Should Kovalev have taken a knee?

Look I don't put much stock in punch stats to begin with. It's just a guy clicking buttons guessing what lands. But I wouldn't begrudge anyone from having Canelo winning that. He was the only one truly fighting. Kovalev was just acting like sissy girl, not a Krusher.

 

It's become a common occurrence now in Canelo fights. The only criteria allowed seems to be jabs connected.

 

No it does not work like that. Shots missed are the opposite of effective aggression. You can call it ineffective aggression if you like.

 

It happened too quick, I doubt Kovalev had a chance to think about it.

 

You are correct that Canelo really was the only fighter of the two trying to box and score points by way of the scoring criteria.

What Kovalev was really doing I would say for most of the fight was trying to keep himself at distance with his guard up. Those pawing jabs were what I call a con attempt to fool those that don't know how to score a boxing match.
Its pretty much a bigger man's way of going defensive against a smaller quicker fighter when the bigger fighter feels he cant compete with him.
…...and yet, more than half this boxing forum was ready to award Kovalev the fight had he not got knocked out.
Absolutely ridiculous!