Would Kovalev Be The Hardest Puncher Hopkins Has Fought...

Nathan Cleverly

“Kovalev is a massive puncher; each punch is like being hit by a sledgehammer,” Cleverly said. “He sparked Ismayl Sillah clean out in the second round – he was completely gone. He didn’t do that to me, he shook me up and I was in no position to continue really, I was drunk from the punches and I have got a great chin, so he does hit hard and he’s probably the most dangerous Light Heavyweight out there.”


Were you surprised by how hard he hit?

I suppose I wasn't surprised because with his record it was inevitable that he was a banger and every shot he threw was a thudding shot. It was like a hammer. He wasn't rapid fast, he had good timing, good distance and his punches were just so hard... His jab, his right hand. Just when he caught you on the shoulder he would have an impact and he was just clubbing me. He just clubs you with his heavy hands and he's the type to just club you into submission. That's his aim. To club you until he puts you down. I just kept it tight early but I knew, after taking a few of his punches, I knew I couldn't afford to be caught with a shot on the chin. I knew that. I remember thinking in the first round, if he catches me clean, I'm gone. I remember thinking that.

Yeah. I did think I would be able to take it but I knew, I knew – and especially from the first round – I knew if he caught me clean it was highly likely I would go. Even the shots on the gloves and the shoulder, the impact was really heavy. It was clear to me from the first couple of punches that when this guy landed I would be in trouble.

Lionell Thompson

''No one hits like Kovalev''

Darnell Boone


'KOD: Who is the hardest puncher that you have fought?

Darnell Boone: The hardest puncher was [Sergey] Kovalev. He knows exactly how to use his height and leverage with punches. He keeps you on the outside, away from getting on the inside on him. He fights tall.

Cornelius White

“His power is unreal,” White said of Kovalev. “I've never felt that power before. I've fought heavyweights, cruiserweights and I've never felt that before. And they weren't bricks. It was steel.”

 

Thompson has sparred a who's who of the LHW/SMW division, including the likes of Chad Dawson (whom he's reputed to have bashed up), Carl Froch, Hopkins, Lucian Bute, Troy Ross, Issac Chilemba, David Lemieux (MW) etc. among others. Cleverly regularly spars CWs and big HWs. Chisora, Joe Hanks, Lateef Kayode to name but a few. Boone has obviously fought everyone and their dog. Anyone who doubts the crushing nature of Kovalev's power is an idiot.

 

There's nothing wrong with Cleverly's chin. I've seen footage of him going at it hell-for-leather with serious bangers in sparring, walking through flush shot after shot and firing right back. He's spent a lot of time down in London at Chisora's gym and Chisora's trainer Don Charles said that he always spars HWs and does really well against them. Cleverly is known for being very competitive and tenacious in sparring.

'Boxing: Nathan Cleverly impresses legendary trainer Freddie Roach

NATHAN CLEVERLY brought the legendary Wild Card gym to a standstill during an impressive sparring session this week – and could now return for more.

The four-round work-out with unbeaten world ranked cruiserweight Lateef Kayode delighted the WBO light-heavyweight champion ahead of his title defence against Sioux Warrior Shawn Hawk at the Staples Center in Los Angeles tomorrow night.

The sparring session also impressed Wild Card boss Freddie Roach, the 52-year-old who mentors Manny Pacquiao and has trained world champions like Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Amir Khan.

Welshman Cleverly said: “The Wild Card was incredible – people sat on the side sparring and cheering the boxers on.

“Everybody in the gym stopped and watched Lateef and myself.

“ They were really enthralled and could see the skill level.

“The whole gym clapped. It meant a lot that my style and technique was appreciated.”

Roach – often considered the No.1 trainer in boxing – liked what he saw and Team Cleverly could be back in LA early next year if the Cefn Fforest fighter impresses against Hawk.

“You want guys like that at your gym,” Roach said about Cleverly.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to take him on, he’s definitely talented.

“We haven’t discussed him coming here yet but he’s here, and maybe there’s a reason why he is here.

“I think he is at the right stage where a unification fight would be good for him and he has the potential to beat any of the world champions.

“It is a very competitive division right now – there are some good fights out there for him.

“He’s a great boxer but his punching power is not the best in the world.

“He still has a little bit of an immature style of scoring points and getting out of the way, but sometimes you have to take more chances.

“The passive defence gives you a good defence but you can’t slip in a counter punch, that is the best way to knock out guys as you can take advantage of your opponent’s mistakes.”

Cleverly admitted it was a “good compliment” that Roach had spoken so warmly about him.

“He said he liked my skill, speed and that I was a really talented fighter,” he said.

“That is nice because Freddie has worked with the best fighters in the world and that was a good compliment.

“This climate is brilliant for training and I love Los Angeles.

“ It is a great environment and everybody seems positive in this city. I’ve got the buzz for this place.

“I could see in the Wild Card gym that he lives for that place and his boxing. You can’t help but pick up things.”

 

Yeah, I remember hearing about that too. Cleverly looked a little shell-shocked by the realization of how hard Kovalev hit as he sat on his stool during the interval at the end of the first round.