BoxRec

Kovalev proved at his age that he can adapt and change his 'Krusher' style. How he'd do against Bivol , Gvozdyk and Beterbiev?

he is able to defeat them all.

I don't think he can mentally. Ward broke him.

I think all three mentioned fights would be 50/50. So, I don't expect him to become the undisputed LHW champion.
BTW, I doubt all these fights will ever happen.

Kovalev has improved his style a lot, much as Wladimir did. Slick, skilled, conserving his energy, and dynamite in reserve. Alvarez is very very good and he beat him handily, winning every round in my opinion, despite the two crooked jusdges who wanted Alvarez to win.

ValMar wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:09 I think all three mentioned fights would be 50/50. So, I don't expect him to become the undisputed LHW champion.
BTW, I doubt all these fights will ever happen.

Yeah I think so but I hope at least one happens this year.

apollo creed wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:48

ValMar wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:09 I think all three mentioned fights would be 50/50. So, I don't expect him to become the undisputed LHW champion.
BTW, I doubt all these fights will ever happen.

Yeah I think so but I hope at least one happens this year.

OK, I don't expect, but I hope.................

For the moment it seems, that well-prepared Kovalev should win any of them. Those guys have some things to prove.

Ilya Muromets wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:14 Kovalev has improved his style a lot, much as Wladimir did. Slick, skilled, conserving his energy, and dynamite in reserve. Alvarez is very very good and he beat him handily, winning every round in my opinion, despite the two crooked jusdges who wanted Alvarez to win.

yeah Kova boxed very nice. Alvarez is a powerful mofo. Kova has enough pop in his punches to keep his opponents at bay without trying to go for the ko.

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:08 I don't think he can mentally. Ward broke him.

Is "Ward broke him" honestly still alive?

squiggy wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 13:41

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:08 I don't think he can mentally. Ward broke him.

Is "Ward broke him" honestly still alive?

Definitely. Alvarez was just not good enough. The other 3 champions probably are.

squiggy wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 13:41

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 12:08 I don't think he can mentally. Ward broke him.

Is "Ward broke him" honestly still alive?

More like he broke Ward. Ward knew that Kovalev won both matches. The first was an outright Mafia Vegas judge robbery; the second was a collusion between the Mafia Vegas ref and cheating Ward who was continuously hitting K with low blows while the ref looked on approvingly. Ward should have been DQ'd, or at least the fight stopped and points deducted and a warning issued. And which one retired after that? Who was "broken"?

Kovalev's change in style reminds me of Wlad's, learning to conserve energy, both stopped being as exciting KO punchers as they were originally, but became pretty much unbeatable. There are very good fighters in Kovalev's weight class. Alvarez was one of them.

Kovalev was robbed in the first Ward fight and quit in the second one. Yes, he was repeatedly hit in the balls, but his reaction was one of a broken man. He should have hit back in the balls, used elbows, fought back with any possible means instead of quitting.

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 15:10 Kovalev was robbed in the first Ward fight and quit in the second one. Yes, he was repeatedly hit in the balls, but his reaction was one of a broken man. He should have hit back in the balls, used elbows, fought back with any possible means instead of quitting.

I can't really disagree with that.

Ilya Muromets wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 15:23

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 15:10 Kovalev was robbed in the first Ward fight and quit in the second one. Yes, he was repeatedly hit in the balls, but his reaction was one of a broken man. He should have hit back in the balls, used elbows, fought back with any possible means instead of quitting.

I can't really disagree with that.

..not saying Kovalev looked better in the rematch, obviously not...however, I do believe if there are rules they have to be enforced irrespective of who exactly was doing better or worse..this KO stoppage was and still is a disgrace..

I'm aware of only one Kovalev's LEGIT loss and that was against Alvarez..

kov didnt lose to alvarez the first time mentally, he was boxing fine and just got caught, he kept getting up and trying to fight on

he then came back, and immediately avenged the ko loss which isnt the stuff of a no heart fighter

i think kov still has a shot vs any lhw , but i think hed take a loss somewhere in the process of fighting all the other champs

jamamb wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 16:14 kov didnt lose to alvarez the first time mentally, he was boxing fine and just got caught, he kept getting up and trying to fight on

he then came back, and immediately avenged the ko loss which isnt the stuff of a no heart fighter

i think kov still has a shot vs any lhw , but i think hed take a loss somewhere in the process of fighting all the other champs

His mental condition prevented him to prepare to the first Alvarez fight well enough. He badly gassed which eventually caused his loss.

greg wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 15:35

Ilya Muromets wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 15:23

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 15:10 Kovalev was robbed in the first Ward fight and quit in the second one. Yes, he was repeatedly hit in the balls, but his reaction was one of a broken man. He should have hit back in the balls, used elbows, fought back with any possible means instead of quitting.

I can't really disagree with that.

..not saying Kovalev looked better in the rematch, obviously not...however, I do believe if there are rules they have to be enforced irrespective of who exactly was doing better or worse..this KO stoppage was and still is a disgrace..

I'm aware of only one Kovalev's LEGIT loss and that was against Alvarez..

Theoretically, you are right, but Kovalev was already robbed once and should have known that judges and the ref in Vegas will be on Ward's side. It is better to get DQed fighting back than just stand and take illegal punishment.

Nothing has changed all that much. Alvarez simply didn't bring the heat and pressure. Doesn't matter what Kovalev does, mentally he's still the same. If someone brings the heat to him, he still will break down. He's the type of fighter who doesn't like it when the going gets tough.

He currently has one belt, and he's 35. So his chances are not very good.

i want kov vs bert, big punching long time rival battle plus finally a top level test for bert

neither guy has years and years left to move at a slow pace, and both can fight on espn, lets go for it

He's not outboxing bivol or gvodzyk. He'd ice beterbiev.

I think Bivol would have no trouble with Kov.

I hope that Kovalev rewatches yhis fight and listens to Wards incredible commentary last night. Because he would be given a clear blueprint on what Ward found most difficult about his style.

Ward mentioned that it wasn’t the big shots that bothrrrd him, it was the steady touches Kov would throw. He’s so heavy handed that those steady, short, stay busy punches that did most of the damage. When Kov goes all out for KO, that’s when he’s ripe for the picking.

If Kov can fight smart and conservative like last night, there’s no 175 pounder clearly beating him. But he’s getting up there in age and that’s a huge factor in every next fight he takes

Kovalev looked the business last night.
His right hook was putting the hurt on Alvarez for long periods, the left hook and jab upstairs with the body shots to either side he well covered.
His stamina was in check, you could see he was pacing himself throughout the bout and at times pulled back to fulfill his end of executing the game plan.
Coming into the fight the threat of Alvarez launching an all out blistering attack and ending the fight in a flash never materialized, Kovalev seemed to recognize the danger instantaneously and changed course.
Kovalev is still vulnerable as a mid 30's Light Heavyweight of course but he seems to have given some ground in his approach and it's paid off for him.