Froch all day. One faced adversity many times and came up with new ways to combat it. The other faced adversity and invented an impregnable defensive position which idiots on boxingscene will apparently defend. I've heard of the turtle shell before, but I guess Kov was just retreating into the reverse ninja tortoise the last round or two.
I believe that ever since the Bernard Hopkins fight Kovalev has lost his eye of the tiger. That hunger, desire and will to want to hurt, destroy and knock his opponents out. Now he just seems content on just carrying them to the finish line.
That's my observation! It seems at the time he wanted to prove to everyone that he could actually outbox Hopkins and beat him at his own game. However, since that time he has not been the same fighter.
That is why he's The Executioner.
The Hopkins curse strikes again. Next up Joe Smith Jr :headbang:
I believe that ever since the Bernard Hopkins fight Kovalev has lost his eye of the tiger. That hunger, desire and will to want to hurt, destroy and knock his opponents out. Now he just seems content on just carrying them to the finish line.
It seems at the time he wanted to prove to everyone that he could actually outbox Hopkins and beat him at his own game. However, since that time he has not been the same fighter.
That's my observation!
you're insane.
I have to agree with him, I can remember two or three instances where Ward threw some Mayorga-like punches, where it seemed like his fatigue made him go out of character. Although Ward was dominant that fight was a lot tougher than it appeared, Froch had the better gas tank late from what I remember.
Kovalev is more athletically gifted, better jab/ straight right hand, better at setting traps as well. Not like Froch is lacking there anyway.
Froch, although not an inside fighter isn't nowhere near as reluctant to fight there as Kovalev, he's a better body puncher, better conditioned and mentally stronger.
Never gave this much thought, I'll say Froch.
Anyone ever seen Carl Froch fight? He's slow as molasses, marginally athletic and doesn't possess true one punch knockout power.
Kovalev on the other hand is athletic, fast and a true power puncher.
That all those tangibles away from Kovalev and what is he?
He sure is hell isn't Carl Froch.
Without any shred of doubt Froch is the better fighter overall. He's one of the best to ever compete in this sport considering the amount of natural deficits he was able to overcome. Carl Froch is the definition of underrated. To this day I cannot believe everything he accomplished.. It's insane. People thought he was complete sh*t in the early years.
In a p4p sense I think Froch at this moment is the better more proven fighter. You have to remember when making this comparison that Kovalev is a full weight division bigger than Froch, so h2h shouldn't hold too much importance because it really isn't a fair fight. What you have to put more emphasis on is whether Kovalev is a better 175lber than Froch is a 168lber.
Its very close though - I don't begrudge anyone who thinks Kovalev is ahead. He is a better boxer, more gifted, better schooled.
I just feel Froch is the ultimate truth machine. He tells you the truth about yourself as an opponent. If you are short in a certain area he will find it and exploit it. He is a 15 round fighter, he would have excelled in the 15 round days.
Kovalev's stock has dropped a touch, but make no mistake, he is a hell of a fighter, its what you like between the two of them, I would give Froch the edge...just. Kovalev still has time to prove more though.
i would have said kovalev but he did show some signs of weakness when it comes to a dogfight in the rematch, so i do wonder if froch would have wore him down. his power also didnt seem to dent ward so not sure hed knock froch out. people forget how close froch v ward was too, ward won by 1 round.
styles make fifhts. kovalev would absolutely batter froch on the outside with this jab. froch doesn't have the speed to get inside consistently like ward, nor the tricks to stay there and do damage.
can't see how you'd say kovalev didn't ahv ethe power to dent ward. he put him down hard in the first fight. lesser offensive fighters have tee'd off on froch, namely jermain taylor and andre dirrell
kovalev was a tougher test and a better win because of his size. he was also higher on the p4p list than froch ever was.
tgat said, froch had the better career at this stage. resumes and p4p lists are different things. froch accomplished a lot over the course of his career, and will probably get a lot of consideration in teh hall of fame.
kovalev may very well retire soon. his heart does not seem like it is in boxing any more. these russians, especially the older ones, grew up in conditions that poor brits and poor americans have a hard time understanding. now he's got two purses that were 2 million bucks each. he's got plenty of money to retire wherever he'd like, as long as it is not downtown manhattan.
true story, i work with a really bright engineer and project manager from russia. truly brilliant engineer. ask him where he's from and he'll tell you, "it's a long story." :lol1: