Pascal: 'Froch hits ALOT harder than Kovalev!'

Nathan Cleverly

“Kovalev is a massive puncher; each punch is like being hit by a sledgehammer,” Cleverly said. “He sparked Ismayl Sillah clean out in the second round – he was completely gone. He didn’t do that to me, he shook me up and I was in no position to continue really, I was drunk from the punches and I have got a great chin, so he does hit hard and he’s probably the most dangerous Light Heavyweight out there.”

Were you surprised by how hard he hit?

I suppose I wasn't surprised because with his record it was inevitable that he was a banger and every shot he threw was a thudding shot. It was like a hammer. He wasn't rapid fast, he had good timing, good distance and his punches were just so hard... His jab, his right hand. Just when he caught you on the shoulder he would have an impact and he was just clubbing me. He just clubs you with his heavy hands and he's the type to just club you into submission. That's his aim. To club you until he puts you down. I just kept it tight early but I knew, after taking a few of his punches, I knew I couldn't afford to be caught with a shot on the chin. I knew that. I remember thinking in the first round, if he catches me clean, I'm gone. I remember thinking that.

Yeah. I did think I would be able to take it but I knew, I knew – and especially from the first round – I knew if he caught me clean it was highly likely I would go. Even the shots on the gloves and the shoulder, the impact was really heavy. It was clear to me from the first couple of punches that when this guy landed I would be in trouble.

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Kovalev is an animal of a puncher''

-- Nathan Cleverly

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Darnell Boone

'KOD: Who is the hardest puncher that you have fought?

Darnell Boone: The hardest puncher was [Sergey] Kovalev. He knows exactly how to use his height and leverage with punches. He keeps you on the outside, away from getting on the inside on him. He fights tall.

Boone says Kovalev hits harder than Stevenson in this interview too.

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Cornelius White

“His power is unreal,” White said of Kovalev. “I've never felt that power before. I've fought heavyweights, cruiserweights and I've never felt that before. And they weren't bricks. It was steel.”

Interview with former Kovalev victim Lionell Thompson. Thompson has sparred against a who's who of the LHW and SMW divisions: Dawson, Bute, Froch, Pascal Troy Ross, David Lemieux and numerous others too. He said every shot he throws is heavy, even the ones that land on the arms and gloves hurt.

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''I ain't ever been hit that hard. When he hit me it felt like somebody lifted the soul out of my body.''

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Brian Magee on Froch's power.

"I don't think he is one of the biggest but he definitely hits hard.

"Super-middleweights are all hard punchers. If you are going to land right, you are going to knock someone out. But he is definitely a concussive puncher. His big strength is his big uppercut, that's his biggest punch."

I think Magee said Bute was the hardest puncher he's fought.

Jermain Taylor said Abraham was the best puncher he's fought.

Glen Johnson said Froch hit harder than George Groves.

''Groves' hand-speed is a little quicker, he uses his punches more and throws more. But Froch is stronger in every way physically, he hits a bit harder and is more efficient with them too.

Froch is a sturdier man, he has more control of his space - it's not easy to push him around in the clinches or hold him. He's stronger there than Groves.''

Tony Dodson said Froch was very accurate and whilst he does hit hard Robin Reid hit harder.

''i think i lot of people make the mistake of thinking this left hand dropping style is going to be his down fall,its not he just wants you to think that to entice you in,so you think that is the way in and thats when he strikes,when you lung in like i did trying to get that over hand right in,and he is so accurate every shot counts and as the fight goes on in the later rounds he just gets better ive heard so many people say to me YOU HAD HIM THERE what happend?and iam the first one to say yeah i was doing well but froch has many arrows in his bow and gets better as the fight goes on so you will never know.And hes does hit hard but again not the hardest puncher ive been in with ROBIN REID hit harder when he was in his prime.''

Mikkel Kessler

“They have two different styles,” Kessler says of his British opponents, admitting that he has always struggled to elevate one man above the other because he is friendly with both Calzaghe and Froch. “Joe was very good when he beat me but it was seven years ago and I was at a different place in my career. I guess I could say Joe because he was so clever and smart even if he wasn’t such a hard hitter. He was also awkward and effective. And he could take a punch. I would say I hit Joe with some of my hardest shots ever and he took them. Carl is more a hard hitter but he’s slow. But Carl doesn’t respect anything. Even if you hit him really hard he will still come forward.''