Same here, 100%. I said so on another thread asking what Kovalev should do next. The idea of him continuing his career mortifies me. But if he simply must continue fighting. That post applies. But I have zero desire to see the Krusher set foot in a ring again.
They never retire. One minute after being KO by Canelo Kovalev was already mentioning he will be back and that he only got beaten by a smaller fighter because his opponent had superior stamina and complained that no one want to fight him in the LHW division. Those are his own words after being brutally KOed. RJJ kept fighting and eventually performed a decent fight against Calzaghe which in my opinion is his last good fight in boxing. I think Kovalev will try a last good attempt in similar fashion.
Did he suffer a concussion? Fact is that Kovalev was already in great shape and all he had to do was focus on his boxing. And he had a small window for recovery as well. Like I said, he is just physically too diminished. Another two months wouldn´t have made a difference. Kovalev had a full camp for Yarde and still nearly fell apart.
I don't know. I mean, he ate vicious head shots in the 8th round, so it wouldn't be far-fetched to say he did. Only he, his doctor and those close to him would know for sure, though. A fresh Kovalev stayed on his feet after all the shots Yarde landed, caught a second wind the next round and knocked him out with a jab in the 11th. This most recent Kovalev was turned into jelly with 2 punches, from a blown up middleweight. Kovalev was in great shape doe. Kovalev survived and destroyed Yarde with a full training camp. You're telling me that Kovalev would've went out like that against Canelo, of all people? Why do you think they scheduled the bout so soon? They knew he wouldn't be at 100% come fight night.
Those weren't just any punches. They were devastating. I think it's time that you stop making excuses for Kovalev and just flat out admit that Canelo is a power punching boxing phenom and did something truly earth shattering the other night. History was made and Canelo truly Krushed the once feared Krusher. Yeah and throughout the buildup many made the argument that the short turn around is a good thing for Kovalev, because 1) he's getting older and 2) he wouldn't have time to get out of shape. Staying in fight mode was seen as a good thing for Kovalev. Even Kovalev himself stated that he wants to fight often, he actually said that he doesn't like a lot of time between fights. So I just again think that it really comes off bad to continue this excuse-making rather than just say that Canelo did something that you and many others didn't think he could do. Calling Kovalev shot is also kinda lame as he is coming off two solid wins. Now that's not to say that anybody believes that Kovalev is the same fighter he was when he fought Ward and was seen as an unstoppable monster going into those bouts. But how much he has actually deteriorated as a fighter is certainly debatable. I mean if you're really trying to look for excuses to explain what happened, you could point to the long delay waiting for the UFC card to end, that may have affected Kovalev's performance even more than the short training camp. And that could have affected Canelo too and could explain why it wasn't maybe the kind of fight that we expected to see. I just know that it was really something to see Canelo Alvarez, who not too long ago was fighting at 154 just knocked out arguably the most feared big punching Light Heavyweight in recent memory. That right there is hard for any of us to wrap our heads around, whoever you are a fan of. That's something that if you would have said a couple of years ago would happen you would have been laughed at. But it ended up happening, and history was made. Anything can happen in boxing people.
Sounds like an excuse to me. I just don’t believe this thing about boxers needing like half a year to recover between fights. Kovalev is just old and chinny. And his stamina is terrible. He gasses easily and becomes a sitting duck. And frankly I suspect Canelo got a bit lucky.
You're really gonna sit here and tell me a middleweight that couldn't put dent in Jacobs, and knocked out no good fighters at 154, could just two-piece KO a top 5 light heavyweight under normal circumstances? Get the fuck outta here. Bruh, I come from Boxing Scene, and I don't think I've ever seen mental gymnastics like this over there. 1) The fact that he's getting older is exactly the reason why he shouldn't have taken the fight so soon. Your body won't heal as quickly at 36. 2) He was damaged goods going into the fight, and it showed. He hardly threw anything besides a memory foam jab, and his chin disintegrated in the 11th round. He fought like he was trying to survive, against a significantly smaller man. This is what I hate about the legacy Canelo's leaving behind. Dude fought a lesser version of an already diminishing fighter, and you guys will just eat it up. I'll give him credit for the way he took Kovalev out, but that version of him would've lost to any other high level fighters moving up.
You are forgetting the fact that Yarde himself was also completely fatigued. If someone like Yarde could push Kovalev so hard, then how come is a surprise that Canelo did? Canelo was a middleweight who struggled to make the weight. Kovalev was the bigger man, but by how much? 10lbs, maybe? Kovalev turned to "jelly" because he himself was physically fatigued. Kovalev himself admitted that he was tired by the half way point. It´s the same reason Ward rocked him and Eleider got to him. A tired fighter is a lot easier to hurt. And it´s not like Canelo can´t punch. Kovalev didn´t see the first hook coming, the second one landed on the ear and the third landed while he was out on his feet. Add to that the fatigue and it´s no wonder he got KO´d. Kovalev´s stamina has been his biggest issue. And Canelo got to take advantage of it. Just like Ward and Eleider. Another 2 months of prep would have changed nothing. The man just can´t physically compete at such a level no longer. And Canelo is leagues above Yarde.
Do you guys think that Kovalev was affected by the delay waiting for the UFC fight to end more than Canelo was? If the fight would have started an hour earlier without that long delay do you think Kovalev would have performed better and maybe wouldn't have tired as much late?
of course, the younger man will always be less affected by things like this. DAZN really f***ed up there.
Only in boxing is being almost out on your feet from blows to the head not considered a concussion lmao. Meanwhile in other sports a single collision that leaves you dazed is considered a concussion. I needed months to fully recover from my concussions after I took huge hits multiple times within a week, and I was never knocked down. Those who think your brain magically recovers from brain damage within a couple weeks have never went hard rounds in boxing.
lol, Canelo had to wait to you know. Its reaching, Kovs just way past it, another month wouldn't have mattered in prep or rest, theres a difference between Yarde and Canelo, Canelo beats Kov of the Yarde fight to imo
Every time you get your bell rang doesn’t mean you automatically get concussed. But I agree on your point. Yet Kovalev didn´t seem to have any issues relating to brain damage. His problems were stamina related.
Yes it does, medical wise. We simply just loosen up the standards in boxing because it's part of the sport. When you haven't fully recovered from a concussion your punch resistance becomes much lower. Likely, Kovalev wouldn't have been out of his feet at the very least from that Canelo left hook if he had more time to recover from his last night. Stamina did play a large role too I agree.
