Nathan Cleverly: Kovalev Will Hit Too Hard For Hopkins!

By Ben Jacobs

Welshman Nathan Cleverly is as well positioned as anyone to give his thoughts on the encounter between Bernard Hopkins and Sergey Kovalev in Atlantic City. Cleverly, who was undefeated and held the WBO championship at the time, was overwhelmed in four rounds by the power punching Russian.

Cleverly feels Kovalev will be too strong for the veteran Philadelphia man.  He also feels Hopkins, at a remarkable 49-years-old, may try a trick or two if the pressure from Kovalev is too much.

"Hopkins obviously sees something in Kovalev that makes him want to take the fight but I think Kovalev will hit too hard and Hopkins will try every trick in the book," he told BoxingScene. 

"He'll potentially find a way out if he's under the cosh in the fight, but hopefully not, hopefully it concludes properly. But you couldn't write it off with Hopkins."