Kovey's (quite doable) road back to greatness...

Nah, he's done or should be. He had a great career.

The one big payday he has left is with Stevenson.

 

I though Alvarez clearly won round 1 and 2 vs Kovalev. landed the only clean punches in round one, snapped kovalevs head back. round 3 was super close so sure give it to kovalev. 4 Kovalev hurt him but was not picking clever punches even if he did hurt him he didn't pick as clever punches as he should have. 5 and 6 were close but probably Kovalev. I felt Kovalev was expanding way too much Energy to get ahead. His reaction to jabs was off for 75% of the Jabs. for every jab kovalev got away with he ate 3 clean jabs that snapped his head back.
Most people also had Ward vs Kovalev 5-2 Kovalev at the stoppage too.

Kovalev would land a one two hell even a decent one two. but then he'd stay still no movement and then he'd eat a 1 2 that he didn't take as well as he should he took the 1, 2 all night and each time it hurt him more.

The way Kovalev beats Alvarez is:
1. If he learned his lesson knows he needs a good camp no "I trained too hard. (this was his excuse for losing to ward in the second fight)
2. He doesn't learn his lesson gets to Alvarez like he did in round 4 and stops him.

 

8. Let's say he goes 5-2 against Alvarez x2, Jack, Stevenson, Browne Better and Gvoz. No bad matchups (except Gvoz, who seems to work and prepare like a Ukranian). The plan then is to go back to Moscow, and wait five years for the HOF to call...[/QUOTE]


I don't think Kovalev has 7 fights left in him. going 5-2 vs those fighters would be pretty damn amazing for an in their prime fighter. If Kovalev did that I'd consider him the greatest LHW of all time.
I just don't see it happening. Alvarez you called a Fringe Contender if you believe that then Kovalev lost to a fringe contender and how does he fare vs those NON fringe contenders you mentioned. I don't believe he's a fringe contender I think he'd take Bivol to hell in back and it be a close fight but Alvarez is a second half fighter who lands the 1,2 like it's his finishing move.

 

Unfortunately it seems the desire isn't there anymore deep down. Hes had a great career and WAS a monster in his prime with some of the best long range skills I've seen in years, but time to hang them up now.

 

He can Still win a world title but I hope fans know that Kovalev of 2013-2016 would have murdered Alvarez and it wouldn't have got to a 7th.

 

He can win a rematch vs Alvarez but a prime Kovalev wouldn't have needed a rematch and he would have derailed Alvarez career. the Mikhkian or whatever the **** his name as fight really showed Kovalev slowed down, and I know he won every round and stopped him but the Kovalev before that would have knocked him out in 3.
is anyone disputing that Kovalev isn't as good as he used to be. I'm not saying he is no good but he's not as good as he used to be.

 

Yes he would. I think, he had the beating of Ward if he had wanted it as much, I had him winning the first fight and felt he didn't care much in the rematch and just wanted it out the way after feeling shafted as champion. I'll miss him when he's gone but he hasn't trained hard in years imo and should hang them up I feel

 

I think he has a few good fights in him, but agree only if he disciplines himself. I wish there were promoters that would forecast their fighter's intended itinerary to the title like you just mapped out.

 

Kovalev's 35 years old. And he's out of shape. I don't mean in the sense that OMG he's a fat piece of **** now. But for a world class boxer he has terrible conditioning. Which now that he's 35 will only get worse. There is also rumors that he boozes too much.

Against Alvarez we saw that physically he just doesn't have the conditioning to be a dominant force anymore.

 

I agree and disagree about his conditioning he could get good conditioning or at least better if he had a camp, but he even said on Instagram he trained too hard, he said the same thing for ward. what's he going to do, train less hard?? the boxers that have long careers are the ones that are in the gym for leisure reasons keeping stamina.... and during training camps having extremely long sparring sessions fighting when they are tired.

I think mentally Kovalev is who he is he can't be told what to do, he can still win fights vs guys he can ko or discourage. but If I look at the top 10 at the weight not including kovalev.

Alvarez
Stevenson
Jack
Bivol
Gvoydyk
Joe Smith
Beterbiev
Brown
sullivan berrera
Karo Murat

I think Muray, Joe Smith and brown are the 3 that he FOR sure wins, and the other fights are 50/50 at best for kovalev but once he takes one of them (UNLESS he admits he needs better conditioning and a new trainer he listens to extrenly well AND THAT IS A MASSIVE IF)
He will decline slowly more and more I think Kovalev is a year away from being a B+ fighter.

 

He's 35 so naturally he's fading. Most, if not all fighters will be fading ( at differing rates of course ) in some way physically once they get into the meat of their 30's.

The question is, how does Kovalev deal with it. He's still a top level boxer, but he's not gonna be a favourite in some fights that he would've been a couple of years ago. He'll either knuckle down and enjoy playing the underdog, it might light a fire that'll give him a boost for final fights of his career, especially as he'll have no ( or less ) trouble getting fights.

Or, he'll fight one more time, get beaten by someone that couldn't have touched him a couple of years ago and that'll be the last we see of him.

He's had a great career, so whatever happens is fine. Anything from this point is a bonus.