BoxRec

Bookmakers have Cleverly 21/20 and Kovalev evens, so just about as close to 50/50 as it gets. I think Kovalev should be a strong favourite but it's an intriguing fight. Clev's supposed granite chin will be tested, that's for sure!

I couldn't possibly say old boy

i think clev wins points , thats just my gut instinct as i havent saw Kovalev fight

just feel its all set up for Celverly to put on good performance and he knows this is a tough one so will be bit more clinical and not just try and walk through him , then again maybe staying in close and smothering him will negate the power or Kovalev,

its defo got my intrested , i didnt even hang around for the Cleverly fight when i was there when my bro fought Frankie Gavin on the undercard

ive saw quite a few of clevs fights before he won the title and against Bellew but not much since.

johnswan1 wrote:Bookmakers have Cleverly 21/20 and Kovalev evens, so just about as close to 50/50 as it gets. I think Kovalev should be a strong favourite but it's an intriguing fight. Clev's supposed granite chin will be tested, that's for sure!

Although I would love to see Nathan do it, my head says that Kovalev is too accurate and powerful and will take Cleverly out at some stage, so Kovalev KO.

Cleverly decision for me, think he keeps it long for the opening few rounds, then steps it up a notch and by the end will be dominating.

(With my history of predicting if your putting a bet on go for the opposite )

This is a great fight. Best match of the year so far.

Kovalev has looked very very good so far. He comes out firing and is genuinely heavy handed. Cleverly usually wins fights on work rate and strength, but this guy throws 50+ power punches a round.

If Clev can take the power and weather the early storm then this could be a hell of a war late

Head says Kovalev KO; gut says Cleverly PTS. Really hard to tell how well Cleverly's chin will hold up; I haven't much evidence of Cleverly having a good enough defence, but then I don't remember him being on the end of many strings of hard shots as his workrate tends to overwhelm the opponent.

Kovalev inside 3.

DMA1987 wrote:Kovalev inside 3.

Lookin fowArd to this fight well see how good clev really is I'm takin him to win a close decision

DMA1987 wrote:Kovalev inside 3.

I think that's quite a crazy prediction mate haha.

columbo wrote:

DMA1987 wrote:Kovalev inside 3.

I think that's quite a crazy prediction mate haha.

Depends how many big shots from Kovalev you think Cleverly can take. He sure won't be avoiding them.

DMA1987 wrote:

columbo wrote:

DMA1987 wrote:Kovalev inside 3.

I think that's quite a crazy prediction mate haha.

Depends how many big shots from Kovalev you think Cleverly can take. He sure won't be avoiding them.

I dunno. I watched his fight with Krasniqi and he boxed a lot more measured. It wasnt his usual gung ho style! Also the reason I dont think it would be that quick is Cleverly for all his flaws has got a very good chin and has never looked troubled in his career up to now. If you look at Campillo and White who are Kovalev's best wins, Campillo has been down a fair few times early in fights and White was knocked out by Don George in a round! I wouldnt be hugely shocked if Cleverly gets knocked out but I just dont see it being that quick. Could be wrong though!

columbo wrote:

DMA1987 wrote:

columbo wrote: I think that's quite a crazy prediction mate haha.

Depends how many big shots from Kovalev you think Cleverly can take. He sure won't be avoiding them.

I dunno. I watched his fight with Krasniqi and he boxed a lot more measured. It wasnt his usual gung ho style! Also the reason I dont think it would be that quick is Cleverly for all his flaws has got a very good chin and has never looked troubled in his career up to now. If you look at Campillo and White who are Kovalev's best wins, Campillo has been down a fair few times early in fights and White was knocked out by Don George in a round! I wouldnt be hugely shocked if Cleverly gets knocked out but I just dont see it being that quick. Could be wrong though!

I might venture that it would be easier to box a gameplan like that against Krasniqi than Kovalev. He looks to have really devastating power, sometimes having a great chin isn't enough.

It definitely wouldn't be the first time I was wrong though. But I am actually pretty confident in this prediction.

columbo wrote:

DMA1987 wrote:

columbo wrote: I think that's quite a crazy prediction mate haha.

Depends how many big shots from Kovalev you think Cleverly can take. He sure won't be avoiding them.

I dunno. I watched his fight with Krasniqi and he boxed a lot more measured. It wasnt his usual gung ho style! Also the reason I dont think it would be that quick is Cleverly for all his flaws has got a very good chin and has never looked troubled in his career up to now. If you look at Campillo and White who are Kovalev's best wins, Campillo has been down a fair few times early in fights and White was knocked out by Don George in a round! I wouldnt be hugely shocked if Cleverly gets knocked out but I just dont see it being that quick. Could be wrong though!

I might venture that it would be easier to box a gameplan like that against Krasniqi than Kovalev. He looks to have really devastating power, sometimes having a great chin isn't enough.

It definitely wouldn't be the first time I was wrong though. But I am actually pretty confident in this prediction.[/quote]

It's an intriguing fight either way!

For sure mate. Its about time I actually looked forwards to a Nathan Cleverly fight. Its been a while.

Intriguing fight. Been weighing up the pros and cons of both for weeks now can't wait for it.

DMA1987 wrote:For sure mate. Its about time I actually looked forwards to a Nathan Cleverly fight. Its been a while.

Barker vs Geale also is one of those fights it's hard to decisively pick a winner! Good weekend of boxing

johnswan1 wrote:Bookmakers have Cleverly 21/20 and Kovalev evens, so just about as close to 50/50 as it gets. I think Kovalev should be a strong favourite but it's an intriguing fight. Clev's supposed granite chin will be tested, that's for sure!

He took some serious shots from Tommy Gun Karpency, his beard must be sound

I only caught a glimpse of a show on allegedly earlier so I hope its not one that was made for this fight as he was sparring buglioni & McKenzie. That isn't the case, is it?

Kovalev wins by points for me. I think Cleverly's recent opponents will catch up with him in this fight.

freddydoesdallas wrote:I only caught a glimpse of a show on Allegedly channel earlier so I hope its not one that was made for this fight as he was sparring buglioni & McKenzie. That isn't the case, is it?

I think it is mate. It's worrying because Kovalev is not just a banger, he's a good boxer. He sets things up with the jab, throws good combinations and catches a lot of shots on his gloves. He's a good all rounder. I think Clev's got the edge on speed and stamina, shame he lacks a dig though, because that might mean he finds himself going backwards and I'm not sure he's a good back foot boxer.

ShadrachSimmo wrote:

johnswan1 wrote:Bookmakers have Cleverly 21/20 and Kovalev evens, so just about as close to 50/50 as it gets. I think Kovalev should be a strong favourite but it's an intriguing fight. Clev's supposed granite chin will be tested, that's for sure!

He took some serious shots from Tommy Gun Karpency, his beard must be sound

Bellew clipped him in the second and Cleverly was doing the bravado wave. Kovalev will clip him and that will be that.

Are you on the 'Kovalev early' train Shadrach?

CHOOCHOO!

People are seriously underestimating Nathan in this. I think he has Calzaghe style will. He will not be intimidated by anyone or get carried away in the occasion. Vince might, but will be screamed down by Dean Powell. Clev will have a plan, he is possibly one of the most intelligent fighters in the world! Calzaghe style win for Nathan. Mixing up very fast shots with the odd hard ones non stop for twelve rounds. His opposition has been crap so far, but I bet Nathan himself has been begging for a fight like this, its his time to shine. He even looked miserable at the prefight pressers before Karpency and the others.

A solid double must be Geale on PTS and Kovalev by KO. Doesn't Kovalev fight very similarly to GGG? Surely that spells massive trouble for Clev.