Sergei Kovalev- why is everyone talking him up?

Campillo fight is nothing to go on. He was jet lagged and barely threw a punch the whole fight.

 

Whilst I do not agree with him on everything, InternationalButt is one of the best posters on this site, his RBRs are fantastic and his knowledge of boxing is very good. I bet the vast majority of regular posters on this site would say the same.

 

**** poor analysis.

Kovalev is more fluid, more athletic, and has more offensive diversity than AA.

 

That's your opinion.

I believe that Kovalev will stop Cleverly. The latter, in my opinion, has very little to recommend him at the elite level.

 

His pressure reminds me of Dariusz Michalczewski. He takes less punches. The opponents back away and throw very little, obviously having felt the power early. I think Kovalev will actually have more success if someone decides to trade and stand their ground. Watch the videos, Kovalev puts people on the back foot with very little effort indeed. Then he appears to spring into action, usually with a clubbing shot. He punches well through and around guards. I don't understand why Cleverly is hyping up his chin, he's not fought a puncher, let alone someone with World Class punching power.
Kovalev much too strong, much too good and has very heavy hands. I reckon he will look sensational in Cardiff on the 17th August 2013.

 

Good post.

Kovalev is also fluid and generally techincally sound to go along with that clubbing power.

He doesn't possess that effortless power of, say, GGG, but I believe he has faster hands, pound for pound.

 

I think this fight may well be like (or has the makings of) the Anatoly Alexandrov versus Acelino Freitas fight. A decent boxer with limited power runs into someone with great power at the weight. Cleverly has decent skills, speed, stamina and boxing, but Kovelev is no mug in terms of boxing ability. We don't know if Kovalev can up his game, if he fights well away from home or if his stamina will hold up if Cleverly somehow manages to frustrate him for a few rounds. Will this fight be more balanced than we expect? Perhaps they are both decent enough to balance each other out.