I'm not taking anything away from Povetkin's win. It was a destructive performance. I'm just saying i think that fight has been a factor mentally on him. It may have taken something out of him perhaps the aggression. Either way i think Perez only has 3 or so fights left in him and no guaranteed he'll even win those unless he fights handpicked kebab shop workers. I don't think it woud've mattered too much if the Mago fight played out differently. I still think Povetkin would've stopped him regardless. I do think he's damaged mentally from that fight however.
He fought 3 top 10 heavyweights since the Magomed fight. If he could get himself in reasonable shape, he would have decisioned both Takam and Jennings. He schooled both of them in the first 4,5 rounds, but after those rounds the gas tank was completely empty. Povetkins performance was incredible, he completely destroyed the iron chinned Rebel.
I guess the competition has gone up but he seemed to have lost a bit of his aggression since that fight imo. He just looks less dangerous. it's like his pressure has gone down from an 8 and a half to a 5 or 6.
Perez stepped up in competition, and he went as far as he could go. Povetkin, Takam, and Jennings are 3 of the best Heavyweights in the World. Now Perez could step down in competition and beat the can crushing paper belt fraud Deontay Wilder.
When a tragedy like that happens in a fight it affects BOTH fighters. The injured fighter is affected physically The fighter that inflicted the damage, though is was not his fault, feels that maybe it was his fault Another perfect example of this was Nigel Benn after the tragic injuries suffered by Gerald McClellan. He was never really The Dark Destroyer again He was a shell of his former self Boxing is a cruel sport & every fighter that steps in the ring is putting his well being & even his life on the line. that is one reason I respect all Fighters!!!
He got a draw against Jennings, which means he's not so bad after Magomed either. He could still cause troubles to most top HWs.
Actually, he got a draw with Takam. Perez's only win since Magomed was over the Ding-A-Ling man ... who was once a cruiserweight prospect a decade ago but hasn't been much since. Perez's fight with Magomed was fantastic. He demonstrated great boxing and punching skills. Magomed was outstanding, too. But Perez hasn't been the same since. It's a shame. But he isn't the fighter he was.
Like others have pointed out, it is not just the mental but also physical effect of the Magomed fight. Physically, Perez took a hell of a beating and he was back in the ring less than three months later against Takem. Perez's management should hang their heads in shame for allowing Perez to fight again so soon after a physically and mentally damaging fight.
Hmmmmm, hater thread alert. He almost had a draw against future Wlad challenger in Bryant Jennings AFTER he fought Mago. What was that again about him looking bad? Stop making excuses and tell your boy Wilder to stop ducking his mandatory and big brother Povetkin.
