Kovalev will stop Canelo

[Fightdoctor]

Canelo has thrived on being the bigger heavier fighter in all his previous bouts with the exception of Jacobs, Fielding and Chavez. Jacobs is a fighter who in his two biggest fights has been content to go the distance (moral victory) while banking $millions. Winning is an afterthought to him. Fielding and Chavez were dead at the weight and frankly both are B class fighters. Kovalev is whole different beast. Everyone knows about his power and great jab. I think the intangible here is that Kovalev losing to a middleweight would taint his entire career. He trained in the same gym with Canelo when Canelo was 19. As a proud Russian he will never allow that to happen. Look for Kovalev to work behind the jab to Canelo's chest. By the 6th round Canelo will be a defeated fighter incapable of hurting Kovalev or even landing significant punches. His corner will stop the fight shortly thereafter.

[Evander]

You never know but at this point I'd lean against it.
Canelo has a solid chin and never loses his bottle, he'll kick it off with anyone.
Unless it's a cut or something out of the ordinary happens it'll be a job and a half to stop Canelo.
Kovalev has the size and power to win the fight but will have to make sure it's not close on the cards as he knows too well from his last trip to Vegas.

[boxing_rocks]

As a proud Russian ...

If he is still a proud Russian and not a broken drunk. I do hope that he has enough pride left.

[Evander]

Looked in shape from what I can see.

[margaret thatcher]

As a proud Russian ...

If he is still a proud Russian and not a broken drunk. I do hope that he has enough pride left.

What's the difference between a proud Russian and a broken drunk

Jk jk

[margaret thatcher]

I'd say Canelo wins a decision. But so many smart boxing ppl are talking stoppage, it makes me wonder if I'm missing something. I mean I know Kov is vulnerable and all that, but he's no bum and Canelo aint been stopping his top level opposition even at 160. Even at 154 he was really more a cumulative thudding puncher.

[Evander]

They saying Kovalev may get stopped.
It's on the table.
This thread is turning around.

[jewboypgh]

Doc,
I couldn’t agree more. The hard punching Russian in 7

[Evander]

How long can Kovalev's jab keep going ?

[RonnyJ]

Canelo doesnt look big enough for lh.

Kovakev will need 10 rds to end canelo.
Bertebiev would need 6 rds.
Bivol school him to a ud.

Canelo has no business @lh, the division never looked stronger. Still i have tremendous respect for his desire for greatness. He truly wants to be a legends, with many great achievings, risky achievings. Canelo is great and i am pumped for the fight. Who knows maybe he wins.

[Fightdoctor]

"You don't become a light heavyweight overnight". This is what Virgil Hunter said about Andre Ward, who fought most of his professional career at 168. Ward is 6 foot and actually fought at light heavy in the amateurs. So when he did move up by 7 lbs they took several fights against less-than-stellar opps before fighting for a belt. Now here we have the 5'8 Canelo, who hasn't kayoed any one at 160 lbs (Fielding was a joke) adding 15lbs to his frame and will supposedly be able to hurt Kovalev. Don't believe the hype.

[dagilechia]

Canelo will do very little, he will go forward in the last 30 seconds of the rounds to accent his advantage, Kovalyov will outjab him but if he will not knock the Cinnamon out, he will get screwed by the referees. Canelo knows that he just needs to went the distance to get the nod, so he is not going to risk.

Can't see Canelo knocking Kovalyov out, Golovkin twice, Jacobs, Cotto, Lara, Chavez Jr, he couldn't knock out any of them, he wins only the mismatches by KO, also, most of those fights were really close, (Golovkin II, Jacobs, Cotto, Lara, Golovkin I wasn't close, it was a clear GGG win).

Obviously Canelo is a better boxer than Yarde, who was Kovalyov's last opponent, but does he hits harder? I bet that AY hits a lot harder than Alvarez.

[boxing_rocks]

Canelo doesnt look big enough for lh.

Kovakev will need 10 rds to end canelo.
Bertebiev would need 6 rds.
Bivol school him to a ud.

Canelo has no business @lh, the division never looked stronger. Still i have tremendous respect for his desire for greatness. He truly wants to be a legends, with many great achievings, risky achievings. Canelo is great and i am pumped for the fight. Who knows maybe he wins.

Canelo picked Kovalev because of the known softness of the body. Golovkin stopped him in sparring, plus they saw Ward and Yarde fights.

[margaret thatcher]

He's never actually been dropped to the body in a fight. I guess opponents need to target there more.

[IKSRTFO]

"You don't become a light heavyweight overnight". This is what Virgil Hunter said about Andre Ward, who fought most of his professional career at 168. Ward is 6 foot and actually fought at light heavy in the amateurs. So when he did move up by 7 lbs they took several fights against less-than-stellar opps before fighting for a belt. Now here we have the 5'8 Canelo, who hasn't kayoed any one at 160 lbs (Fielding was a joke) adding 15lbs to his frame and will supposedly be able to hurt Kovalev. Don't believe the hype.

Canelo would be fighting a different Kovalev. And the speed may come into play. Just like Pacquiao was able to hurt bigger De La Hoya who was less phased by bigger opponents. And before someone mentions the weight drain, the more gun shy older version was always was going to lose to fresh Pacquiao, just not as dominant.

[sturm vogel]

Five years ago this fight would never happen as the outcome would have been a foregone conclusion: Kovalev wins by KO. The question today: is this older Kovalev, who has shown some ring wear and has lost some compression, still enough of the man he was to bombard Canelo back down to 160 pounds?

[DrDuke]

I believe, he indeed will. Kovalev isn't some Fielding. He jabs harder and better overall, than Golovkin. Then he'll pick powerpunches. Canelo will be TKOed late.

[greg]

Five years ago this fight would never happen as the outcome would have been a foregone conclusion: Kovalev wins by KO. The question today: is this older Kovalev, who has shown some ring wear and has lost some compression, still enough of the man he was to bombard Canelo back down to 160 pounds?

...don't think he's still the same...those two "losses" from Ward as well as his age took a lot away from him..he's past his prime but still is a solid boxer ...

[Enlightened-One]

Now here we have the 5'8 Canelo, who hasn't kayoed any one at 160 lbs (Fielding was a joke) adding 15lbs to his frame and will supposedly be able to hurt Kovalev. Don't believe the hype.

Canelo made his pro debut at super-lightweight and this weekend’s bout will be his eighteenth fight where he's sharing the ring with a world champion. And that's no mean feat!

Most fighters that are considered big punchers often struggle to stop top-tier world-rated opposition. We’ve previously witnessed this phenomenon numerous times, such as when the likes of Kovalev, GGG and Spence Jr. stepped up in class.

The likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Andre Ward were often accused of being feather-fisted, due to their low KO ratio, but these guys consistently faced top-drawer opposition. And if they were really lacking power behind their shots, their opponents would have walked right through them, but this didn’t happen… ever!

The same principles apply to Canelo.

[KiwiRider]

My biggest fear is Canelos chin, and Kovs age will see this through to a decision.
And we all know how decisions go in Canelos fights.
So yeah, I want a KO, a proper KO, not some ref assisted soft stoppage either.

[boxing_rocks]

The likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Andre Ward were often accused of being feather-fisted, due to their low KO ratio, but these guys consistently faced top-drawer opposition.

The same principles apply to Canelo.

Here fight streaks which are examples of that consistency:

Edwin Rodriguez
Paul Smith
Sullivan Barrera
Alexander Brand

Amir Khan
Liam Smith
JCCJ

[Impractical Poster]

I envision Kovalev going down.

[margaret thatcher]

I envision Kovalev going down.

BODY SHOTS

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Canelo wont one punch ko him. He might hurt him to the body. Kovalev has never had great conditioning I think people foresee him fading down the back half after chasing canelo and eating body shots

[fanman]

kovalev should be much bigger and stronger and hit harder.
canelo is quick with good defense, he doesn't give anything away, but will be at a reach disadvantage.
canelo probably hopes to pot shot and then pour it on down the stretch. i don't see kovalev getting tired unless he's made to work, and kov has more power in a firefight.
i favour kov, he may well get canelo hurt in a few rounds, and take a decision.