Kovalev - How much can we read into his win over Cleverly?

[forcefraser]

He looked the mustard in his win last weekend, but does it say more about how good Kovalev was or how poor Cleverly was on the night.

For example, if Kovalev was to meet Andre Ward in his next fight at light heavy, who would you go for?

[stujones]

Hits like a mule, very accurate with good range.... thats all we really know about him. Enough to knows he is bloody good. Andre Ward good? well, no we don't know that.

[TheCobra]

At the moment it still probably says more about his opponents, until he steps up to 'proper' world class we just won't know.

[hurlock]

Very impressed. Cleverley has a great engine & output & gets stuck in kovalevs power robbed him of it all!!

[jameswilson]

The fact he outboxed Cleverly who is known to have decent technique and workrate spoke volumes. Beating him wasn't necessarily a huge upset, but I don't think many will have expected him to win the first two rounds with ease and then bounce Cleverly off the canvas like a basketball from the end of the 3rd to the end of the fight at the start of the 4th.

[Kick in the Balls]

Alas Cleverly was made for Kovalev. Clev fights with his jaw sticking out like he's leaning in for a kiss. I'm surprised the Russian didn't knock him out his boots earlier.

Hope Kovalev gets some more opportunities now and that Cleverly sticks with it. It would be a shame for him to retire so young.

[stevedoc]

if kovalev fought ward i would fancy ward bigtime ,kovalev looked great and i'm a fan but nathan never really threw many shots as seemed punch shy after the first . cleverley landed a few double jabs in the 3rd and kovalev looked like he could be out boxed by a smarter fighter like ward but having said that he looked pretty red hot to me.

[iamasadlittleboy]

I'd be more impressed with his victory over Campillo if truth be told. Sure Campillo did lose to Fonfara but I dare say they were the effects of the Kovalev fight

[Clint Magnum]

Kovalev looked good. I didn't think he looked like a world beater but something was going on with his shots, everything troubled Cleverley.
It was like his fists were made of stone, he seemed to trouble Clev from the off, even with Clev's hands up. Judging by his record his power is clearly evident. He wasn't even swinging his shots but they were so accurate and so heavy.
For this reason alone it makes me interested in Kovalev's next fight.

[lefty]

Im still not completely sold on him. He can clearly punch but I thought Nathan boxed pretty poorly aswell. He wasnt boxing defensively but he wasnt boxing offensively either. It was like he stuck between the two and because of Kovalev's power he seemed scared to let his hands go.

[crusader]

Im still not completely sold on him. He can clearly punch but I thought Nathan boxed pretty poorly aswell. He wasnt boxing defensively but he wasnt boxing offensively either. It was like he stuck between the two and because of Kovalev's power he seemed scared to let his hands go.

He seemed to box defensively to me--not throwing many punches that could leave him vulnerable and consistently keeping a high guard. The shot that started his downfall in the third was a counter over a jab, and it wasn't a case of Cleverly getting reckless or too macho as he may've in the past.

until he steps up to 'proper' world class we just won't know.

What is 'proper world class'? Campillo was coming off what most thought were clear wins over Shumenov and Cloud, and he was generally ranked in the top five entering his bout with Kovalev. Cleverly, despite his recent string of poor opponents, had fair wins over Murat and Bellew, and it's hard to see more than a few fighters at 175 who should've been ranked ahead of him.

I think Kovalev is far more than a heavy punching slugger like Tavoris Cloud. His punch diversity is very good—he's one of the few fighters who regularly throws jabs, straights, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts, and he mixes them to the head and body; he throws very good combinations—he effectively throws any punch off any other punch, he can string together 5-6 shots, and he mixes the order of his punches; he is an excellent finisher—he applies the right amount of pressure and the abilities just outlined make it very difficult for hurt opponents to effectively defend; he punches from various angles—he effectively attacks straight ahead (see him walk through Thompson), from the side (see the shot that hurts Campillo), or from below (see the 'up' punches that started Clev's downfall); he doesn't wade in recklessly—he sets up his attacks with jabs and other punches; and he always seems to be in the right punching range—not too close or too far.

The biggest question I have about Kovalev is his stamina; how will he manage if he's forced to go several rounds past the third or fourth? While he doesn't go all out or indiscriminately pressure his opponents, his work rate is fairly high and he throws his shots with intent, both of which can be draining. Apparently he faded in his first bout with Boone, and while he's likely improved overall since that bout, it's hard to tell if his stamina has. If his stamina isn't good and he doesn't adjust his work rate when it seems an opponent won't be stopped early, fighters who survive the early rounds without suffering major damage may be able to outlast him. The hard part will be finding a fighter who can last several rounds without incurring too much punishment; I thought Cleverly had a good chance of doing so given the solid chin he previously showed, but obviously he had never been hit by someone like Kovalev.

[lefty]

Im still not completely sold on him. He can clearly punch but I thought Nathan boxed pretty poorly aswell. He wasnt boxing defensively but he wasnt boxing offensively either. It was like he stuck between the two and because of Kovalev's power he seemed scared to let his hands go.

He seemed to box defensively to me--not throwing many punches that could leave him vulnerable and consistently keeping a high guard. The shot that started his downfall in the third was a counter over a jab, and it wasn't a case of Cleverly getting reckless or too macho as he may've in the past.

until he steps up to 'proper' world class we just won't know.

What is 'proper world class'? Campillo was coming off what most thought were clear wins over Shumenov and Cloud, and he was generally ranked in the top five entering his bout with Kovalev. Cleverly, despite his recent string of poor opponents, had fair wins over Murat and Bellew, and it's hard to see more than a few fighters at 175 who should've been ranked ahead of him.

The biggest question I have about Kovalev is his stamina; how will he manage if he's forced to go several rounds past the third or fourth? While he doesn't go all out or indiscriminately pressure his opponents, his work rate is fairly high and he throws his shots with intent, both of which can be draining. Apparently he faded in his first bout with Boone, and while he's likely improved overall since that bout, it's hard to tell if his stamina has. If his stamina isn't good and he doesn't adjust his work rate when it seems an opponent won't be stopped early, fighters who survive the early rounds without suffering major damage may be able to outlast him. The hard part will be finding a fighter who can last several rounds without incurring too much punishment; I thought Cleverly had a good chance of doing so given the solid chin he previously showed, but obviously he had never been hit by someone like Kovalev.

Yeah but Cleverly isnt a naturally defensively minded boxer so maybe that's why to me atleast he looked somewhat unsure of exactly what he was doing. Cleverly isnt really a counter-puncher either which didnt help him in that fight.

[crusader]

What would make you sold on Kovalev, or at least closer to being sold?

[DMA1987]

What would make you sold on Kovalev, or at least closer to being sold?

Doing it to Hopkins.

[lefty]

What would make you sold on Kovalev, or at least closer to being sold?

Like DMA said doing it to a hopkins or Stevenson or Dawson or someone like that! I imagine we'll see those fights at some point.

[crusader]

At this point, I'm not sure destroying Dawson is more impressive than destroying Campillo or Cleverly. While Dawson was a very good fighter, I think he is well past his best and possibly unable to hold a shot.

Stevenson can bang, but his defense isn't good and he isn't much of a counterpuncher, both of which you mentioned with respect to Cleverly. A win over Stevenson would likely suggest that Kovalev can deal with power punchers though, which is something he hasn't done yet.

I would be very impressed if Kovalev knocks out Hopkins like he did Cleverly, though a win by decision may also suggest that Kovalev can go rounds and is sufficiently skilled to outpoint slick opponents.

Currently, I'm sold on Kovalev being a very good fighter who is at least among the top 3 in the division. I think he's shown that much and I think it's an excessive burden to require wins over Hopkins or Stevenson to suggest that. However, if Kovalev beats those opponents it will rightfully move him up further in the division and show that he can beat the division's elite.

[Old bones Ian]

I'd get him in with Anthony Dirrell next, he's got a recognizable name in America and the style to take the fight into the late rounds and test Kovalev, but with less risk than going straight in with the top guys at the weight.

[Yes We Can]

I'd get him in with Anthony Dirrell next, he's got a recognizable name in America and the style to take the fight into the late rounds and test Kovalev, but with less risk than going straight in with the top guys at the weight.

I'd like to see him meet the #pascal/ Bute winner next, which i believe will be Pascal. Someone completely unorthodox. Although he'd likely win against either its a tremendous win, a big name and a good visual fight.

[davie]

We all know Cleverly should never have been a world champion. And stylewise was custom made for kovalev.
The one thing we can say, is cleverly had a solid chin, so it was good evidence of his power at the top level.

But, had Kovalev held a world title and clev had worked through the list of opponents that he has to challenge him. I'd have said cleverly would, by this point in his career, been a legitamite world title challenger and a good test for any world champion.
does it prove that kovalev is at some elite andre ward level? well no.
but cleverly is a decent fighter and a good scalp for any champion. Kovalev can comfortably lay claim to being in the top 4 in the division, which at the end of the day, is what being an alphabet title holder is.

we'll find out more when he fights one of hopkins/stevenson/bute/cloud/dawson/pascal. these guys will be a greater test, fights that could go either way with kovalev IMO

[squared circle]

You just said he's top 4, then listed 7 opponents he'd only be 50:50 with!!