by Bill "Two Scoops" Emes
IBF/WBA light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (55-6-2, 32KOs) is expecting a very, very dangerous fight on November 8th, when he unifies with WBO champion Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23KOs) at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Kovalev has never gone beyond the eight round, because he stops most opponents by the seventh.
Kovalev is regarded as one of the hardest punching boxers in the sport. Hopkins, nearly 50-years-old, has watched many big punchers come and go. He says Kovalev is not a hyped up puncher, he considers him the real deal.
"He is the real deal. Anyone who comes to every fight, to fight, and brings a double barrel shotgun - is the real deal. By no means is this a hype job on Kovalev's undefeated record with over 90% of knockouts. No matter who he fought, you cannot take away that he came to seek and destroy. On that note, on that percentage, I'm no fool not to take anybody lightly at any time in my career. I will be mentally, physically, spiritually and anything else - ready - for anything he brings," Hopkins told BoxingScene.com.
