ESPN: Artur Beterbiev vs. Radivoje Kaladzjic & Jerwin Ancajas vs. Ryuichi Funai RBR.

Haha I think Kovalev has lost all momentum personally even though he won the Alvarez rematch. He is not the same fighter he used to be and his confidence is gone too.

 

Did he really stop Kov in the amateurs? I thought they were decisions...I remember reading an interview from a couple years ago where Kov said he whipped Beterbiev in his backyard and didn't get the decision due to politics.

 

Long range is Kovalev's best option as he is an excellent 1-2 fighter but last night we saw how quickly Beterbiev can close the distance.

I dont think Kovalev has the inside game to compete. Lonv range is his best option.

 

Time for Beterbiv vs Kovalev unification! I gave Beterbiev an edge to pre-Alvarez Kovalev, as I thought he'd win in a straight out brawl. However, If Kovalev keeps polishing the boxing skills he exhibited in his second fight, he may decision AB. Plus, Kovalev has better outside game and the power to punish Beterbiev when he tries to move on the inside. Beterbiev, though is a monster and he may just weather the storm, close the distance and punish Kovalev with those heavy hands. Really 50/50 fight and one I'd love to see.

 

Kalajdzic is ranked outside the top 50 and got a title shot by beating a guy ranked outside the top 140.

Beterbiev easily mangled this floppy armred physical weakling. Now he has to step up and fight the Krusher who has been calling him out. There's too much cherry picking going on at 175. None of the 4 guys want to step up against each other apart of Kovalev.

 

Taking care of someone like Kalajdzic (like expeced) shows how much he's above the likes of Browne, who's above him in the GBP/Ring and TBRB rankings, but clearly lost to the then unbeaten Bosnian.

 

Surprised about the lack of buzz around this fight

My take

1). That arena looked empty for the main event, hardly a sound for Beterbievs ring walk or his introduction
2) Beterbiev hit Hot Rod with a lot of rabbit punches
3) Ward was excellent as a commentator, I was a fan of Bradley for his whole time on espn but if it comes down to keeping one I might lean ward
4) Some great exchanges in this fight especially once Hot Rod decided he couldn’t move away.
5). Beterbiev is terrific inside love the hand fighting he does in clinches way he controls the head. Those short inside hooks get a good amount of leverage
6) While Hot Rod was totally outclassed and wobbled going back to the corner after 3 and 4 I think the stoppage was pretty bad. I don’t like to see injuries but Hot Rod was defending himself and looked like his head was still in the fight

I like this debate regarding the Kovalev vs Beterbiev fight. My gut instinct is Beterbiev by stoppage

1) While Kovalev looked great boxing and moving vs Alvarez I think Alvarez’s lack of pressure flattered Kovalev. Not that he’s not skilled but Alvarez seemed totally surprised by the gameplan and seemed totally unprepared for a mover. I think Beterbiev will press him
2) the pressure Beterbiev brings will break Kovalev. Kovalev when forced into a fight wears down and he did this vs Ward both times and the first Alvarez fight
3) Unless Beterbiev can’t take a punch I think he goes to war and wears Kovalev down by round 7 or 8

 

Beterbiev also spars with Alvarez and Pascal and by all accounts he regularly manhandles them.

 

Does AB have the heaviest hands in boxing? I think he might have..

 

He got clipped a couple of times Beterbiev and his shots went weak, he kept throwing but nothing on them, I think he was hurt here more than people think. Kov could land long range stinging the life out of him, if he still has it in him, but he would have a problem up close with Beterbiev imo

 

I think Beterbiev has quite poor defense and the 4th round showed he doesn't even care for defense and just wants a shootout. He's very strong and weakens his opponents by the leaning. I still think it's a 50/50 with Krusher. Would love to see it. Both are entertaining fighters and Beterbiev is unlikely to get s shot at Bivol or Gvozdyk.

 

Beterbiev was very wild. I mean, the dude is relentless, ridiculously strong and heavy handed, but man does he get wild and lungey. He had zero patience last night and his defense looks leaky as hell. Maybe he just said "screw it, I'm gonna walk right through this cat". The Krusher we saw in the Alvarez rematch would fair very well vs the version of Beterbiev that fought last night. It would be a very interesting scrap.