Smith Backs Froch: Kovalev is Best Pound For Pound Fighter!

By Edward Chaykovsky

A few days ago, retired former super middleweight champion Carl Froch appointed IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (30-0-1, 26KOs) as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

The selection created  a lot of debate, but now Froch has found some support - as world title challenger and fellow Sky Sports analyst Paul Smith has also tabbed Kovalev as being the pound for pound best in boxing.

Many pundits credit WBC flyweight champion Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez with being the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Gonzalez will be going for his fourth divisional title next month when he faces WBC super flyweight champion Carlos Cuadras on September 10th in Los Angeles.

Kovalev will defend his titles against Olympic gold medal winner Andre Ward on November 19th. Smith, who was stopped by Ward last year in California, regards the Olympic gold medal winner as the number 2 pound-for-pound fighter in boxing.

"The big-punching Russian is my kind of fighter. He has proven his credentials repeatedly and provided great entertainment in doing so. Impressive performances over fellow 175lb champions Nathan Cleverly, Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins deserve merit especially when it's been without any regard for where the bout has been held. He is far from the slickest, nor is he a multi-weight winner - but he is a highly-entertaining throwback who takes on all-comers," Froch told Sky Sports.

Smith gave his own reasoning for selecting Kovalev as the top dog.

"I am sure people were expecting me to have Andre Ward number one but I am going with Kovalev - until Ward beats him. He has got everyone out of his way as fast as he could and as well as he could. He holds three of the four light-heavyweight belts and is unbeaten having beaten the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Jean Pascal and Nathan Cleverly when he was an unbeaten world champion and they were still a force. Wants big fights and is getting one," Smith said.

Smith Full Top Ten Pound-For-Pound List

1. Sergey Kovalev
2. Andre Ward
3. Roman Gonzalez
4. Gennady Golovkin
5. Guillero Rigondeaux
6. Canelo Alvarez
7. Vasyl Lomachenko
8. Tyson Fury
9. Terence Crawford
10. Carl Frampton

Froch Full Top Ten Pound-For-Pound List 

1. Sergey Kovalev
2 - Roman Gonzalez
3 - Andre Ward
4 - Tyson Fury
5 - Guillermo Rigondeaux
6 - Terence Crawford
7 - Saul Alvarez
8 - Gennady Golovkin
9 - Carl Frampton
10 - Kell Brook