Nathan Cleverly vs. Sergei Kovalev ( 17 August, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, on HBO )

This is a terrible fight for Clev. Credit to him for taking the challenge but Kovalev is the best prospect I've seen in years. Clev gets stopped.

 

Have a little faith bro!!:good

 

Cleverly has balls, but no chance.

Sergey's gonna' just wear him down, round by round, with precision-landed pain.

 

Kovalev is a pretty decent boxer, he's by no means a crude banger.

 

Sturm was poor, outside of Germany, he would have lost a couple "at least" a few of his last 10 fights. Martinez is old, but still great. Golovkin is a different animal. Macklin has about a 5% chance, probably a lucky cut, disqualification for hitting after bell or a freak injury to Golovkin. :good

Don't you see the level difference between the likes of GGG, Kovalev and the normal Euro level fighter? :?

 

Enough people have said this already, but Clev ain't Joe, and Kovalev sure as **** ain't a one dimensional banger like Lacy. I can see Clevs handspeed and slightly unusual style takin a little adjustment from Kovalev, but once those combos start landing, (and they will land, cos Clev does get hit, and he ain't got the tools to keep Kovalev offa him) Clev's suddenly gonna find himself in uncharted waters.

Do a little 'tubing, watch what happens what Kovalevs combos begin to get through (and he throws almost as many of those bombs as Clev throws his pat-a-cakes), skilled, decent fighters are thrown right off their game. They start to look like they're just there to showcase Kovalev's power.

The fight quickly becomes a matter of survival, and the only question, how long?

 

We'll find out come tonight. I am picking the GGG express to get derailed, last stop the MGM Grand at the Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, USA. Let me tell you this now Macklin is one of the most underrated fighters in all of boxing.

 

Who gets it worse, Macklin against Golovkin tonight or Cleverly against Kovalev in August? Kovalev and GGG are similar in age and had a weightclass overlap in the amateur's. I do not think they ever met up, does anyone know for a fact?

 

Kovalev was with Abel Sanchez at the summit until the Simakov (RIP) fight in Dec 2011. Kovalev has said in interview that Golo's a hard hitter, but whether that's due to reputation or personal experience is not specified. The summit's the most likely place where they would have sparred, rather than the AMS though.

If I had to call it, Macklins destruction is more certain, but Clevs will look worse.

Macklin will have a few rounds grace cos Golo always makes sure of his opponent, spending the time to learn about them in the ring, what threat they bring and how much risk he can afford to take.

Kovalev has not recently shown the slightest regard for his opponents abilities, having learned that they always falter and break under his assault.

Reading between the lines in interviews suggests he was more cautious in the earlier fights of his pro career, apparently concerned in part, that he might not have requisite power for the pros (!), but has learned to trust in his style and power, even that caution, or at least hesitation, may be a weakness given his abilities.

 

Cleverly has had fights signed against Braehmer and Shumenov with both pulling out on very short notice and has fought Bellew who is a pretty good fighter who was undefeated on his way up lets try and give him a little cedit for that win. He also has a decent win over Karo Murat who is no can.

Yes he does deserve credit and hopefully this fight does happen unlike Cleverly's other big fights.

 

C'mon don't be mean. Everyone knows Shumenov's lost his gloves!

 

Cleverly is going to get destroyed like Macklin did tonight,