Kovalev averaged 95 punches per round against Cleverly.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/4399/hopkins-would-face-kovalev-but

So it doesn't appear that either fighter was reluctant to face the other. It just didn't come off due to the networks.

 

no he wasn't, Murat was named Hopkin's mando before Kovalev-White, which was an eliminator to make out the next mandatory for the IBF belt, learn your facts before you post troll

 

Anybody who thinks Hopkins would be intimidated by anyone is brain dead. He's seen it all before and whlie I'm not saying he would win, Hopkins would be 100% confident of beating Kovalev,and I wouldn't rule him out doing so.

 

Nah, I don't think anyone believes B'Hop is intimidated (or I hope no-one thinks so), but B'Hops a savvy businessman as well as a legendary fighter. If the money makes sense with a network agreement acceptable to all, the fight will be made.

I think Kovalev would love to fight B'Hop, buts it's a risk I think B'Hop would prefer not to take for his going out party unless the money is huge. We're not talking 'bout fear for B-Hop, just $s, and to alesser degree, legacy. If I was B-Hop, I'd have my eye on Stevenson or the Stevenson - Cloud winner, both fights he's more likely to win, and most especially, regain the lineal title. There is Bellew's promised fight in the pipeline and B'Hopain't got time on his side, but I suspect enough SHO $s might swing it.

 

Normally I agree with most of your posts. Here, however, I think you may be misguided.

Hopkins would get battered.

 

Exactly. It was a money thing, Quote:

"The reason for Showtime’s possible reluctance to put on Hopkins-Kovalev is because it is not heavily invested in the division and doesn’t have any future rights on Kovalev, so it wouldn’t want to build him up only to see him beat Hopkins and then go to HBO.....

So while Hopkins waits to see what will happen, he made a suggestion -- that Kovalev go fight Cleverly, and he would be happy to face new champ Adonis Stevenson.... "

And they then still face each other soon after, with both of them having even more "juice" behind them. Other than the fact that Hopkins gets older every day, this is a very smart plan.