Naazim Richardson should have pulled Hopkins out

[Ricky_]

That was a disgrace. A 50 year old man, with utterly no hope of winning the fight, with too much toughness and too much pride for his own good, took a beating in the final round that will impede his health for the rest of his life. and why, so he could say he lost 120-106 and avoid a TKO on his record? Awful.

[DazDiCanio]

That was a disgrace. A 50 year old man, with utterly no hope of winning the fight, with too much toughness and too much pride for his own good, took a beating in the final round that will impede his health for the rest of his life. and why, so he could say he lost 120-106 and avoid a TKO on his record? Awful.

I dunno tbf, it's boxing, it's a hurt game. Teddy Atlas would call it ok I reckon.

I'm sure he knows his man and perhaps he was under orders to not throw the towel in.

[crow]

Why not blame the ref for allowing Popkins to be negative, doing absolutely nothing in each rd, refusing to throw punches, and treating the fight as a sparring session ?

If rules were enforced and fighters obliged to fight, Kovalev would have had him out of there in 2 rds.

[NateJR]

That was a disgrace. A 50 year old man, with utterly no hope of winning the fight, with too much toughness and too much pride for his own good, took a beating in the final round that will impede his health for the rest of his life. and why, so he could say he lost 120-106 and avoid a TKO on his record? Awful.

It wasn’t a “disgrace”, nor was it “awful”… and I think you’re being a tad dramatic.

_Ricky is mainly upset because Kovalev (his main crush) failed to knock out the oldest champion in History in the prime of his life.

[Ricky_]

That was a disgrace. A 50 year old man, with utterly no hope of winning the fight, with too much toughness and too much pride for his own good, took a beating in the final round that will impede his health for the rest of his life. and why, so he could say he lost 120-106 and avoid a TKO on his record? Awful.

It wasn’t a “disgrace”, nor was it “awful”… and I think you’re being a tad dramatic.

_Ricky is mainly upset because Kovalev (his main crush) failed to knock out the oldest champion in History in the prime of his life.

Weren't you picking Hopkins?

[Ricky_]

Why not blame the ref for allowing Popkins to be negative, doing absolutely nothing in each rd, refusing to throw punches, and treating the fight as a sparring session ?

If rules were enforced and fighters obliged to fight, Kovalev would have had him out of there in 2 rds.

the ref is equally to blame, he should be hauled up before the commission for that, Hopkins was dead on his feet and his head was being rolled around like a speed bag when he was on the ropes in the 12th, it was difficult to watch, I'm no Hopkins fan but i was genuinely worried he was going to be badly hurt.

Hopkins was hurt in nearly every round then took a real badbeating in the 12th, from a murderous puncher like Kovalev, time will only tell what kind of lasting damage that fight has done to BHop.

[reggaereggae]

I thought a corner retirement was going to happen late. Hopkins never tried to win 10 secs of the fight let alone a round. I think Kov was too respectful; and that is somewhat understandable.

But also why take the risk when you're piszing the fight like that? Hop was so negative, he only typed a bit in the final round which led to him almost getting Ko'd. But it looked like if Kovalev had stepped up earlier he would've done him.

[ikorolev]

Hopkins didn't throw ANYTHING back in the last 30 seconds of the fight while bombs were landing on him. Of course, these were the last 30 seconds, but what was a point of taking that punishment ?

[JCS]

I don't recall thinking they should stop it at any point.

Even when Hopkins was taking shots at the very end, it felt like he was in control of allowing himself to do so.. almost as if he was showing Kovalev that he couldn't hurt him.

[SFW]

I don't recall thinking they should stop it at any point.

Even when Hopkins was taking shots at the very end, it felt like he was in control of allowing himself to do so.. almost as if he was showing Kovalev that he couldn't hurt him.

Exactly.

Some of the talk in here is just ridiculous bullshit.

[Ricky_]

almost as if he was showing Kovalev that he couldn't hurt him.

Even if that was the case, his legs weren't going along with the bluff. People underestimate the kind of damage those shots do.

[diddy]

Kovalev couldve forced a stoppage at literally any time he wanted. But he was wisely conserving his gas tank having never been past 8. Why take unnecessary risk? The only way he could lose was by being stupid or reckless.

[palooka]

I'm glad he wasn't stopped, he used his guile to get through the bout; he realised early on he wouldn't be able to do it. He could have faked his way out of the bout (bad hand/shoulder) but he stuck in there. Hopkins wasn't bashed up immediately post bout and while I'm sure he's hurting today I imagine he's pride in going the distance with a man who is likely to score some terrific knockouts over the next few years.

[KBB]

I re-looked at the last round and though the Kovalev faithful are playing up the shots BHop took I could see reason why many of them believed that there was more damage being taken than what really did happen.

Most boxing fans always want their hero to appear brutal and more successful than he may really be in the ring, Sergey hit BHop with his best shots and everything but the Kitchen Sink and was still unable to really hurt him, knock him down again (the first was a flash knockdown and he wasn't hurt at all) or KO him and most people get caught up in the emotional screams of the crowd.

At the end of the round Hopkins appeared unfazed and even raised his hands in a weak show of triumph (he had to know he lost) but for someone who was supposed to be on the verge of being KO'd he didn't need any help going to his corner, wasn't staggering nor appeared to be incoherent.

Richardson did the right thing allowing his fighter to go the distance, I didn't see any real thunder on those shots by Kovalev and at points in the fight he fired on BHop hitting him with his hardest shot and Hopkins just licked out his tongue and made funny faces at him.

Anyone who thought that last round was a beating is delusional.

[ikorolev]

Anyone who thought that last round was a beating is delusional.

In couple days, likes of KBB will claim that Hopkins actually won the last round

[pugilisticprofessor]

The ref was close to stopping the fight in the last 20 seconds, I am glad in a way that Hopkins survived but was scared for him too, I picked Kovalev by KO but don't like to see great champs like Hopkins go out like that.

[Ricky_]

Anyone who thought that last round was a beating is delusional.

Anyone who didn't think that was a beating doesn't know what they are watching.

[Ian1973]

Ref should've stopped it in the last round. It was really hard viewing.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

it was a boring fight except when I was laughing or maybe I was amazed how a nearly 50 year old could make a in his prime dynamite puncher miss with such ease and to be made look almost second rate so why would Richardson pull his man out no name fighter would let him near their corner EVER again

[Horse]

Ref should've stopped it in the last round. It was really hard viewing.

No.

[Blodhemn]

It was borderline. Naazim knew the risks and knew Hopkins was outgunned, I really have no idea why he'd let it go on other than pride. Or maybe he was too caught up, like RJJ and Max and thought Hopkins had Kovalev right where he wanted him, despite being pummeled around the ring, turning his back to oncoming punches. I have no clue what some people are watching when they view these fights sometimes. Perhaps it's the same thought process behind calling Kovalev another Pavlik, aka wishful thinking.

[Blodhemn]

Being caught up in the fight was a direct reference to that.

[diddy]

It wasn't stopped for one reason.

Legacy.

It's all Hopkins is still fighting for. Retiring having never been stopped is another feather in his cap.

[hulkmaniac]

it's the best way it could've ended, it's reminded me of the ending to the Rocky Movie with Antonio Tarver

[Horse]

it's the best way it could've ended, it's reminded me of the ending to the Rocky Movie with Antonio Tarver

What a crap film.