
All in all, it can be worded quite simple — Kovalev fought like an old man. Old in body and old in mind (thinking not of becoming a boxing legend, but of the wife and two kids that are waiting for him at home).
ridiculous results from before i was even born in the mid sixties. every sport is rigged to some extent. boxing is a notch above wrestling.
Kovalev was done and semi retired when you walking in. He didn't try to win or use power, and it was a very poor fight
Correct me if I am wrong, but he was knocked out , on Aug 4 2018, by Eleider Alvarez, in round 7, in Atlantic City, their first bout. Kovolov won the title back in the rematch, on Feb 2 2019, by unanimous decision.
Not a disgrace...it was a financial decision to take a fight he was not supposed to win... Not Marvin Hagler...
He was happy because he received his bonus. That's why Kathy Duva delivered a wry smile straight after the fight since they knew SK played the choreographed end sequence to perfection. They've managed to convince many that a inside palm handed punch was enough to knock the snot out of Kovalev. Now SK can sit back on a beach sipping back Russia's finest vodka knowing he got a good deal for performing his role
Btw, i didnt know before the fight that Alvarez got 365 mil. deal with dazn, everything makes sense now. If i had knew it, I would have asked myself, why is he taking such a dangerous fight right after a huge deal?
The deal was signed before the Rocky Fielding fight. So, now Canelo has to fight opponents approved by DAZN. For this specific fight it was Golovkin, Kovalev and Callum Smith (I'm not sure about Smith, maybe not). So, moving up and fighting Kovalev was a better risk/reward option for Canelo than fighting GGG for the third time.