If Kovalev beats Pascal and Stevenson, would he be a top 20 ATG at LHW? He'd have wins over Hopkins, Pascal, and Stevenson back to back to back.
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If Kovalev beats Pascal and Stevenson, would he be a top 20 ATG at LHW? He'd have wins over Hopkins, Pascal, and Stevenson back to back to back.
I believe so. That would be one hell of a run.
I would put him easily in the top 20, and maybe he would crack my top 15. I have Saad Muhammed and Harold Johnson right around 16 and 17, and I think by unifying and beating his top competition at the weight Kov slides into the top 15. Too bad he isn't a little younger so he could have the dominance and longevity necessary to be ranked higher. I was thoroughly impressed with his win over Hop (although I do recognize that Hop was well past his best when they met).
I don't give Pascal much of a chance, and it seems like Stevenson may never fight him, but if he beat both handily I'd say yes. In fact, in a head to head scenario I couldn't even think of 10 guys who deserve to be favored. Roy Jones, Michael Spinks, Bob Foster, Michael Moorer, who else would people say could have beaten him for sure? Maybe Ezzard Charles, Archie Moorer, Sam Langford, but considering how long ago they fought I don't see how anyone could actually be confident in that realistically. Kovalev is a beast and technically very very good, he's going to be extremely tough to beat.
Way too early to call him (ALL) time great.
But he has started the run off in great fashion & heading towards it.