Kovalev vs Cleverly for the WBO LHW strap.

yes, they are eye-catching :yep

 

It's not so much the scorecards - if Clev makes the distance, it'll probably be 'cos he's done enough to earn the win. It's more the choice of O'Conner as ref which seems little odd as he's got a reputation for controversial decisions, not least the Manfredo stoppage v's Calzaghe. However, there's no saying there will be issues, just that it's a possibility that the fight could be marred by biased reffing. The WBO would have been wiser to select a non-British ref to avoid any such question marks.

 

Add Kovalev to that list that includes Bute , kostya tzyu, lacy all favourites that came unstuck in Britain.It will be an electric atmosphere tonight that will carry Clev to his best win thus far in his career,there is no crowd like a british boxing crowd in world boxing ,it will make the difference tonight.CANT FCUK WAIT COME ON CLEVERLY

 

I've seen nothing to suggest Cleverly can't handle Kovalev's power, and neither guy has enough experience for us to make clear predictions. Cleverly's best opponent was Bellew on his worst night, Kovalev's best opponent was Campillo on his worst night. Anyone can knock out nobodies and anyone can outwork them.

The key for me is that Cleverly can go 12 easily and keep a high punch rate while taking bombs from Kovalev when necessary. Kovalev hasn't been past 8 rounds and fights at a measured puncher's pace.

I definitely don't see an early KO from Kovalev. He takes people out early that are outclassed and have chin issues, Cleverly is tough and won't be terribly outclassed, so I see it going late. Cleverly's output will win him plenty of the early rounds, and you have to think he'll be stronger in the last half. Many rounds will come down to whether you give the round to the guy who landed way more or the guy that landed a handful of harder shots. Most of those rounds will go to Cleverly and he'll win a decision.

 

Cleverly will step up into the glass jaw ranking today.

Kovalev knocks him out in round 5.

 

Nurse Nurse iwanTolearnEng is out of bed again :nono

 

my conclusions:

1. there is no way Hopkins fights Krusher

2. Cleverly will never be the same again

3. Kovalev must of been bathed in a lake contaminated with Soviet nuclear waste when he was born

 

I'm dissapointed by the result since I lost the bet, but that's what I get for picking sides in a fight where I know next-to-nothing about either man I suppose.

 

The amount of people that picked Cleverly half of this forum dksab

 

I'm still trying to figure how the odds could have been so even.

 

Yep, I thought Kovalev would knock Cleverly out. It's hard to understand how many on this board picked Cleverly to knock Kovalev out................after Kovalev had Cleverly out in the 3rd round, the referee carried Cleverly to his corner instead of stopping the fight, but the ref could not help him in the fourth round!!!

Kovalev will knock out all of the other light heavyweight champions, Hell, Hopkins, who refused to fight Kovalev, was beaten by Dawson! Kovalev will walk right through Ward, knock Ward out. Ward has no real power...........