apparently Kovalev wasn't ranked the best in his division by the Russians, which shows you how strong the russian amateur system is who was above him in the same division? Was it Mekhonstev? (who won the light heavy gold medal at last years olympics) or Beterbiev? or??
Beterbiev and Matt Korabov. Korobov beat him in the Russian National Championships in 2004 (down at 75 kg), and he lost a razor close 25-24 decision to Beterbiev in the semi-finals of the same championships in 2007. He was Russian champion in 2005, but I don't know who else was ranked above him in other years though. He also won the World Military Championships and the World Military Games in 2005 and 2007 respectively and another bronze in the Russian championships in 2008 too (I don't know who beat him).
He even got knocked out by an Uzbekistani middleweight Abbos Atoev, in the second round. Abbos Atoev got beat at last years olympics by Indian Vijender Singh Vijender Singh > Abbos Atoev > Kovalev
oh yeah because that formula really works an indian could never ever beat a russian in a milion years not even once, not even in a snowball fight why the hate
amazing that Kovalev wasn't Russia's number 1 so he was a middleweight then? Russia's team must have been unbelievable I bet those fights against Beterbiev and Korobov were great to watch
..which makes me ask the question why the **** at age 30 is Matt Korobov still fighting no-hopers.. I thought back in 2010 when he finally (not a huge) stepped up and beat Findley that he was going to start fighting contenders and be fighting for a belt by now... but ****.. he's digressed in opposition since 2011. Such a ****ing waste of someone's prime... this ****ing sport.. seriously.. you just wasted 3 prime years of his career to fight ****ers who couldn't have sniffed the ******* of guys he beat easily in the Am's.
Kovalev also wasn't going anywhere (apart from destroying anyone put in front of him) before he got a promoter who could put him on a title track.
If Beterbiev can make light heavy he'll be Kovalev's master in the pro game as well. You think Kovalev is heavy handed then wait until you see Beterbiev.
I think he weighed in at 84kg, previously as an amateur he was fighting in the 91kg division. So it remains to be seen if he can get to light heavy and be comfortable. In re: fights to watch, take your pick! It was almost rare for him to not hurt or stop his opponents.
A puncher like Kovalev is better suited to the pros (where there is no headgear) than to the amateurs.
I'm not sure how long he was a middleweight but he definitely fought there because he lost to Korobov in the Russian nationals at that weight. I'd love to see his fight against Beterbiev. Here's some of the highlights of his amateur career Record: 215 fights, 193 wins 2000 Russian Junior Championships Silver medalist at Light Welterweight losing to Evgeniy Putilov 2001 Russian Junior Championships Silver medalist at Middleweight losing to Ivan Reshetnikov 2004 Russian Championships Silver medalist at Middleweight, losing to Matvey Korobov (this was the year Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov was sent to the Olympics instead of Korobov) 2005 Russian Championships Gold medalist at Middleweight beating Alexey Shcherbakov WO 2007 Russian Championships Bronze medalist at Light Heavyweight, losing to Artur Beterbiev 2008 Russian Championships Silver medalist at Light Heavyweight losing to Alexandr Moskovskiy 2005 World Military Championships Gold medalist at Light Heavyweight, in Pretoria, South Africa 2006 World Military Championships Silver medalist at Light Heavyweight, in Warendorf, Germany 2007 World Military Championships Gold medalist at Light Heavyweight, in Hyderabad, India