Hopkins vs Kovalev - who wins?

[Tam Seddon]

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/bern...83#more-267383

[Rantcatrat]

I think Bernard will win on points. Kov isn't busy or fast enough, fights in straight lines and is predictable. Hop will start out tentative and as the fight progresses he will take over to win a decision. Kov has that big punch and is used to fighting scared guys who aren't elite. Hop lives for guys like that, still has his chin n tight defense n likes to fight at a predictable, measured pace. Hop by decision.

I tend to agree with @mikeeod - we haven't seen Hopkins lose to this style of fighter ever. In recent times, we've seen him have difficulty with faster guys (Taylor, Calzaghe & Dawson) or unorthodox guys (Pascal) but never with come-forward, offensive big punchers (Cloud & Pavlik).

Here's the only thing that's making me think twice because otherwise I'd bet the house on Hopkins. Hopkins struggled a bit with Murat. Yes, he won the fight convincingly, but as Doug Fischer said in his mail bag this week, after six rounds all three ring-side observers had the fight even. Regardless of how you scored it though, there were moments where Murat got the better of him. Murat was stopped by Cleverly. Hopkins also been dropped a few times over the last couple of years, which is bound to happen, when you're facing the best of the best, of course, but it makes you think, because none of the guys who put him down punch as hard as Kovalev.

At the end of the day, I still go with Hopkins. I think he studied Kovalev and knew what he was doing when he decided to face him. I like Hopkins by disputed decision.

Credit to both guys though for taking the fight. I'd have favored both over Stevenson and yet they decided to fight each other rather than Stevenson. Even though Stevenson holds the lineal belt, this is the best versus the best at 175.