"Froch hits harder than Kovalev" - Jean Pascal

Brian Magee on Froch's power.

"I don't think he is one of the biggest but he definitely hits hard.

"Super-middleweights are all hard punchers. If you are going to land right, you are going to knock someone out. But he is definitely a concussive puncher. His big strength is his big uppercut, that's his biggest punch."

I think Magee said Bute was the hardest puncher he'd fought and Glen Johnson, who'd sparred Bute prior to fighting him, looked positively intimidated by Bute's power to me to me during their fight. Right from the get-go he seemed very wary of Bute's big counter left, and I don't really recall ever having seen Johnson act that way before.

Jermain Taylor said Abraham was the best puncher he's fought.

Glen Johnson said Froch hit harder than George Groves.

''Groves' hand-speed is a little quicker, he uses his punches more and throws more. But Froch is stronger in every way physically, he hits a bit harder and is more efficient with them too.

Froch is a sturdier man, he has more control of his space - it's not easy to push him around in the clinches or hold him. He's stronger there than Groves.''

Tony Dodson said Froch was very accurate and whilst he does hit hard Robin Reid hit harder.

''i think i lot of people make the mistake of thinking this left hand dropping style is going to be his down fall,its not he just wants you to think that to entice you in,so you think that is the way in and thats when he strikes,when you lung in like i did trying to get that over hand right in,and he is so accurate every shot counts and as the fight goes on in the later rounds he just gets better ive heard so many people say to me YOU HAD HIM THERE what happend?and iam the first one to say yeah i was doing well but froch has many arrows in his bow and gets better as the fight goes on so you will never know.And hes does hit hard but again not the hardest puncher ive been in with ROBIN REID hit harder when he was in his prime.''

And Mikkell Kessler thinks Froch hits harder than the older lighter hitting version of Calzaghe if that helps. lol

“They have two different styles,” Kessler says of his British opponents, admitting that he has always struggled to elevate one man above the other because he is friendly with both Calzaghe and Froch. “Joe was very good when he beat me but it was seven years ago and I was at a different place in my career. I guess I could say Joe because he was so clever and smart even if he wasn’t such a hard hitter. He was also awkward and effective. And he could take a punch. I would say I hit Joe with some of my hardest shots ever and he took them. Carl is more a hard hitter but he’s slow. But Carl doesn’t respect anything. Even if you hit him really hard he will still come forward.''

 

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.

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Kovalev is an animal of a puncher''

-- Nathan Cleverly

2:36

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An old post of mine

Cleverly and big punching CW/HW Lateef Kayode, who Sillakh spars and said hits really hard, went at it during sparring when Cleverly went over to train in Freddie Roach's gym.

'Boxing: Nathan Cleverly impresses legendary trainer Freddie Roach

NATHAN CLEVERLY brought the legendary Wild Card gym to a standstill during an impressive sparring session this week – and could now return for more.

The four-round work-out with unbeaten world ranked cruiserweight Lateef Kayode delighted the WBO light-heavyweight champion ahead of his title defence against Sioux Warrior Shawn Hawk at the Staples Center in Los Angeles tomorrow night.

The sparring session also impressed Wild Card boss Freddie Roach, the 52-year-old who mentors Manny Pacquiao and has trained world champions like Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Amir Khan.

Welshman Cleverly said: “The Wild Card was incredible – people sat on the side sparring and cheering the boxers on.

“Everybody in the gym stopped and watched Lateef and myself.

“ They were really enthralled and could see the skill level.

“The whole gym clapped. It meant a lot that my style and technique was appreciated.”

Roach – often considered the No.1 trainer in boxing – liked what he saw and Team Cleverly could be back in LA early next year if the Cefn Fforest fighter impresses against Hawk.

“You want guys like that at your gym,” Roach said about Cleverly.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to take him on, he’s definitely talented.

“We haven’t discussed him coming here yet but he’s here, and maybe there’s a reason why he is here.

“I think he is at the right stage where a unification fight would be good for him and he has the potential to beat any of the world champions.

“It is a very competitive division right now – there are some good fights out there for him.

“He’s a great boxer but his punching power is not the best in the world.

“He still has a little bit of an immature style of scoring points and getting out of the way, but sometimes you have to take more chances.

“The passive defence gives you a good defence but you can’t slip in a counter punch, that is the best way to knock out guys as you can take advantage of your opponent’s mistakes.”

Cleverly admitted it was a “good compliment” that Roach had spoken so warmly about him.

“He said he liked my skill, speed and that I was a really talented fighter,” he said.

“That is nice because Freddie has worked with the best fighters in the world and that was a good compliment.

“This climate is brilliant for training and I love Los Angeles.

“ It is a great environment and everybody seems positive in this city. I’ve got the buzz for this place.

“I could see in the Wild Card gym that he lives for that place and his boxing. You can’t help but pick up things.”

Lionell Thompson (sparred Froch, fought Kovalev)

''No one hits like Kovalev''

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 aginst 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.

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