Kovalev would wreck him. It’s unfortunate that Kovalev was another victim of US corruption that broke his fighting spirit.
Bivol is an excellent boxer with great defence, speed, footwork, accuracy, distance control, reaction times but Kovalev was also an elite boxer and his power was freakish. He had great timing with that right hand counter over the jab too and it was a viciously powerful shot which was both snappy and thudding. It would be a very intriguing fight but I think Kovalev's big power edge + his elite boxing skills might be the difference and it's not like Bivol can't dig a bit himself despite the fact he hasn't score a stoppage in a long time. He's far from a light hitter but Kovalev's power was just nasty.
Kovalev at his best was an absolute beast and a dangerous man. He beat Ward for me and the second fight had some highly questionable officiating. Bivol is less proven but he’s soundly beaten everyone he’s faced. I think styles wise I could see Bivol winning on points. It’s a hard one to call but I think Bivol just really is that good.
Prime for prime based on what we've seen it's hard not to go for Kovalev - even in the first Ward fight he was in decline. My only reservation as I still don't think we've seen the ceiling for Bivol - unfortunately, we won't see it till he gets it on with Beterbiev, and there is no sign of that happening soon
Probably do mate, need to watch more boxing in general as I only really started during the early/mid naughties but I'm just so caught up with the here and now that I don't get much time to watch classics from the 80s/90s.
Prime Kovalev should win this. It wouldn't have taken much decline for him to lose, e.g. every version of Kovalev from Ward II onward (if not earlier) would likely lose to Bivol.
Bivol was wary of Craig Richard's long right hand; I think the power from range of Kovalev would have Kovalev winning a decision based on superior activity.