Why has Kovalev not fought a puncher?

[dan_cov]

Mate kovalev is the real deal

I think you are being biased towards boxers and against punchers

Punchers can have skills

And now you are looking to his chin . He would fight anybody. He wanted to fight Stevenson .............

I think Kovalev is very skilled offensively. In fact I think his skills are underlooked due to his power. I highlighted this when I watched him before Cleverly, regardless of any flaws or possible chin or stamina issues, Cleverly was never going to be the one to exploit them - especially with that laughable gameplan he came in with.

I like him, I am a fan, there are just still a few question marks surrounding him for me. As good or as dominant as any fighter is I always want to see how they take or react to a good shot.
I see glaring defensive flaws and him being matched against total non punchers, whilst I am probably looking too far into into it, it makes me wonder.
I don't doubt he will fight anybody.

[Build That Wall]

Because a puncher would probably drop him. And a master boxer like Andre Ward and Bernard Hopkins would school him for 12 rounds.

[LA_2_Vegas]

Kovalev is a monster but i wish Agnew had been a puncher...kovalev would have been walking on thin ice in that fight. he looked open in that fight imo

[IronDanHamza]

I think Kovalev is very skilled offensively. In fact I think his skills are underlooked due to his power. I highlighted this when I watched him before Cleverly, regardless of any flaws or possible chin or stamina issues, Cleverly was never going to be the one to exploit them - especially with that laughable gameplan he came in with.

I like him, I am a fan, there are just still a few question marks surrounding him for me. As good or as dominant as any fighter is I always want to see how they take or react to a good shot.
I see glaring defensive flaws and him being matched against total non punchers, whilst I am probably looking too far into into it, it makes me wonder.
I don't doubt he will fight anybody.

Apparently his chin isn't great.

Don't know how true that is but that's what I've heard.

[GhostBlade]

The light heavyweight division is rather weak and most of the guys ranked in the top 10 aren't known as power punchers.

[Weebler I]

Because a puncher would probably drop him. And a master boxer like Andre Ward and Bernard Hopkins would school him for 12 rounds.

Then let them take the fight, he's asked for them often enough.

Stevenson and Ward want no part. Hopkins is talking about it, let's see if he comes through.

If he has a bad chin or doesn't have the skills to win, then show us.

The light heavyweight division is rather weak and most of the guys ranked in the top 10 aren't known as power punchers.

Plenty of good fighters in the division. Stevenson Ring FOTY, Hopkins an atg, Kovalev hardest puncher in the sport, Pascal never been stopped and a big draw, Chilemba arguably unbeaten, Fonfara tough Pole and then peripheral guys like Shumenov, Dawson, Alvarez, Bute and Braehmer.

[jas]

I don't see many defensive flaws.
Dunno what you are seeing

[dan_cov]

I don't see many defensive flaws.
Dunno what you are seeing

Very little upper body movement, no head movement.
Keeps his head dead center at all times, fights too tall. Doesn't bring his hand his hand back after jabbing, drops it when he throws his right.

His defense is his footwork, he uses angles well.

I don't think his defense is very good and he gets away with a lot due to fighting overmatched opposition that are scared to open up or throw with him.

The more I see the more I think hes made for B-Hop and I am convinced B-Hop took huge confidence from his fight with Agnew. He seen hes not hard to hit & can be froze by counters. He certainly looked weary of Agnews counterpunching to me he was just way too patient and selective.

[Weebler I]

Very little upper body movement, no head movement.
Keeps his head dead center at all times, fights too tall. Doesn't bring his hand his hand back after jabbing, drops it when he throws his right.

His defense is his footwork, he uses angles well.

I don't think his defense is very good and he gets away with a lot due to fighting overmatched opposition that are scared to open up or throw with him.

The more I see the more I think hes made for B-Hop and I am convinced B-Hop took huge confidence from his fight with Agnew. He seen hes not hard to hit & can be froze by counters. He certainly looked weary of Agnews counterpunching to me he was just way too patient and selective.

Got to say I thought the opposite. He was careless and open because there was nothing coming back, then when Agnew threw a few punches he was taken by surprise.

I felt he was impatient because he kept going for the head repeatedly as if trying to score a KO, instead of mixing it to the body.

I don't think his defence is particularly good either but he hits so hard and so often that he rarely has to defend.

It will be interesting to see what B-Hop does, I suspect a lot of hugging and clinching will be involved. If B-Hop starts like he did against Shumenov, he could get knocked out.

[bojangles1987]

Yeah I probably am reading too much into it, its just something that has been in the back of my mind.

The Agnew fight didn't help, I recall him reacting a bit iffy when getting tagged with that right hook. He seemed to freeze and become hesitant. Seemed almost too respectful of Agnews counterpunching at times.

Probably overly thinking things but I am not totally convinced he has a great chin.

I don't think his chin is great, but it's definitely good. Boone can punch, he fought him twice.

I'm pretty sure Stevenson could hurt him bad. Just like Kovalev could hurt Stevenson bad. That fight in my mind comes down to whose power gets the other guy first, and that's hard to predict.

I do think you're reading too much into Agnew. When guys spend 2 and a half minutes of every round not throwing, it will probably freeze their opponent when they do throw just because it's unexpected. I never thought Kovalev looked bothered by anything Agnew landed.