Joe Smith Jnr. is the best light heavyweight got unlucky with his last fight

I hold Joe in high esteem, his biggest hyper on here in fact, but you have to have an insanely high ring IQ to get past Kovalev's jab and actually land to the body, and Kovalev didn't fold after one of them with Ward, he took 8 rounds of ridiculously hard jabs from a clearly roided up Ward, to the beltline before finally wilting. As far as Kovalev's chin goes, its fine as well, Barrera got tagged by a cuffing hook from Ward and went down, Kovalev took the hardest shot Ward has ever landed on an opponent flush to the chin, and Kovalev did a stutter step.

 

Of course he hits a lot harder, but Kovalev a lot harder than Barrera and Fonfara, who both rocked Joe, like I said, you have to get in close and land to the body, its not like Joe has a superlative jab to work his way in or anything to accomplish that feat.

 

Joe always has a puncher's chance with anyone, so he shouldn't be written off against anyone.

Kovalev put on a masterclass against Hopkins, and if he'd have fought Hopkins like Smith fought him, the match may have lasted 3 or 4 rounds tops, with Hopkins being carted out of the ring on a stretcher.

Smith fought a BHop that had been off for 2 years, that was 50, you don't take 2 years off and come back against a huge young puncher, after losing your last match in lopsided fashion in literally the worst schooling and worst beating of your career, its a textbook recipe for disaster. And Joe didn't cut the ring off, he crowded and swarmed an old man with no legs.

 

No Kovalev didn't try to fight like Smith Jr. Kovalev fought an intelligent fight and carefully walked Hopkins down behind his jab, when Kovalev wanted to get in that ass, he got in that ass, did you miss the 12th? Kovalev was afraid of gassing so he took his time and was patient, nothing more, nothing less.