He’s up there with the hardest punchers no doubt about it. This content is protected ^^^ Still my favorite Joe Smith fight
As heavy handed as he is, I don't think Alvarez who admittedly proved what a tough SOB he is last night, could take that many clean hits from Beterbiev or a prime Kovalev who unlike the one he fought was really putting full weight into his punches. In Smith's defence, Alvarez saw a lot of Smith's punches coming and blocked a large percentage of them. Prime Kovalev's power was scary - snappy, sharp and thudding
Kovalev had good snap on his shots, but did not have much power inside because he wasnt a physically strong person.
I did say a while ago now that Smith hits harder than the Kovalev that Avarez fought. But prime Krusher's shots were snappy and landed with a vicious heavy thud too. Smith is just very physically strong, big for the weight, and heavy handed as ****. His physical strength played a part in the KO last night too because he shoved Alvarez off with ease prior to catching him with that big right hand and the later was out of position and too close when he steadied himself. Nathan Cleverly ''Kovalev is a massive puncher; each punch is like being hit by a sledgehammer,'' Cleverly said. ''He sparked Ismayl Sillah clean out in the second round '' he was completely gone. He didn't do that to me, he shook me up and I was in no position to continue really, I was drunk from the punches and I have got a great chin, so he does hit hard and he's probably the most dangerous Light Heavyweight out there.'' Were you surprised by how hard he hit? I suppose I wasn't surprised because with his record it was inevitable that he was a banger and every shot he threw was a thudding shot. It was like a hammer. He wasn't rapid fast, he had good timing, good distance and his punches were just so hard... His jab, his right hand. Just when he caught you on the shoulder he would have an impact and he was just clubbing me. He just clubs you with his heavy hands and he's the type to just club you into submission. That's his aim. To club you until he puts you down. I just kept it tight early but I knew, after taking a few of his punches, I knew I couldn't afford to be caught with a shot on the chin. I knew that. I remember thinking in the first round, if he catches me clean, I'm gone. I remember thinking that. Yeah. I did think I would be able to take it but I knew, I knew and especially from the first round '' I knew if he caught me clean it was highly likely I would go. Even the shots on the gloves and the shoulder, the impact was really heavy. It was clear to me from the first couple of punches that when this guy landed I would be in trouble. This content is protected ''Kovalev is an animal of a puncher'' -- Nathan Cleverly 2:36 This content is protected Darnell Boone 'KOD: Who is the hardest puncher that you have fought? Darnell Boone: The hardest puncher was [Sergey] Kovalev. He knows exactly how to use his height and leverage with punches. He keeps you on the outside, away from getting on the inside on him. He fights tall. Cornelius White ''His power is unreal,'' White said of Kovalev. ''I've never felt that power before. I've fought heavyweights, cruiserweights and I've never felt that before. And they weren't bricks. It was steel.'' Interview with former Kovalev victim Lionell Thompson. Thompson has sparred against a who's who of the LHW and SMW divisions: Dawson, Bute, Froch, Pascal Troy Ross, David Lemieux and numerous others too. He said every shot he throws is heavy, even the ones on the arms and gloves hurt and that no one hits like Kovalev. This content is protected ''I ain't ever been hit that hard. When he hit me it felt like somebody lifted the soul out of my body.'' This content is protected Earl Newman 0:56-1:39 This content is protected Pascal on Kovalev, Beterbiev, and Bivol 'Pascal is very familiar with all three of the Russian boxers. He suffered two defeats at the hands of Kovalev, he used Bivol as a sparring partner, and Beterbiev was his stablemate in the gym. While he believes Beterbiev is the best fighter of the three, he says Kovalev is the hardest puncher of the three. 2018 will be interested year to watch, if all three Russian punchers will begin to face each other in unification bouts. "Bivol was my training partner for my second fight against Kovalev. Who has the style that was more complicated for me, it was Kovalev. The best of the three? It's Beterbiev. On the other hand, the one that hits the hardest, it is Kovalev," Pascal told The Montreal Journal.
