So we need to talk about COVID impact on fighters. There's something to this.

[Scopedog]

I'm sure it can't do the body any good but there are definitely other explanations or major exacerbating factors in the examples you gave.

Povetkin was already old and on his way out, which probably has a lot to do with how Covid put him in the hospital. Covid definitely did do a number on him but for him specifically it's not a huge surprise. Having to fight an opponent as dangerous as Whyte twice in a raw after Whyte already was outclassing and beating him up in the prior fight before the shock KO could have also had a lot to do with it. He was a round or two from being stopped himself the first time.

As others have pointed out, Porter got hit with some body shots and was fighting Crawford who came with a great gameplan.

Lopez was more the victim of complacency, bad gameplan and corner work, plus months of the fight being on-again-off-again. Knowing what we know about his personality it seems more likely that pure arrogance is to blame.

Kauffman and Wallin I can't pass comment on because I've not seen that fight.

Fury allegedly was carrying other injuries plus was facing a better-prepared Wilder. In the end managed to more or less duplicate the result of the prior fight save for round 1 and round 4 when he got caught.

That said I'm not saying that covid definitely had nothing to do with any of this, there's a lot that's still poorly understood about how symptoms manifest.

[PBR Streetgang]

Don't forget Herring's flat performance against Oquendo after getting Covid.

[Shpacman]

It is not a secret at all that the covid damages your nervious system, and the damage last for several months, maybe half a year. For many people the effect on their everyday activity may be not significant, but when you are doing a competitive sport, the damage shows to its fullest.
You can also add Usyk vs. Chisora to your list, the fight was shortly after Usyk got covid.

[Shpacman]

Povetkin was already old and on his way out, which probably has a lot to do with how Covid put him in the hospital. Covid definitely did do a number on him but for him specifically it's not a huge surprise. Having to fight an opponent as dangerous as Whyte twice in a raw after Whyte already was outclassing and beating him up in the prior fight before the shock KO could have also had a lot to do with it. He was a round or two from being stopped himself the first time.

No, Povetkin was greatly affected by covid. He even finished his career because of it - he told that after covid he couldnt spar properly, because there was a fog and dizzyness in his head, like he couldnt concentrate and lost his reaction.

[Citizen Koba]

I can only speak from personal experience but I did get the virus late last year and had very minor symptoms but it sort of lingered for a few weeks.

After three weeks I went back to working out and my cardio went to ****. I would get winded quick. The worst part is that almost a year later my cardio has recovered but I can't push the pace I used to without getting winded after about 15 minutes of boxing.

So I think it does take a toll on cardio but it is something each athlete has to find a work around for.

Only been two months since I had it and I didn't have it so bad, like a nasty flu, but I've just found I've needed to really ease back on any kinda workout, getting breathless and tired real quick.

I'm lucky that I can kinda pick my jobs and hours but had my cement mixer break last week and had to put in a long day mixing cement by hand, like 11 hours... near wiped me out. **** put me on my back for the next two days and I still ain't feeling right... Just ain't got the stamina I did before I had Rona. Hopefully it'll get better over time though.

[Scopedog]

No, Povetkin was greatly affected by covid. He even finished his career because of it - he told that after covid he couldnt spar properly, because there was a fog and dizzyness in his head, like he couldnt concentrate and lost his reaction.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear, what I meant was yes, covid did severely impact him but that was because he was an old and shopworn fighter on the brink of retirement anyway, and that his case maybe isn't representative of the typical fighter. It's only him and De la Hoya that I know of amongst active (stretching the definition of "active" to breaking point with Oscar, I know, but he was at least in training) and both were past the point where they should have been retired anyway (with Oscar being further gone than Sasha of course.) I don't think there's a case that you can point to where a fighter who wasn't way over the hill caught covid and recovered and then lost or struggled in a fight, and you can say without reasonable doubt that covid was the main reason.

[supRa]

Luke Campbell as well

[MikeyMike100]

There may be something here.

[Combat Talk Radio]

Luke Campbell as well

I never rated Luke Campbell. I think he got too much hype for the Linares fight. Fighting Ryan he was fresh off the loss to Loma, and we don't know how the Loma fight affected him. So while he was one of the COVID infected we can't tell what effect it may or may not have had on his performance. If he'd taken a soft touch before Ryan, I could buy it.