Povetkin vs Stiverne

Obviously, Sasha HAS to be the HUGE favorite here.....

Arreola was boxing his ears off for 8 minutes before being hurt and dropped by a counter, AND like NEVER before...... we ALL know that Arreola has walked thru some shots in his day. After taking that bomb, Stiverne never really got into 2nd gear and gave away rds to a clearly still gunshy Arreola. Shiit....Chris won a couple rds throwing nothing but
feints, single jabs and 1-2s with the 1 being timid and the 2 getting pulled. He narowly lose FFS.
In the return, Arreola controlled both the distance, the pace, and was actually NOT ONLY out boxing Stiverne, but ALSO countered him effectively when BVerne would try to press for moments in the fights. AGAIN......BVern caught him flush, and the still broken Arreola took a hellacious KO L, and the legend of BWare was born>>>>LMAO

BVern proceeded to blow up 60lbs, partying with Chikkenson like a couple of Haitian princes, he entered camp and boiled off nearly 50 lbs took sick with rhabdo, and then never getting close to landing flush. However, while being thoroughly outboxed, he again took some bombs and didn't go black. He stumbled a couple times, but showed a genuine high level punch resistance.
VS Rossy....not only was he outboxed by the gatekeeper/journeyman, but he was bullied for spells. Looked awful and wasn't he dropped. He got a tight decision on his name value essentially based off what we know to be harder shots.

Povetkin OTOH has not only been the superior boxed his fairly formidable string of fights, but has also shown improved speed power, and what at least from this fans perspective, a refdiscovered dedication to becoming a Champion. He's looking in great shape each fight, and he making guys MUCH better than Arreola, and Rossy, but also better than Stiverne himself.
He's the kicker though.
And it comes in 2 parts.
Was it Ryanbankis promising financial security and strong backing in getting him the huge fights, or was it the meldonium, allowing his blood to flow smoother carrying more 02 to his muscles, and heart, allowing him to train so much harder and have that extra gallon in the tank going into the later rds.
And, can Povetkin fight for a decision and maintain discipline enough soas not to purposefully get lured into looking for a stoppage when BVern shells up on the ropes, sucking air.
I'm almost afraid that Povetkin is so desperate to get his gloves on Wilder and be the man to "officially" expose him, that he could easily get careless in this fight and find himself holding his chin and nose up to Arreolas to see who's has the better durability.

I'm of the opinion that Sasha needs to show to the world over WHY he was the 2008 Gold Medalist, and that even though his power is very impressive lately, he shouldn't risk for a second his shot at Wilder next summer.
It's his last run at age 35/36, and we all mostly know it will take another flawless fight from Wilder to survive Povetkin, who is so much heads and shoulder above the other fighters Wilder's beaten, and has a style that Wilder has not seen NEAR this level in the pros.

Povetkin CAN get the KO here.
But he's gotta lure Stiverne onto the front foot, make him throw reckless shots and the beating BVern at his countering game...buckling or even dropping Stiverne before looking for a ref stoppage or corner retirement if he's got him seriously buzzed from the flush counter or the L right that BVern walks into.

Sadly, Povetkin has to traipse through yet ANOTHER WBC top 5 to get this fight, while Wilder seems to be content with trolling the lower top 15 for his title defense.

Official prediction....if my opinion even matters.....Povetkin 119-106 type decision.
Or Povetkin KO6-9 bwo corner retirement because Povetkin comes out showing his class and mixing his power and combination punching behind an onslaught of double jabs, jab hook combos up and down, and mini barrages when BVern is catching air in the corners.

 

LMAO