If Bernard Hopkins is still defying time and has anything left...

[_original_]

Its kinda of hard to have a nearly 50 year old guy be considered a threat,,,

but hopkins has the style to weather kovolev's early storm, take him deep, and punish him in extremely boring fashion......

its a 50/50 fight at this point,,,,,

bet against hopkins if you want to, but he did this vs tito, tarver, pavlik, pascal, cloud

That's why fighting Hopkins is boxing's biggest catch-22. You beat him, well cong****, you just beat a 50 year old and looked like crap doing it. You lose to him and well....

Kovalev presents a pretty basic style for Hopkins, one which he has mastered at neutralizing. Athleticism, speed, and unorthodoxy are what trouble B-Hop, attributes which I have yet to see Sergey demonstrate inside the ring.

[IronDanHamza]

Kovalev would end his career in the most brutal fashion possible. Don't get it twisted thinking this guys another Pavlik, Cloud or any other bog standard puncher who is going to be scared to commit in case B-Hop throws a feint.

I'm a B-Hop fan but I am realist and just because he beats a few bums doesn't convince me hes not lost a few steps. I mean come on people really thought Cloud was going to destroy him?
B-Hop is too clever to fight a guy like Kovalev at this stage.

Prime B-Hop has as good of a chance as anybody but current B-Hop gets stopped for the first time.

Exactly.

When's the last time Hopkins fought a legitimate Light Heavyweight with one punch power who can cut off the ring? It's been a while.

I still think Hopkins spoiling will trouble Kovalev but I also think Kovalev would do some damage in the fight.

Kovalev ain't no Cloud.

[kiaba360]

Kov will be at a stylistic disadvantage, but he has Jackson in his corner. I don't think Kov would look clueless, he would come well-prepared for B-Hop's bullshit.

[New England]

kovalev would stop hopkins. his feet move and he throws combinations.


hopkins is getting close to 50. he's going to get hit with punches he used to take one of these days, and they're going to shake him up.

[_original_]

Kovalev would end his career in the most brutal fashion possible. Don't get it twisted thinking this guys another Pavlik, Cloud or any other bog standard puncher who is going to be scared to commit in case B-Hop throws a feint.

I'm a B-Hop fan but I am realist and just because he beats a few bums doesn't convince me hes not lost a few steps. I mean come on people really thought Cloud was going to destroy him?
B-Hop is too clever to fight a guy like Kovalev at this stage.

Prime B-Hop has as good of a chance as anybody but current B-Hop gets stopped for the first time.

Same old song and dance, think I've heard these exact words being thrown around before he fought Trinidad, Tarver, Pavlik, and Cloud.

[IronDanHamza]

Same old song and dance, think I've heard these exact words being thrown around before he fought Trinidad, Tarver, Pavlik, and Cloud.

Trinidad and Pavlik, yes.

Tarver? No. Not a soul thought he'd stop Hopkins. Beat him? Yes. Stop him? No.

Cloud's terrible. He's one of the worst "Champions" Boxing has had for a long long long time.

The difference between Kovalev and all those fighters is Kovalev is a concussive puncher, he can cut off the ring and he's a legitimate 175 lber.

You can't say that about any of the other fighters listed.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I love how people keep saying that kovolev cuts off the ring,,,,

when has he faced a legit mover like hopkins,,,

no disrespect to cleverly and campillo but not exactly hard guys to find in the ring,,,
Hopkins is a whole different animal in terms of movement

[IronDanHamza]

I love how people keep saying that kovolev cuts off the ring,,,,

when has he faced a legit mover like hopkins,,,

no disrespect to cleverly and campillo but not exactly hard guys to find in the ring,,,
Hopkins is a whole different animal in terms of movement

Campillo doesn't have the footwork of Hopkins but he has more footspeed and is fleet footed.

Kovalev can cut off the ring, it's clear to see.

An example of someone not being able to cut off a ring is watching Cloud fight Yusuf Mack or Campillo.

[ИATAS]

Trinidad and Pavlik, yes.

Tarver? No. Not a soul thought he'd stop Hopkins. Beat him? Yes. Stop him? No.

Cloud's terrible. He's one of the worst "Champions" Boxing has had for a long long long time.

The difference between Kovalev and all those fighters is Kovalev is a concussive puncher, he can cut off the ring and he's a legitimate 175 lber.

You can't say that about any of the other fighters listed.

Not a soul picked Tarver to stop him? I remember quite well Tarver was a 4-1 favorite and numerous boxing writers picked Tarver not only to win but win by KO. Jumping up from 160 to 175 at the age of 41 made a lot of doubters.

Anyways, I want to see how Hopkins looks against Murat. This is essentially a tune up fight and a fight he should win easy, if he struggles, looks tired or really shows his age he should retire. Nothing left to prove. If he looks fantastic, fight Kovalev, Stevenson (politics may prevent that though ) or a money fight like Froch, Bute (if he beats Pascal) or maybe even Kessler.

[IronDanHamza]

Not a soul picked Tarver to stop him? I remember quite well Tarver was a 4-1 favorite and numerous boxing writers picked Tarver not only to win but win by KO. Jumping up from 160 to 175 at the age of 41 made a lot of doubters.

Anyways, I want to see how Hopkins looks against Murat. This is essentially a tune up fight and a fight he should win easy, if he struggles, looks tired or really shows his age he should retire. Nothing left to prove. If he looks fantastic, fight Kovalev, Stevenson (politics may prevent that though ) or a money fight like Froch, Bute (if he beats Pascal) or maybe even Kessler.

Yes many picked him to win and he was the favourite but who picked him to stop him? Not many and it definitely wasn't the consensus.

If Hopkins looks bad against Murat he should retire. If anyone looks bad against Murat they should retire.