Why couldn't a PRIME Kovalev knock out a 50 year old man?

[IamInuit]

I was wrong about the fight, but ALSO: You have to ask the question. Here is a guy in his prime 20 years younger than BHOP, so why could he not finish him off? Tried as hard as he could and could not get him out of there or stop him.

In comparison, Marciano stopped 38 year old Walcott, Holmes stopped 38 year old Ali, Tyson stopped 38 year old Holmes, etc. etc. seems 38 years old is the Death Sentence even for a few ATGs like Holmes, Louis, Ali, etc... AND YET THIS KOVALEV could not stop a 50 year old.

Two things.

1. Hopkins has more chin then a Chinese phone book. On par with kats like Gavilan, Chuvalo, Cobb and your all time favourite Ali.

2. The old dawg knows how to fight including his positioning in case he receives a shot. Kovalev landed fairly clean a few times but found it hard to find that chin direct and clean. Hop was rocked by head shots and temple area hits. Hop would get behind that shoulder and have his chin tucked almost out of muscle memory.

In a way Hops performance in a total white wash on the cards was just as good as the victor.

[brocktonblockbust]

Let's see kovaleft when HE IS 49. FACT IS, KOVALEV WILL BE LONG GONE BY 2016. LONG GONE LIKE GGG AND BLOWN TO BITS BY THE NEXT 15 MINUTES OF FAME.

[IamInuit]

Let's see kovaleft when HE IS 49. FACT IS, KOVALEV WILL BE LONG GONE BY 2016. LONG GONE LIKE GGG AND BLOWN TO BITS BY THE NEXT 15 MINUTES OF FAME.

Exactly. Lets see where this Russian finishes


And Hopkins will be a first ballot hall of famer, held as one of the top 5 middle weights that ever lived and one of the top 25 that ever fought in any division.

[SlimTrae]

Kovalev had a strategy that he stuck to until the final minute of the fight. That's why he won and it's why he didn't KO Hopkins. He and his trainer worked out a brilliant fight plan based on the understanding that Bernard relies on using angles and slipping punches to avoid initial attacks then uses either dirty tactics to damage and distract his opponents or he lunges with flurries of his own as his opponents are trying to reset. Kovalev controlled the pace and the distance by backing off every time he finished throwing his 2 or 3 initial punches thereby never giving Hopkins the chance to get his mount his own cheating offense. In the past Hopkins relied on fighters anxiety and anxiousness to have them make mistakes. Kovalev and his corner understood that Hopkins skills have diminished to the point that his only chance to score comes from what chances his opponents give him, so they just didn't hive him many chances to profit from. This win showed me that Kovalev can follow a plan when the fighter is following a predictable pattern where he doesn't have an offense and doesn't adapt. It said more about how finished Hopkins is than how good Kovalev is. Kovalev did make a lot of mistakes that other more capable and active fighters would have taken advantage of.

Hey! One of the few here that started and ended a post with boxing.
Great post. Iaminut mentioned the chin on Hopkins' was tested. Agreed.

[p4pking]

I was wrong about the fight, but ALSO: You have to ask the question. Here is a guy in his prime 20 years younger than BHOP, so why could he not finish him off? Tried as hard as he could and could not get him out of there or stop him.

In comparison, Marciano stopped 38 year old Walcott, Holmes stopped 38 year old Ali, Tyson stopped 38 year old Holmes, etc. etc. seems 38 years old is the Death Sentence even for a few ATGs like Holmes, Louis, Ali, etc... AND YET THIS KOVALEV could not stop a 50 year old.

Because like GGG, Kovalev is another over hyped white fighter.


Hopkins WOULD NEVER allow a white fighter to destroy him.

Sure, Hopkins lost but Hopkins comes out of the fight with more cred in my book, his rep hasn't been tarnished at all. As for Kovalev, he's not the monster he was billed to be.

[p4pking]

Maybe he was just so relieved to have proved you wrong and made it out of the first, that he couldn't get settled after that brock! I bet Kovalev doesn't actually have any power, even I could knock out some 50 year olds.

Seriously, the guy was at no point in any danger of losing a round, he was hurting Hopkins with very natural fluid punching, controlled the ring very well, was moving Hopkins around just touching him. Has a good jab, had no problem going 12, and it's why couldn't he stop the guy who nobody had ever come nearly as close to stopping. It was an easy fight for Kovalev!

[Memphis]

@denilson200 @Silkeyjoe

I dont care if its done out of ignorance or retaliation, there's no place for that kind of shite here. I suspect one of you will have an easier time computing that.

If I see it again you'll be gone, and you'll stay gone.

I think maybe obligation is coming into play when you're giving someone shit for not knocking out Bernard Hopkins.

[Beanz]

Let's see kovaleft when HE IS 49. FACT IS, KOVALEV WILL BE LONG GONE BY 2016. LONG GONE LIKE GGG AND BLOWN TO BITS BY THE NEXT 15 MINUTES OF FAME.

Kovalev is a tough puncher and agile. But he is one dimensional. This is like Ali vs Foreman. Except no rope a dope. This willwill be called SMOKE A DOPE. as the Alien will smoke him.

Kovalev is anything but one dimensional, Hopkins is going to be in a world of trouble when he realises that after the first round.

Give the guy some credit.

[brocktonblockbust]

Let's see kovaleft when HE IS 49. FACT IS, KOVALEV WILL BE LONG GONE BY 2016. LONG GONE LIKE GGG AND BLOWN TO BITS BY THE NEXT 15 MINUTES OF FAME.

Kovalev is a tough puncher and agile. But he is one dimensional. This is like Ali vs Foreman. Except no rope a dope. This willwill be called SMOKE A DOPE. as the Alien will smoke him.

Kovalev is anything but one dimensional, Hopkins is going to be in a world of trouble when he realises that after the first round.

Give the guy some credit.

OK I repeat: tough puncher and agile, but thats it. Sorta like Leon Spinks beating Ali. Good show. But thats it.

[Vendettos]

I was wrong about the fight, but ALSO: You have to ask the question. Here is a guy in his prime 20 years younger than BHOP, so why could he not finish him off? Tried as hard as he could and could not get him out of there or stop him.

In comparison, Marciano stopped 38 year old Walcott, Holmes stopped 38 year old Ali, Tyson stopped 38 year old Holmes, etc. etc. seems 38 years old is the Death Sentence even for a few ATGs like Holmes, Louis, Ali, etc... AND YET THIS KOVALEV could not stop a 50 year old.

Because like GGG, Kovalev is another over hyped white fighter.

Kovalev would get beaten by Stevenson. The fact that Hopkins picked Kovalev when he could have fought Stevenson says a lot.

These russian "I come forward. I knock you out" type fighters will always have their hands full against top class slick black fighters

Makes you think what the 31 year Hopkins would have done to Kovalev.

Hopkins WOULD NEVER allow a white fighter to destroy him.

Sure, Hopkins lost but Hopkins comes out of the fight with more cred in my book, his rep hasn't been tarnished at all. As for Kovalev, he's not the monster he was billed to be.

Same with GGG....let GGG fight Ward, Canelo, Cotto.....in fact I'll go lower than that. let him fight Quillin, Martinez....destroy one of that lot...then I'll take you seriously, especially if he destroys fighters from the 1st list.

You're a fucking idiot.

I really hope you catch a skin pigment disease.

From now on I'm going to call you Whitey, just to fuck with you.

[erics44]

i watched the fight, or most of it and hopkins was in survival mode from early on

i reckon hopkins could survive 12 rounds against just about anyone - in survival mode

had he been a bit more ambitious i reckon kolarev would have KOed him, another 10 seconds on the end of the fight and he probably would

it was an impressive performance if you ask me, hopkins wasnt ever in the fight at any point at all, you probably couldnt have even give hopkins a minute of any round

[erics44]

Let's see kovaleft when HE IS 49. FACT IS, KOVALEV WILL BE LONG GONE BY 2016. LONG GONE LIKE GGG AND BLOWN TO BITS BY THE NEXT 15 MINUTES OF FAME.

Exactly. Lets see where this Russian finishes


And Hopkins will be a first ballot hall of famer, held as one of the top 5 middle weights that ever lived and one of the top 25 that ever fought in any division.

yeah and you cant really say kolarev beat a pomp hopkins, but looking at it for what it is, it was still a very impressive performance

i reckon im an old school boxing fan, i like fighters who fight and try and land punches and knock people out

i like kolarev

and i am looking forward to his next fight, i hope its against someone who will give him a test

[Dia bando]

I have watched the fight twice, old Hopkins was in survival mode you can blame his one slip
up he was toast, trouble is how Hopkins fights he is nether brilliant to watch, the mauling and
fouling, his punch out put is poor, he fiddles his way to a win.
I have watched Hopkins many times, because I am a boxing fan but I can't say I enjoy watching
him fight, to put him to context if he was a actor he would be a B movie star, never would
be a A Lister, there is just something lacking Hagler ,Hearns, SLR, Duran , had it star quality it's
called.