Alexander Povetkin vs. Mike Perez: who will win?

[Freedom2013]

Povetkin vs. Perez WBC final eliminator, tentatively scheduled for May 22

What's your prediction? Discuss.

[tiny_acres]

Perez will be shutout until a 9th or 10th round stoppage.

[Boxing Writer]

Close fight early, but Povetkin dominates the second half of the fight due to his superior stamina and wins comfortably by unanimous decision.

[Freedom2013]

I chose "evenly matched, difficult to predict" in the poll.

If Perez is at his best, it's a 50-50 fight.

[ReggieDiggs]

Pre-Magomed I like Mike. Nowadays idk, I do like that Mike is with Robert Garcia. Definitely think Alexander is kinda overrated, but you can't sh!t on him too hard cuz he's only got one L & thats to the #1 guy. I guess I'll be picking Alexander & rooting for Mike.

[ikorolev]

The fight will likely happen in Moscow leaving Perez little chances to win.

[Freedom2013]

The fight will likely happen in Moscow leaving Perez little chances to win.

That's not true. Moscow isn't known for robberies nor any other kind of bad officiating.

[watsupdoc87]

Perez by knockout

[ikorolev]

The fight will likely happen in Moscow leaving Perez little chances to win.

That's not true. Moscow isn't known for robberies nor any other kind of bad officiating.

Moscow is no different from Stuttgart, London, Buenos Aires, or U.S. cities. A home fighter will get a serious advantage.

[Lackeos]

Povetkin is the better fighter. He'll probably just win. I think a decision is more probably than a knockout.

Btw, I'm really pumped about the prospect of the Povetkin - Perez winner fighting the winner of a potential Fury - Wilder match-up; particularly after Povetkin, Fury, and Wilder all acquired various other big wins. If it all came off, it could produce the most highly rated challenger of Wlad's career.

[Tarkus]

Povetkin via Perez getting payed. Late KO.

[Gnome]

Povetkin via Perez getting payed. Late KO.

What a load of nonsense. What do you base that on? Seen any of Povetkin's opponents take dives?

[cold187]

povetkin will take over second half. perez has good chin. rspect to povetkin if he kos him but expect at 115-113 decision

[energie]

perez is better then chaguev with much more power .....i say perez will stop povetkin but povetkin will be the favorite

[keirw]

Povetkin clear UD in a competitive bout

[kaanrsln41]

I see perez retiring between 10th-11th rounds.

[dempseyfire]

Perez has always faded late in fights (Perez is not a big man, he could definitely make cruiser if he cut the fat). Povetkin usually comes on strong late (even in his mid 30s which is impressive). I like Povetkin in a competitive decision.

[Tony1244]

Torn between close Povetkin decision and too close to call. went with the later. Povetkin comes on strong late and Perez is a good counterpuncher.

[chucktaylor]

The fight will likely happen in Moscow leaving Perez little chances to win.

That's not true. Moscow isn't known for robberies nor any other kind of bad officiating.

True words dude, Moscow sets the standard for unbiased officiating and placing emphasis on fighter safety ;;-)

[koolkc107]

The Ref doesn't allow Wlad to hold and wrestle Alex like he did and maybe THAT fight goes much differently.

Perez aint the same guy since Abdusalamov.

Can't see any other outcome but a bad loss by Mike.

[Freedom2013]

True words dude, Moscow sets the standard for unbiased officiating

That photo you posted is MISLEADING, Lebedev officially LOST then Don King raised his hand to salute his courage.

and placing emphasis on fighter safety ;;-)

Probably not for fighter safety. But, let's not be hypocritical - where did the Abdusalamov-Perez fight take place?

[chucktaylor]

True words dude, Moscow sets the standard for unbiased officiating

That photo you posted is MISLEADING, Lebedev officially LOST then Don King raised his hand to salute his courage.

and placing emphasis on fighter safety ;;-)

Probably not for fighter safety. But, let's not be hypocritical - where did the Abdusalamov-Perez fight take place?

What is misleading? I wasn't implying anything about Don King or why he was raising Lebedev's hand. I posted one of the first images I found on Google from the fight that shows the state of Lebedev's face at the the end to show an example of the very professional officiating in Moscow.
It was ridiculous that the fight was allowed to go on with him in that state for several rounds. The ultimate dark comedy was when Christodoulou took Lebedev to a corner with his face looking like hamburger meat to have a 'doctor(?)' inspect the damage and the guy just said carry on. The British commentators were comparing it to the Black Night scene from Monty Python.
The officiating for that fight was worse than in Abdusalamov vs Perez. Magomed happened to incur some serious injuries and the medical attention after the fight was very lacking, but the officials in Moscow are simply lucky the Lebedev vs Jones fight didn't end in similar tragedy.

[ikorolev]

Maybe we should compare to state of Angulo's face ? It is all the same everywhere boxing wise.

[hurricanemitch14]

Perez is a very lethargic fighter...........I think we saw a different fighter when he fought Abdusalamov b/c he has no defense and Perez couldn't miss a punch if he tried. Since then tho he fights like Solis lethargic/Lazy!!!!! Povetkin will win proly by dec. by outworking him. Perez has pretty good defense and has shown a solid chin too.

[chucktaylor]

Maybe we should compare to state of Angulo's face ? It is all the same everywhere boxing wise.

Are you referring to the Lara fight? It was stopped very quickly due to that injury. Lebedev was allowed to fight on for several rounds with his face grotesquely disfigured and presumably would have been allowed to see the final bell if he hadn't finally taken a count in the 11th. He was up on the cards and the deck was stacked way in his favor officiating-wise, so they tried to let him see the end to win a crooked decision. No way would Jones have been allowed to fight on in that state. Unfortunately for the Russians, they weren't the only ones cheating.