Hopkins was stiff last night.

[brocktonblockbust]

Hop won't swallow going out with a spanking like that. Kovalev spanked him hard. Hop has pride like all fighters AND THEN SOME! he needs to give one more good performance for his ego.

[p4pking]

He obviously wasn't that stiff, you can't take the kind of punches he did and stay upright without some snap in the legs. Considering he was moving laterally the entire fight and still slipping most punches, I'd say he looked about as good as anyone could have expected. Kovalev is a damn good boxer and didn't do any of the things people thought Hopkins might be able to exploit, didn't tire out whatsoever, hardly wasted a single punch all night, it's just what it is. I'm still confident Hopkins could beat Stevenson.

[SlimTrae]

He obviously wasn't that stiff, you can't take the kind of punches he did and stay upright without some snap in the legs. Considering he was moving laterally the entire fight and still slipping most punches, I'd say he looked about as good as anyone could have expected. Kovalev is a damn good boxer and didn't do any of the things people thought Hopkins might be able to exploit, didn't tire out whatsoever, hardly wasted a single punch all night, it's just what it is. I'm still confident Hopkins could beat Stevenson.

Kovalev was almost in a no-win situation. Hopkins wins, then Kovalev is a fraud. Hopkins loses, well he's old.

Watching my first fight of Hopkins vs Jouvin Mercardo- he refused to clinch- he fought like a young warrior nonstop incessant punching.

IMO it wasnt until he fought RJJ that he employed the clinch-n-Mug style.
His fights with Echols were highly entertaining, alot of punches thrown, fouls too.
He didn't clinch, but he didn't really use alot of leg work-like-running or movement- when he knocked out Joe Lipsey IMO.

In fact Hopkins IMO has the bestfoot work in the game-rarely does he use his legs to get outta the way like Mayweather, rather he would take two-three steps, pivot, turn, shoulder roll, clinch.
But using his legs wasn't his prime game IMO.

The only fight I can think of when he used lateral movement was with Tito. everytime Hop tried to clinch, Tito would use his elbow & push off on Hop's collar bone, so Hop adjusted and kept moving along with his back to the ropes, but never stopped, he kept using the ring.

But that kind of energy was zapped from Hop long ago, or else he would have defeated Taylor- who proved to run outta gas in the end.

Hopkins didn't give these props to Taylor nor Dawson, when they won- and time proved hop right.
Time will tell for Kovelev if he's the real-deal.

[Hulk]

He obviously wasn't that stiff, you can't take the kind of punches he did and stay upright without some snap in the legs. Considering he was moving laterally the entire fight and still slipping most punches, I'd say he looked about as good as anyone could have expected. Kovalev is a damn good boxer and didn't do any of the things people thought Hopkins might be able to exploit, didn't tire out whatsoever, hardly wasted a single punch all night, it's just what it is. I'm still confident Hopkins could beat Stevenson.

Kovalev wisely kept the perfect fighting distance, a good pace, and hurt Hopkins early to make him gun shy.

I was really expecting more from B-Hop, but my God was he tough and courageous!

He didn't foul or DQ his way out as some critical fans said he would.

He took his medicine and went the distance with a very good opponent.

Unfortunately, I do not have as optimistic view about him beating Stevenson now. It is possible but he will have to take far more risks in the ring than he did last night or he will lose again.

[SlimTrae]

I was really expecting more from B-Hop, but my God was he tough and courageous!

He didn't foul or DQ his way out as some critical fans said he would.

He took his medicine and went the distance with a very good opponent.

Post fight Hop mentioned how much stronger the guy was. He said he felt like a MW against him, maybe he didn't want to foul in return by a guy seemingly twice as strong.