Kovalev has the reach and is a two handed fighter. He could fighter Hopkins at a boxers distance. He doesn't need to get inside or do anything cute. Just stay on him from a distance and unload combos, some will land some won't. Some will get countered and some won't. I give him a shot.
Stevenson, forget about it. One trick pony. Hopkins would have him timed and countered by the 2nd or 3rd round.
What has Kovalev and Stevenson done in their careers to make them career defining wins for anyone?
They will be big wins for hopkins because of his age but it wont elevate him in the ATG lists.
Some people are seriously rating hopkins up there with Ali now, wow..... Im lost for words.
I already have Hopkins as one of the ten best of all time for what he did long ago. He is well past prime and nothing he can do now raises him higher. I know I don't have a written out list of the top 10 pfp of all time or the top 20 or the top 30 so I am just guessing like everyone else. I'll bet nobody in this poll including you have such a list. If Hopkins fights those two killers especially the Russian he will be knocked out in my opinion. Hopkins is great but he has his limits at age 50.
As a huge Hopkins fan, serious question...who the F is Stevenson and Kovalev that they're supposed to catapult Hopkins anywhere? And I don't even mean that in a way like "Hopkins don't gotta fight dem!" LOL. If he beats them he might impress some of you but honestly these are guys that Hopkins should lose the first 3-4 rounds to then break them down the next 8. These "puncher" dudes go in vs Hopkins infatuated with their power, only to realize that they brought a gun, against a guy who has an Army tank, Rocket Launcher, Grenades, Ballistic Goggles, M-16 and a Combat Knife in his socks.
How many times does Hopkins have to own these guys that go in there thinking they're gonna knock him out. He already won mentally, every one wants to be the first to KO Hopkins, they already lost. Going for the KO against a guy who's thinking of outboxing you is not the answer.
Totally agree. And not to disrespect but whats the difference between Kovalev and Pavlik? I say none, Hopkins embarras Kovalev easily. The only guys that beat Hopkis are guys who throw lots of punches.
As a huge Hopkins fan, serious question...who the F is Stevenson and Kovalev that they're supposed to catapult Hopkins anywhere? And I don't even mean that in a way like "Hopkins don't gotta fight dem!" LOL. If he beats them he might impress some of you but honestly these are guys that Hopkins should lose the first 3-4 rounds to then break them down the next 8. These "puncher" dudes go in vs Hopkins infatuated with their power, only to realize that they brought a gun, against a guy who has an Army tank, Rocket Launcher, Grenades, Ballistic Goggles, M-16 and a Combat Knife in his socks.
How many times does Hopkins have to own these guys that go in there thinking they're gonna knock him out. He already won mentally, every one wants to be the first to KO Hopkins, they already lost. Going for the KO against a guy who's thinking of outboxing you is not the answer.
If he pulls it off, he will have cleaned out 175 and be undisputed. He'd have a much more impressive record than anyone active today including Floyd and Manny imo
It all depends on how adonis and kovolev do the rest of their careers
When roy beat hopkins, he was beating an ESPN level fighter for a vacant title,, a decade later and the win looks great...
Time will tell,, to early to make judgements
If he does that, how good does Roy Jones's win over him look?
Better yet, how good does Clinton Mitchell's win look - the only man to beat an unbeaten Bernard Hopkins.:boxing: