Prime Kovalev vs Prime Bivol

Bivol is faster, more skilled and much more unorthodox with his constant Soviet style pendulum movement. However, Kovalev is still a very skilled boxer/puncher. Bivol might frustrate Kovalev at times, but Kovalev is too skilled not to make it competitive throughout. He would land, and he would hurt him. Kovalev was skilled enough in his prime to hurt a master boxer like Andre Ward on multiple occasions in their first fight. I know that fight was close, but I do feel very strongly that Kovalev outdueled Ward and won their first fight. Not that Bivol and Ward are similar stylistically, but a prime Kovalev was capable of fighting at that elite level.

I think it might be a close fight for the majority of the fight. Bivol might even be winning going into the 8th and 9th round. But Kovalev would be dispensing serious damage to Bivol throughout. I think Kovalev would finish Bivol by TKO or a doctor's stoppage in the 10th, 11th or 12th round. I just don't think Bivol would be able to endure that kind of skillful firepower for 12 full rounds.

 

I can see either of them winning this.

Bivol is better at what he does but Kovalev was a beast. He had the long jab to disrupt Bivol's game and the timing and power to put a hole through him. If I have to pick the best edge Bivol might have over Kovalev it would he that he has an extremely high level of fitness and he would be able to turn up the gas in the later rounds where Kovalev might fade.

 

Short answer: Kovalev.

 

Kovalev was a beast

Bivol has not shown enough to convince me that he could beat that version of Kovalev.

 

If Joe Smith can land big on Bivol with the right hand, you can bet the more skilled, faster and better set up of Kovalev certainly would at some point, Smith telegraphs and is not very fast, Kovalev doesn’t telegraph, does set up the right hand very well behind the jab and is fast with it.

 

Kovalev....like Bivol but don't think he could stop the incoming firepower Kovalev had then.

 

Prime Kov was dangeeeerous. Not just a come forward brawler. That stab might be second best to PBF.

 

Kovalev's craft was extremely underrated, overshadowed as it were by his crushing right hand. Indeed, he outboxed Andre Ward, a better fighter than Bivol, everywhere but on the official scorecards in their first bout.

Moreover, as others have cited, Kovalev had an excellent jab, which could be both thudding and an effective range finder for his heavy artillery.

Kovalev boxes Bivol on more or less even terms early then stops him late.

 

Let's see if Bivol can beat a 40 year old Beterbiev first

 

What happened, luft??

You've evolved from something of kiss assy, popular narrative, company man to a hardboiled, cynical contrarian p*ssing in everyone's corn flakes!

I love it!!

 

Honestly don't even know what to make of this post haha

 

Awww...you're alright, luft.

 

Krusher beats him up. A better technician than Bivol with some of the best power in the history of 175. I haven't seen Bivol's chin tested yet so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he'll hear the final bell to receive a lopsided decision.