Hopkins' last fight this Saturday - big defeat!

[crusader]

120-107 x2
120-106

Krusher UD. Hopkins took a frightening pounding in the last round and was very unsteady.

[lefty]

Props to Kovalev there. Really controlled performance. I thought Hopkins showed his age but Kovalev's tactics played a big part aswell.

[crusader]

I think age would've shown to the same extent if Murat, Shumenov, Pascal, and Cloud were as good as Kovalev.

[lefty]

I think age would've shown to the same extent if Murat, Shumenov, Pascal, and Cloud were as good as Kovalev.

I'm not saying it was all age related by any means. Kovalev boxed very intelligently.

[observer1]

Kovalev did well. He didn't try outbox Hopkins and fail like everyone else, but instead just used his Size and Younger Athleticism to his advantage.

[ScottDetonator]

How many UK refs, if not world refs, stop the fight in the 12th? My first thoughts were, get Hopkins to the hospital nevermind the verdict.

[lefty]

Kovalev did well. He didn't try outbox Hopkins and fail like everyone else, but instead just used his Size and Younger Athleticism to his advantage.

You dont think he was boxing there? I wouldnt say that was a come forward marauding type display.

[crusader]

He looked like a boxer-puncher to me. The only time he resembled a brawler was in the last 45 seconds when Hopkins looked finished.

How many UK refs, if not world refs, stop the fight in the 12th? My first thoughts were, get Hopkins to the hospital nevermind the verdict.

I wouldn't have had a problem with a stoppage there. It was frightening to watch him get pounded like that, even as someone who want Kov to win.

[Ian1973]

It was a fantastic measure boxing display.

I don't mean to be offensive but I sometimes wonder what people look at.

[lefty]

He looked like a boxer-puncher to me. The only time he resembled a brawler was in the last 45 seconds when Hopkins looked finished.

How many UK refs, if not world refs, stop the fight in the 12th? My first thoughts were, get Hopkins to the hospital nevermind the verdict.

I wouldn't have had a problem with a stoppage there. It was frightening to watch him get pounded like that.

Yeah i agree. It was pressure but he wasnt over committing himself or taking silly risks in the process.

[crusader]

As a huge Krusher fan I like seeing that performance more than a fairly quick blowout. I still had some doubts about how he'd fair over 8 rounds and how he'd cope if his opponent was taking his shots reasonably well. I thought he boxed intelligently and I was glad that he never appeared frustrated or got too wild.

[stevedoc]

i think kov was allways weary of a big counter right hand even though he knew he had the fight won ,such is the legend of hopkins

[lefty]

As a huge Krusher fan I like seeing that performance more than a fairly quick blowout. I still had some doubts about how he'd fair over 8 rounds and how he'd cope if his opponent was taking his shots reasonably well. I thought he boxed intelligently and I was glad that he never appeared frustrated or got too wild.

Yeah i was more impressed with him tonight. Not that i wasnt impressed with the manner of which he beating people before but he showed he could be a lot more patient aswell. i really hope him and Stevenson fight but i wont hold my breathe on that one. I kind of have a feeling Stevenson might try and get the fight with Hopkins anyway to try and beat him more convincingly (only by knockout he could manage that) than Kovalev did.

[lefty]

Kovalev basically shut Hopkins down to the point that he was scared to let his hands go because Sergey wasnt over committing and he was throwing counters himself when Hopkins was throwing on occassions.

[observer1]

He looked like a boxer-puncher to me. The only time he resembled a brawler was in the last 45 seconds when Hopkins looked finished.

How many UK refs, if not world refs, stop the fight in the 12th? My first thoughts were, get Hopkins to the hospital nevermind the verdict.

I wouldn't have had a problem with a stoppage there. It was frightening to watch him get pounded like that.

Yeah i agree. It was pressure but he wasnt over committing himself or taking silly risks in the process.

I think it looked alot worse than it was since BHop was more exhausted than hurt.

Can't be sure, not sure what a 50 year old is supposed to look like when taking a a few punches from someone like Kovalev lol.

[whiskey]

Hopkins has been royally put on a pedestal by some commentators - but he stank tonight for a "legend".

He's been conning people outside the ropes as much as those inside them.

That said, I'd not wish harm on him like any other boxer - but that referee tonight was shocking and was trying to help him see the final bell, but that's wrong in my opinion. He'd not have done that for Kovalev if he was hurt - and also those shots are the ones that scar your brain.

[jamiedavies02]

Any other boxer, any other day of the week and that fight would have been stopped in the 12th. Hopkins reputation definately prevented him getting stopped in my opinion. Wonder what George Groves makes of it?

[Sklar]

When the fight was first announced, the overwhelming opinion was correct i.e. that Hopkins would be destroyed, his health would be put in danger, etc...

During the build-up more and more people were sucked in with the 'old man skills' crap and by the time the opening bell rang the 'experts' had it as a virtual pick 'em. Just goes to show yet again how easily fooled people are by hype and big promises.

[jessi]

B-hop showed a lot of heart at times in there tonight, but all in all looked like he was to small and to old which he was, good patient display from Kovalev but I'm still not sure he beats superman

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

It was one sided but Kovalev seem one dimensional and had no idea at times what to do next, a lot different from his knocking the shite out of Clev by hitting him on his arms.

Hopkins made him miss plenty of times and apart from the few times where he got caught - Hopkins was in no real trouble (even in the last round where he did take some meaty shots but that it should have been stopped?) - he was in the end of the day a 50 year old middleweight but proved something in that Kovalev isn't this destructible wrecking machine that folds anything it hits. He can be beaten and will be with someone in a younger body but with the same smarts as Hopkins.

NB: I thought Hopkins might be able to turn it back, but that was based on me not rating Kovalev all that highly rather than thinking Hopkins can keep going any longer, hopefully, this is where he gets off the ride.

[Ian1973]

It was one sided but Kovalev seem one dimensional and had no idea at times what to do next, a lot different from his knocking the shite out of Clev by hitting him on his arms.

Hopkins made him miss plenty of times and apart from the few times where he got caught - Hopkins was in no real trouble (even in the last round where he did take some meaty shots but that it should have been stopped?) - he was in the end of the day a 50 year old middleweight but proved something in that Kovalev isn't this destructible wrecking machine that folds anything it hits. He can be beaten and will be with someone in a younger body but with the same smarts as Hopkins.

NB: I thought Hopkins might be able to turn it back, but that was based on me not rating Kovalev all that highly rather than thinking Hopkins can keep going any longer, hopefully, this is where he gets off the ride.

Lol.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

It was one sided but Kovalev seem one dimensional and had no idea at times what to do next, a lot different from his knocking the shite out of Clev by hitting him on his arms.

Hopkins made him miss plenty of times and apart from the few times where he got caught - Hopkins was in no real trouble (even in the last round where he did take some meaty shots but that it should have been stopped?) - he was in the end of the day a 50 year old middleweight but proved something in that Kovalev isn't this destructible wrecking machine that folds anything it hits. He can be beaten and will be with someone in a younger body but with the same smarts as Hopkins.

NB: I thought Hopkins might be able to turn it back, but that was based on me not rating Kovalev all that highly rather than thinking Hopkins can keep going any longer, hopefully, this is where he gets off the ride.

Lol.

You are the guy who thinks a 40 plus year old athlete is in their prime so you 'lol' away.

[crusader]

I thought he looked like he knew what to do. He kept his jab busy and threw it to the body a lot, which is a great way to offset someone with good head movement. He didn't generally load up on his shots, and instead put them together in quick and more difficult to counter bursts while Hopkins was on the ropes. He also deftly took well-timed steps back, which Hopkins conceded threw him off and limited his opportunities, and when Hopkins did threw punches Kovalev was fairly active on the counterattack. I suspect that he was intelligently cognizant that Hopkins would be a tough opponent to stop, as he paced himself well but had enough left for a strong finish.

Hopkins was also down, and I thought he was rocked in multiple other rounds in addition to being very unsteady and taking a beating in the final round, so I can't agree that he was in no real trouble.

[Ian1973]

It was one sided but Kovalev seem one dimensional and had no idea at times what to do next, a lot different from his knocking the shite out of Clev by hitting him on his arms.

Hopkins made him miss plenty of times and apart from the few times where he got caught - Hopkins was in no real trouble (even in the last round where he did take some meaty shots but that it should have been stopped?) - he was in the end of the day a 50 year old middleweight but proved something in that Kovalev isn't this destructible wrecking machine that folds anything it hits. He can be beaten and will be with someone in a younger body but with the same smarts as Hopkins.

NB: I thought Hopkins might be able to turn it back, but that was based on me not rating Kovalev all that highly rather than thinking Hopkins can keep going any longer, hopefully, this is where he gets off the ride.

Lol.

You are the guy who thinks a 40 plus year old athlete is in their prime so you 'lol' away.

Find me one quote where I've stated that Hopkins at 49 is in his prime.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I thought he looked like he knew what to do. He kept his jab busy and threw it to the body a lot, which is a great way to offset someone with good upper-body movement. He didn't generally load up on his shots, and instead put them together in quick and more difficult to counter bursts while Hopkins was on the ropes. He also deftly took well-timed steps back, which Hopkins conceded threw him off and limited his opportunities, and when Hopkins did through punches Kovalev was fairly active on the counterattack.

Hopkins was also down, and I thought he was rocked in multiple other rounds in addition to being very unsteady and taking a beating in the final round, so I can't agree that he was in no real trouble.

He was rocked and he was hurt for sure, but he was nowhere near to being stopped, in the last round he took a few meaty shots but it was nowhere near being so bad as for him to get stopped. He got hit on the top of his head in the 8th round (I think) that made him stumble. I suppose my point is that the further up Kovalev goes up in class, the less he is going to be able to dictate when fights end with sole brute power - he manage to do that with Cleverly, now he is in the big leagues - more and more problems are going to be posed for him.