Not a good look for Kovalev

[Silkeyjoe]

Too much will be read into this.

it could have been any animal on the shirt but it happened to be a monkey.


But when Ali did it, it was funny, right?

Double standards for sure , Clay punched a toy gorilla in the ring claiming it was Joe , that's why I said judge them in the ring not outside, the bottom line is who fucking cares.

Ali used race to sell fights a lot of which I found very distasteful, particularly asking Wepner to call him a nigger on tv and when he refused to do so tell everyone he called him it anyway. Ali probably was a racist back then but I guess its forgiven given the times he lived in.

I couldnt read the article but while the picture is distasteful I dont really see it as making him a racist? Surely calling Stevenson a piece of shit is just as much grounds to call him a racist as this photo is?

[erics44]

i dont know what to say

boxing is a sport where the aim is to punch someone in the head until they are unconcious

Kovalev is a man who is very good at punching other men in the head and making them inconcious

how is he supposed to behave when hes not doing that?

i think there have been boxers with a more appealing overall attitude to kovalev without a doubt, but he is very good to watch when he fights

[Beanflicker]

It could just be an innocent case of ignorance on his part: maybe Russia just doesn't have a history of comparing blacks to apes/monkeys in a racist way, and he didn't fully understand the implications of calling a black guy a gorilla.

Remember, Muhammad Ali called Joe Frazier a gorilla. It wasn't a racial thing, he wanted to insult Joe by insinuating that he was ugly and primitive. It's highly probable that Kovalev was doing the same thing just to get under Stevenson's skin, a little harmless gamesmanship, and didn't realize that people would be uncomfortable with a white guy calling a black guy that. And let's be honest, if you take away the whole racial angle... Adonis does look somewhat ape-like. There, I said it.

This is what I hate about our current culture: we automatically jump to conclusions and think the worst about each other instead of stepping back and seeing if there is a less damaging, more reasonable explanation.

[brocktonblockbust]

I know about 6 or 7 black American English teachers who had horriffic times trying to live and work in Russia due to extreme racism on the part of Russians. All of those English teachers as well as three or four teachers from India and Malaysia who are also of Indian background and heritage we're treated in the most horrible of ways while in Moscow. many of those White Russians are indeed racists in a very bad way. like I said I know personally 10 or 11 English teachers who are either black or Indian with very dark skin in case you don't get the point who first hand have experienced this in Russia. It is quite common and I have also read it on many English teacher websites.

[Fenster]

Can't believe people give a monkey's about something so trivial

[ryanman]

Too much will be read into this.

it could have been any animal on the shirt but it happened to be a monkey.


But when Ali did it, it was funny, right?

Yeah the shirt itself might just happen to be a monkey, but the words he has used then clear up any doubt as to what he was getting at.

[ryanman]

Indeed double standards.

Well, I hardly think that Ali was using 'gorilla' to mock Frazier's colour.

Kovalev is pointing at a monkey calling it Stevenson because Stevenson is black. That's clear.

Ali was calling Frazier a gorilla because he saw him as gorilla-like. Not to insult Frazier because of the colour of his skin. That wouldn't make much sense.

I might add that yeah Stevenson is also a dick. And I agree that although it's in bad taste I too want them to fight and will judge them in the ring. Just making the case that Ali calling Frazier a gorilla is not a logical comparison.

[Beanflicker]

Kovalev is pointing at a monkey calling it Stevenson because Stevenson is black. That's clear.

Why is that clear? Why can't it be Kovalev calling him a gorilla because he thinks he's ugly and stupid, like Ali did to Frazier?

Kovalev could very well be a horrible racist, maybe racism is more culturally accepted in Russia like Brock was saying, I just don't see why we all have to jump to conclusions. If he called Adonis a n**ger or mentioned slavery or something like that, that would be different and pretty straight forward. Calling someone a gorilla is used to insinuate someone is ugly or primitive way more than it's used as a racial slur.

[chris6878]

That is a funny pic. I think until I see more proof of his racism, Ill reserve judgment. Ive seen many people of all colors that look like primates......stevenson is one of them. Ive seen white babies that look like baby chimps.....especially since we all were once primates.

Kovalev really cant talk since he looks like a neanderthal.

[corvette]

Maybe he is, but Adonis Stevenson does look and behave like a gorilla in fairness. Not remotely because he's black, he just has the facial features and mannerisms of a primate in general. Most fighters are shitty people anyways, don't really see this as a big deal. Stevenson is an ex pimp who made women fight each other, fuck him.

What race are you?

[corvette]

Too much will be read into this.

it could have been any animal on the shirt but it happened to be a monkey.


But when Ali did it, it was funny, right?

Good..then people can stop calling Floyd a racist

[corvette]

Too much will be read into this.

it could have been any animal on the shirt but it happened to be a monkey.


But when Ali did it, it was funny, right?

Double standards for sure , Clay punched a toy gorilla in the ring claiming it was Joe , that's why I said judge them in the ring not outside, the bottom line is who fucking cares.

You'd care if Stevenson went racial on Kovalev...deny all you want but I bet you'd have a different take if he did.

White guys like you have weak double standards.

Go to the courts and see Whites sent home while Blacks get sent to jail for the same things.

[IamInuit]

Stevenson is scum that's what his fans don't like to admit, and even if he is a rapist beating on underage girls pimp, you can't stop him having fans. And I'll admit kovalev is probably racist, with a strong dislike for stevenson in particular.

This isn't about Stevenson you dumb ass. You keep going on about Stevenson like he jacked up your sister or something. What does Stevensons pimp years have to do with this Russian hicks racism?

[corvette]

Too much will be read into this.

it could have been any animal on the shirt but it happened to be a monkey.


But when Ali did it, it was funny, right?

Double standards for sure , Clay punched a toy gorilla in the ring claiming it was Joe , that's why I said judge them in the ring not outside, the bottom line is who fucking cares.

Ali used race to sell fights a lot of which I found very distasteful, particularly asking Wepner to call him a nigger on tv and when he refused to do so tell everyone he called him it anyway. Ali probably was a racist back then but I guess its forgiven given the times he lived in.

I couldnt read the article but while the picture is distasteful I dont really see it as making him a racist? Surely calling Stevenson a piece of shit is just as much grounds to call him a racist as this photo is?

Stop hiding behind Ali.

Ya'll were quick to call Floyd racist...and Hopkins.

Kovalev has been pulled to the side about this shit before...plus he has Black trainers and Kathy Duva is married to a BM.

Stevenson makes 4 x's more than Kovalev.
So who's the monkey

[corvette]

Stevenson is scum that's what his fans don't like to admit, and even if he is a rapist beating on underage girls pimp, you can't stop him having fans. And I'll admit kovalev is probably racist, with a strong dislike for stevenson in particular.

This isn't about Stevenson you dumb ass. You keep going on about Stevenson like he jacked up your sister or something. What does Stevensons pimp years have to do with this Russian hicks racism?

They'd be crying if somebody said about Amir Khan.