Thread: Sergey Kovalev vs. Bernard Hopkins: who wins?

Either Kovalev stops him in the late rounds or Hopkins wins on points. I don't want to see Hopkins get blasted out either but Kovalev has the boxing ability and the power to do it. I'm probably going to pick Hopkins on points though.

I think this will be super interesting to watch, possibly 100% boring if hopkins grinds out a win, but even if he is grinding towards a close points win there is always going to be the thought that kovalev will knock him senseless, I hope this happens and I really like b-hop but i think this may be too much for him, hopkins is definently ageing but hats off to the guy for taking this and even better for taking the initiative to get this fight, his mind games are as good as they come i think.

Originally Posted by palmerq

I think this will be super interesting to watch, possibly 100% boring if hopkins grinds out a win, but even if he is grinding towards a close points win there is always going to be the thought that kovalev will knock him senseless, I hope this happens and I really like b-hop but i think this may be too much for him, hopkins is definently ageing but hats off to the guy for taking this and even better for taking the initiative to get this fight, his mind games are as good as they come i think.

If pascal knocks you down kovalev knocks you the f out

One more thing to think about with regard to this fight. Maybe Hopkins took the fight to support his company, Golden Boy, because it puts them back in the HBO game that they were out of when they were aligned with Haymon.

Krusher opens as a favorite.

[QUOTE=armin;1261973]

Originally Posted by palmerq

I think this will be super interesting to watch, possibly 100% boring if hopkins grinds out a win, but even if he is grinding towards a close points win there is always going to be the thought that kovalev will knock him senseless, I hope this happens and I really like b-hop but i think this may be too much for him, hopkins is definently ageing but hats off to the guy for taking this and even better for taking the initiative to get this fight, his mind games are as good as they come i think.

If pascal knocks you down kovalev knocks you the f out[/QUOTE]

Have to disagree. Pascal was very athletic, fast, strong, and powerful. Kovalev is VERY strong and powerful, but his reminds me of a larger Kelly Pavilik. Basically, a consistent, straight ahead fighter who stalks his opponent and walks them down looking to land the big right. Tito was similar but he had the left hook. All three have solid fundamentals and are TOUGH fighters with HUGE punches, but Hop has a great chin, great defense, and is a master at taking away a guy's big weapon and making them feel uncomfortable/ineffective and frustrated. At Hops age though, with Kov's big punch, anything can happen. I will be betting on Hop though... (hope to make some more money like I did with him vs. Tito, Tarver, and Pavilik!)

[QUOTE=mikeeod;1262070]

Originally Posted by armin

Originally Posted by palmerq

I think this will be super interesting to watch, possibly 100% boring if hopkins grinds out a win, but even if he is grinding towards a close points win there is always going to be the thought that kovalev will knock him senseless, I hope this happens and I really like b-hop but i think this may be too much for him, hopkins is definently ageing but hats off to the guy for taking this and even better for taking the initiative to get this fight, his mind games are as good as they come i think.

If pascal knocks you down kovalev knocks you the f out[/QUOTE]

Have to disagree. Pascal was very athletic, fast, strong, and powerful. Kovalev is VERY strong and powerful, but his reminds me of a larger Kelly Pavilik. Basically, a consistent, straight ahead fighter who stalks his opponent and walks them down looking to land the big right. Tito was similar but he had the left hook. All three have solid fundamentals and are TOUGH fighters with HUGE punches, but Hop has a great chin, great defense, and is a master at taking away a guy's big weapon and making them feel uncomfortable/ineffective and frustrated. At Hops age though, with Kov's big punch, anything can happen. I will be betting on Hop though... (hope to make some more money like I did with him vs. Tito, Tarver, and Pavilik!)

I have to respectfully disagree. Kovalev is no Pavlik. Pavlik had a tough one-two, but Kovalev has a whole arsenal of punches and he loves to go to the body, which Pavlik didn't. In other words, Pavlik was somewhat methodical and Kovalev isn't. Look at the straight right to the liver on a southpaw that essentially knocked out Caparello last weekend and the right hand to the side of the head that knocked out the Black Russian. Also, Pavlik had power at 160 that didn't show up when he moved to 168 and 170. Kovalev has real light heavyweight power. In other words, Kovalev has one-punch knockout power; Pavlik had accumulated power. The only similarities are that they are offensive and fight coming forward and aren't especially fast.

I don't disagree, however, about Hopkins winning. Hopkins has lost to Dawson and Calzaghe over the last few years. Both had speed advantages and volume advantages that Hopkins couldn't match. Everyone else Hopkins has faced recently, he's beat. The question in this fight is whether Kovalev can catch Hopkins with something mean. If he can, fight goes his way. If he can't, fights goes to Hopkins.

[QUOTE=Rantcatrat;1262087]

Originally Posted by mikeeod

Originally Posted by armin

Originally Posted by palmerq

I think this will be super interesting to watch, possibly 100% boring if hopkins grinds out a win, but even if he is grinding towards a close points win there is always going to be the thought that kovalev will knock him senseless, I hope this happens and I really like b-hop but i think this may be too much for him, hopkins is definently ageing but hats off to the guy for taking this and even better for taking the initiative to get this fight, his mind games are as good as they come i think.

If pascal knocks you down kovalev knocks you the f out[/QUOTE]

Have to disagree. Pascal was very athletic, fast, strong, and powerful. Kovalev is VERY strong and powerful, but his reminds me of a larger Kelly Pavilik. Basically, a consistent, straight ahead fighter who stalks his opponent and walks them down looking to land the big right. Tito was similar but he had the left hook. All three have solid fundamentals and are TOUGH fighters with HUGE punches, but Hop has a great chin, great defense, and is a master at taking away a guy's big weapon and making them feel uncomfortable/ineffective and frustrated. At Hops age though, with Kov's big punch, anything can happen. I will be betting on Hop though... (hope to make some more money like I did with him vs. Tito, Tarver, and Pavilik!)

I have to respectfully disagree. Kovalev is no Pavlik. Pavlik had a tough one-two, but Kovalev has a whole arsenal of punches and he loves to go to the body, which Pavlik didn't. In other words, Pavlik was somewhat methodical and Kovalev isn't. Look at the straight right to the liver on a southpaw that essentially knocked out Caparello last weekend and the right hand to the side of the head that knocked out the Black Russian. Also, Pavlik had power at 160 that didn't show up when he moved to 168 and 170. Kovalev has real light heavyweight power. In other words, Kovalev has one-punch knockout power; Pavlik had accumulated power. The only similarities are that they are offensive and fight coming forward and aren't especially fast.

I don't disagree, however, about Hopkins winning. Hopkins has lost to Dawson and Calzaghe over the last few years. Both had speed advantages and volume advantages that Hopkins couldn't match. Everyone else Hopkins has faced recently, he's beat. The question in this fight is whether Kovalev can catch Hopkins with something mean. If he can, fight goes his way. If he can't, fights goes to Hopkins.

An economical KO puncher who walks his man down is a very enticing target for Bernard Hopkins. He won't make Bernard take the lead, wear him out with volume or outspeed him.


Kovalev can cut the ring down well, but Hopkins doesn't run, so that's not a big issue. Hopkins attacks, clinches, circles, counters, feints, rinse and repeat.

Originally Posted by El Kabong

Kovalev will just demolish Hopkins (if he can catch him). Sergey can box as well as slug, he has power to do big damage to B-Hop. Hopkins is cagey as hell but so was Archie Moore, so was Joe Walcott and age catches up to everyone.

If Hopkins just lasts the distance he will have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest of all time. This is a very dangerous fight this is like Apollo Creed vs Ivan Drago...the wily old veteran vs the power punching phenom. Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Gennedy Golovkin wouldn't be this dangerous!


At this point although I'm no fan of Hopkins, I just hope he's safe in the ring. He's fought dangerous punchers before but age erodes skill and talent...does he have enough left?


My prediction Sergey Kovalev by TKO in 6

Apollo Creed Vs Ivan Drago (lol)

Gotta love that (I was always partial to Mr T - Clubber Lang -) then again Kovalev is a bit of a 'If he dies...he dies' type character (lol)

He does have that Russian Mafia, killing someoone would not be a big deal for him look about him. But I jest.

Originally Posted by denilson200

Originally Posted by El Kabong

Kovalev will just demolish Hopkins (if he can catch him). Sergey can box as well as slug, he has power to do big damage to B-Hop. Hopkins is cagey as hell but so was Archie Moore, so was Joe Walcott and age catches up to everyone.

If Hopkins just lasts the distance he will have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest of all time. This is a very dangerous fight this is like Apollo Creed vs Ivan Drago...the wily old veteran vs the power punching phenom. Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Gennedy Golovkin wouldn't be this dangerous!


At this point although I'm no fan of Hopkins, I just hope he's safe in the ring. He's fought dangerous punchers before but age erodes skill and talent...does he have enough left?


My prediction Sergey Kovalev by TKO in 6

Apollo Creed Vs Ivan Drago (lol)

Gotta love that (I was always partial to Mr T - Clubber Lang -) then again Kovalev is a bit of a 'If he dies...he dies' type character (lol)

He does have that Russian Mafia, killing someoone would not be a big deal for him look about him. But I jest.

I feel like even though he has been out of prison for decades and has turned his life around, Hop still has that killer/thug aura going. Kov looks mean in a Russian gangster way and Hop looks mean in a ghetto gangster way. Kind of like DMX. U look at those guys and u can see it in them. Hop lures people in with that and they expect this brawl and he goes out and starts pumping jabs and circling the guy and it just throws them off. They r always waiting for Hop to drop the hammer and before they know it the fight is over. Kov isn't athletic enough or active enough to win this one. Hop believes more than anything in his chin and defense, so he won't become exhausted worrying about taking a clean shot. That and Hops movement and experience will be too much for Kov who isn't athletic n fast like Taylor, Joe C. n Dawson were. All of those guys also came in and just threw punches without landing much of significance, but just high volumes. Two of those guys were lucky to get the wins they got over Hop and Hop could've easily one a couple and tied the other one. I don't see this being a bad style match up for Hop n I think he wins the decision.

I am second guessing my initial prediction and at a near coin flip tonight. Simply put I wonder and do believe Kovalev is getting away from boxing focus. When I start seeing "Krusher" t shirts and socks being handed out on live fight cards..it concerns me. Know that's simplistic and yes its hype, but it makes you wonder.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

I am second guessing my initial prediction and at a near coin flip tonight. Simply put I wonder and do believe Kovalev is getting away from boxing focus. When I start seeing "Krusher" t shirts and socks being handed out on live fight cards..it concerns me. Know that's simplistic and yes its hype, but it makes you wonder.

It is natural to doubt your prediction. This is an exciting fight. If Hopkins wins then Kovalev was beaten by a smarter and experienced skilled fighter. If kovalev wins then he beat an old ring legend who has beaten top fighters. Very intriguing fight and props for B Hop taking this, he deserves all the credit in the world.