The decline of Kovalev's power...

Yes. If too much of you're Central Nervous System deteriorates -- brain cells, neural pathways, spine, nerves -- then basically a huge handicap befalls said fighter. They can no longer absorb punishment to the head like they used to, their cognitive ability has decreased, their nerves have died or been impaired -- if they have died then the muscle wastes away because nerves are what give the signals to the muscles, if they are impaired it takes longer for signals to travel from the brain to the muscles and vice versa and fluidity will be lost.

Just imagine your computer contracting a virus that permanently damages the computer and it's performance, it will be much slower, can't hold memory like it used to, can't process information like it used to, can't execute commands like it used to.

Repeated head shots and drinking are two of the worst things in the world for your central nervous system.

BTW -- when most fighters are deemed "shot" it's almost always primarily due to the deterioration of their CNS -- not their age-related muscle issues. When their CNS has deteriorated to the point that they cant take punishment upstairs anymore -- at all -- they slow down significantly because brain activity can't properly or efficiently transmit anymore, balance and movement tank, as well as critical thinking -- thats usually when you hear a fighter called "shot" and they are usually already showing signs of pugilistic dementia, especially vocally.

 

Power is the last thing a fighter loose, so this is really weird

 

I think much of this is style, though. Everybody could see he wasn't committing against Canelo. But since he got with McGirt, remember, he's been encouraged to jab and box more and not go for the kill! We've seen what happens to Joshua's big KOs when he does that too (Parker, Ruiz II), the power isn't visible, but it's not necessarily gone.

McGirt clearly helped geld him, but this hasn't necessarily given many advantages defensively since he nearly got stopped by Yarde and got stopped by Canelo. It's obvious Kovalev's power threat was part of his defence, just like Golovkin, and if you take that away, he becomes vulnerable, especially because he never developed a truly defensive style.

So the second Alvarez fight, the Yarde fight and the Canelo fight he hasn't been committing like he used to back in the bomb slinging days of old. He was still committing in the Ward fights and the first Alvarez fights and he hurt Ward and Alvarez. I think his power is still there, but his confidence isn't. But let's say he decided to go out in a blaze of glory and risk gassing and getting stopped, just not giving a ****, let's say he hired Roach and just went back to trying to take people out again, I'm sure he could. He just might lose more than he used too, it becomes more of a lottery, for the age and possible punch resistance issues people mention etc.

 

It´s by design, for the most part. Kovalev can no longer commit to throwing hard punches like he used to, because he would gas.
Happened to him even in his prime vs Ward.
Since the Eleider loss, Kovalev has changed his style. But it is still not enough to keep him going for 12 rounds. His physical decline has been too steep.

 

In fairness, it's also the first to wain whilst draining

 

Too many people parrot this as if it is a rule of thumb, when it really isn't.

 

Kovalev just physically deteriorated to the point that he is not a top fighter anymore.
His speed, power, reflexes, stamina are all gone pretty much.

 

He is getting hurt every time he fights now. I think it's too late. He could take time off to heal his body but he is up there in years for a boxer. Time is not his friend. I think he is done.

 

I still think a massive part of it was getting buddy in who made kov go back to boxing more than sitting down on his punches.

 

The last couple of years I've become more interested in LHW and CW. One thing that never made sense to me was the lack of a 187 pound division. Yes we need less weight classes, not more. But if we have 8 weight classes from 105-130 why do we only have 2 from 175-200? I get it, the percentage of bodyweight comes into play. I'd know if I was a boxer competing in the LHW division this would make me feel quite indignant. Because it's not fair. It's ridiculous to have that many weight classes filled with a bunch of grown men. Of course we should have divisions for the smaller guys. But enough is enough. There needs to be a weight classes between LHW and CW.

Kovalev has to boil down to 175 because he can't compete at 200. He doesn't have the size for it and never did.

 

In two words: "vodka" and "age". Either one will debilitate you, taken in combination it's a killer.
He isn't aging well. Like it was said above, he looks scrawny not muscular at the same weight he was when he
was The Krusher. He's putting on weight as he ages, and now when he drains down to 175 it isn't the same as
before. I'm not a Dr, but he just doesn't look the same as before.

 

He makes me not want to drink alcohol or limit it seriously to something like once a month. I already don't drink much as it is. But ignore the some of the possible financial and emotional consequences of alcohol for a second. It totally wrecks your body. And "moderation" is all fine and good, but a moderate amount of alcohol is lot less than many people think.

 

The second worst thing you can do to your body, maybe THE worst, is smoke cigarettes. In combination with alcohol it's a one-two punch.
Take it from me, when you see people from your 30th, 40th or 50th (like mine) high school reunion, you can pick out the boozers and they are usually smokers as well. The only people looking worse are cancer survivors.

That's why I'm so good looking and well preserved; I never smoked...tobacco. Yes, I did drink for a while but it never got out of hand.