Thread: Hopkins claims Kovalev ducked him and took the easy way out

Hopkins: Congrats Kovalev, You Took The Easy/Safe Road - Boxing News

Is he really up to face Kovalev or is he just talking shit knowing the fight will be nearly impossible to make due to Showtime/HBO conflict?

Bernard has a long and well documented history of taking feared punchers and making them look like amateurs. I don't see anything in Kovalev that suggests he'd be the exception.

Yes a LONG history but time makes fools of us all

I agree with @Beanflicker - Hopkins takes punchers to school, like Pascal and Cloud, whereas he struggles with athletic boxers, like Calzaghe and Dawson. Kovalev doesn't fit into the Calzaghe/Dawson mold.

The only caveat I have on it is that Kovalev's power might actually disguise his boxing ability. I think he actually uses angles and spacing pretty well.

In any event, it's a fight that won't ever happen because of the HBO/Showtime feud.

Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

I agree with @Beanflicker - Hopkins takes punchers to school, like Pascal and Cloud, whereas he struggles with athletic boxers, like Calzaghe and Dawson. Kovalev doesn't fit into the Calzaghe/Dawson mold.

The only caveat I have on it is that Kovalev's power might actually disguise his boxing ability. I think he actually uses angles and spacing pretty well.

In any event, it's a fight that won't ever happen because of the HBO/Showtime feud.

I think kovalev is a far better boxer than cloud, and has a much better workrate than pascal....I know I should know better than to go against the old one but I don't think his chin would see him thru at this age

Know what, I love Hopkins. Always have. Respect him greatly but I said before Cleverly and honestly believe it, I think Kovalev would beat him. Call me bat shit crazy and I've never picked against Hopkins. Kovalev is a long natutal lt heavy and blows the doors off of a Pavlik or Cloud in terms of mental make up, boxing smarts and all around approach. Those two are literal straight lines. I dont see Hopkins doing his sniping and falling in without soaking up some very taxing short punches and his legs getting very heavy by midway. I totally get Kovalev going after the trinket and at the time at least a perceived threat in Cleverly. That was his kick in the door fight. His announcement to put his name in fans eyes and in Hopkins mouth. Let Hopkins dust off his mandatory and I have no doubt they could make it happen.

Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

I agree with @Beanflicker - Hopkins takes punchers to school, like Pascal and Cloud, whereas he struggles with athletic boxers, like Calzaghe and Dawson. Kovalev doesn't fit into the Calzaghe/Dawson mold.

The only caveat I have on it is that Kovalev's power might actually disguise his boxing ability. I think he actually uses angles and spacing pretty well.

In any event, it's a fight that won't ever happen because of the HBO/Showtime feud.

How offensive! Comparing kovalev to cloud and pascal is a slap to his face. Pascal is just a one dimensional, ambush fighter with shit stamina while cloud has a one track mind and cant make adjusments to save his ass. Cloud is such a shitty boxer .

Kovalev has dimensions to his game bro . He can box a little, has dangerous power, and has a consistent workrate. That sounds like trouble for hopkins.

Originally Posted by El Kabong

Yes a LONG history but time makes fools of us all

I've said the same thing so many times over the years and Bhop has proven me wrong so many times that after the Pavlik fight I stopped doubting him completely.

Bhop is truly immortal and will be fighting and schooling guys when he's 75

I haven't picked against Hopkins after the Calzaghe fight. Against Kovalev, it seems like 50/50. I still favor B-hop by narrow decision. Depends how he looks like against Murat

kovalev ko 2

Cleverly-Kovalev Finalized For 8/17, Reasons Explained - Boxing News

Excerpt

Duva still had the ability to go after Hopkins, and had been speaking with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer about the fight. She explained to BoxingScene that there were two major sticking points - The first reason, if Kovalev would have passed on Cleverly, then Hopkins would have likely fought Cleverly. And the second reason, Duva was informed that for whatever reason Showtime had no interest in buying Hopkins-Kovalev, which leaves many puzzled because the network wanted to purchase Hopkins-Murat.

"If we would have pursued that fight [with Hopkins] and passed on this, then Cleverly would have fought Hopkins. Hopkins would have vacated his title and then Sergey would have fought for a vacant title. Sergey wanted to fight the champion and win the title and not become a paper champion because it would have been where he won a title that was stripped from Bernard Hopkins. His decision was - I would rather go to Wales on August 17th and not have to go through months of back and forth with Hopkins, trying to negotiate, finding out he's going to fight Cleverly," Duva said.

"If you listed to [Hopkin's] words, he was saying it that is the only alternative I have [I'll fight Kovalev]. All I was getting [from Hopkins is that 'if I have no other alternatives, I will make my mandatory' but he did have other alternatives. Because he would have fought Cleverly. We were aware that he was pursuing Cleverly very, very assiduously."

"Despite Bernard's comments yesterday, and we don't have to resort to name calling. But despite Bernard's comments yesterday, we spoke to Richard as soon as this ruling came out [that Sergey was the mandatory], earlier this week. I spoke to him on Monday or maybe Tuesday, and he said - 'I'm going to meet with Bernard with New York and we'll see what we're going to do but Showtime does not want to buy the fight, will HBO buy it?' So I asked HBO on Tuesday if they would buy the fight, but obviously they were pursuing something else, their own plans, and they were aware that Richard was talking to Frank Warren to make Cleverly-Hopkins, so they preferred to go the Cleverly route."

"So I told Richard that HBO was also not interested in the fight, and he said that he would talk to Bernard and then call me - and I have not heard a word from Richard Schaefer since. I do know, however, when I spoke to HBO and then told Richard that HBO was not interested in the fight - Frank Warren got an email from Richard saying 'we're going to fight Kovalev if you don't agree right now to fight Bernard.' I wasn't going to be a pawn in the game. Sergey, to his credit, told me earlier in the week to finish this up because I would rather be a champion on August 17th then go through this back and forth and fight for a vacant title which could be months away."

Additionally, Kovalev's debut on HBO is a not a "one fight" deal indicates Duva. The fight is part of a multi-fight agreement with the network.