Average footwork at best, he kept getting caught square on by looping, slow right hands from Pascal. If slow ass Pascal could disrupt his footwork, what's a prime RJJ gonna do? Plus he can not work nay sort of momentum going backwards.
Your comment was that he was slow on his feet, I responded because that's clearly not the case.
I like Kovalev, most entertaining fighter at 175 currently but let's call it like it is, he isn't an excellent boxer, what he is, is a deadly puncher with some decent skills and a good, strong jab.
You must have some high standards if you don't think Kovalev is an exceptional boxer. Regardless, his power puts him right in this fight, or any fight for that matter.
Triangle theories don't work. And Hopkins is a complicated case to be examined. He is a late bloomer.
Who was better? The young, still growing and learning Hopkins of the mid-90's or the mid to late 40's Hopkins of the post-2010 era? Both have their flaws.
Neither Kovalev nor Roy fought a JUST-RIGHT Hopkins and that's not even a excuse for Hopkins because he doesn't need excuses like Roy Jones or James Toney. He is after all the one who never got KO'd no matter at what point of his career, or straight up dominated (that is until the Kovalev fight of course).
"Just right" Hopkins was a MW though. He is tall, but does not have broad shoulders, so LHW is his limit. The point is, both Jones and Kovalev would be physically superior to Hopkins. IMO Jones before Ruiz beats any version of Hopkins - too fast, like in their first fight. And Kovalev also beats any version of Hopkins - too big and strong with decent enough skills...
Not accurate man. Kovalev is terrific at cutting off the ring and excellent at moving in and out of range, he has fast footwork.
Average footwork at best, he kept getting caught square on by looping, slow right hands from Pascal. If slow ass Pascal could disrupt his footwork, what's a prime RJJ gonna do? Plus he can not work nay sort of momentum going backwards.
I like Kovalev, most entertaining fighter at 175 currently but let's call it like it is, he isn't an excellent boxer, what he is, is a deadly puncher with some decent skills and a good, strong jab.
Koval hasn't reached his prime he's a young man with less than 30 bouts.
At his stage right now Jones would take him to "boxing 101 class"!
Koval will get his first good test with Stevenson up till now he's fought pretty light guys. Hopkins win is a nice name on a record but this Hopkins is an empty shell of himself and it has nothing to do with Koval.
Lets see where he's at in 4 years!
Ray
Prime Jones doesn't even lose 30 seconds of the fight, you kidding me this guy is a bum.
Come on man, Kovalev is not a bum.
Roy was just too fast for Kovalev. Easy UD for Roy. Changed my mind.
lol that was always your opinion, you just wanted people to say Jones would win.
I think common consensus is that GGG is the hardest p4p puncher in boxing today. 91% vs 85% KO. I mean, 85% puts Kovalev in line with Matthysse.
Kovalev's real percentage is 89%, one guy feigned injury. There were a bunch of polls on here recently about who hits harder, Kovalev won them.
Also, here is Kovalev getting taken to school by Korobov at an age where Roy Jones was already a world Champion.
Amateurs 11 years ago, at middleweight. Kovalev is made for the pro game.
This is a joke. Kovalev is nowhere near Roy Jones calibur. If Hopkins could play keep away all night at 50 years old, Roy Jones in his prime would not have a problem.
Hopkins was stuck in the corner all night.
I think common consensus is that GGG is the hardest p4p puncher in boxing today. 91% vs 85% KO. I mean, 85% puts Kovalev in line with Matthysse.
Also, here is Kovalev getting taken to school by Korobov at an age where Roy Jones was already a world Champion.
If this was an international competition, the fight would have been stopped as uncompetitive, at 20 point margin.
KO% is deceiving. Doesn't take into account opposition, chin quality of opposition etc.
He doesn't just punch hard though, he is by common consensus the hardest pfp puncher in the sport of boxing today, and there are a lot of boxers out there.
It's not just about power, but at times Kovalev's power seems other-worldly. He's breaking opponents ribs with jabs, dropping them with innocuous looking shots, and KO-ing guys who are known to be very durable.
David Jackson back in 2013:
That kind of power makes him live in any fight.
I think common consensus is that GGG is the hardest p4p puncher in boxing today. 91% vs 85% KO. I mean, 85% puts Kovalev in line with Matthysse.
Also, here is Kovalev getting taken to school by Korobov at an age where Roy Jones was already a world Champion.
If this was an international competition, the fight would have been stopped as uncompetitive, at 20 point margin.
If u are gonna make excuses for HOF fighters getting doninated, there is really no point in debating u. That same James Toney that Roy beat, would dominate Kovalev. He's simply not that caliber of a fighter.
That James Toney lost to Montell Griffin twice! James managed to lose some fights in his prime because of weight issues...
LOL@ Kovalev being slow on his feet. While he isn't as fleet-footed as your midwestern/east coast African-american fighters, he is by no means slow on his feet. Have you been asleep during his fight against Hopkins and the way he moved in and out? Hopkins was ready to put a Kelly Pavlik beat down on him but the way Kovalev stepped back out after every combination, Hopkins was forced to reset. Even B-Hop (who I am a big fanboy off, I sported his picture for years on my avatar) wasn't arrogant enough to say that his age or other factors played a role. He admitted what Kovalev did was the major factor in why he lost.
In fact, Kovlev dominating Hopkins (albeit, a lot older but still he wasn't shot) makes a bigger case for him having a shot against RJJ, then any of RJJ's wins. If he simply got a split decision like Calzaghe, Jermain Taylor or even Dawson, I would agree but he owned HOpkins. WE KNOW how good RJJ is, so it's a moot point pointing out his key victories.
Chad Dawson also owned Hopkins, Chad Dawson wouldn't have had a chance against Roy either.
While I don't think Roy would be able to just toy with Kovalev like he did with a lot of his opponents, I have no doubt Roy would win this fight.
this^^^^^^^^^^^
Prime Roy was on a different level than anybody else....he is no doubt one of the SPECIAL fighters in history....VERY SPECIAL!!!....some of you must've forgot or never knew!!
This is a joke. Kovalev is nowhere near Roy Jones calibur. If Hopkins could play keep away all night at 50 years old, Roy Jones in his prime would not have a problem.
It's odd how most people look upon Roy Jones Jr. as some type of boxing god. I mean people literally feel no one in history would be able to beat him in his prime.
Now I couldn't tell you who would win between Kovalev and Jones because I think their two very talented fighters but I will say that it won't be an easy win for either man.