Bernard Hopkins vs Sergey Kovalev Prefight Prediction & Discussion Thread

[Clint650]

early TKO win for Kovalev. I think John David Jackson will urge Sergey to turn up the intensity and not get lulled into Hopkins slow pace. Hopkins has been losing most of the early rounds in his fights and it's a perfect time for Kovalev to force him into either moving or defending himself and absorbing any shots he can get off. The counters will be scary for Kovalev but to force Hopkins to counter something he can get to the body and Kovalev has one punch crumbling power.
If Sergey gets lulled into Hopkin's slow pace and neither guy does much of anything then it could look a little like the Shumenov fight but even that scenario would urge the confidence of Hopkins to be more offensive and trade with Kovalev in which again one shot (even a grazing shot or a jab) will change the way he engages Sergey.
I just see Hopkins trying to spoil this fight. Too much power coming at him. Too much intensity inside close quarters for Hopkins to trade, so I expect him to hold...complain and try to make 12 in which he will say he won the fight because he survived.

[King_]

Kovalev with the mid to late round KO. Once Hopkins feels his power, he's going to be in full on survival mode.

[bojangles1987]

Either Kovalev slaughters Hopkins in depressing fashion or Hopkins pulls off some Rumble in the Jungle type win where he takes the punches early and drowns an exhausted Kovalev late.

Can't see it going any other way.

[-MAKAVELLI-]

i hope and pray that Vic Drakulich is the ref for this fight

[Enzo Mc is SHIT]

Hopkins won't give up but at some stage I think the referee steps in.

[Hougigo]

I predict I'm going to watch the fight live in Brooklyn.... how about we predict the undercard?

Calling it now! Jennings vs Cunningham on the undercard! Jennings had a good outing in MSG fan wise, Cunningham had one of NBC's best shows... do it

[Beercules]

Picking Hopkins by decision.

He will stink up the place.

[The Big Dunn]

I will be pulling for Bhop but I expect kovalev to win.

[King_]

I predict I'm going to watch the fight live in Brooklyn.... how about we predict the undercard?

Calling it now! Jennings vs Cunningham on the undercard! Jennings had a good outing in MSG fan wise, Cunningham had one of NBC's best shows... do it

GGG-Quillin would be perfect for a co main event and would make sense. But obviously it isn't happening

[theghost#1]

I will never count out Hopkins, But I can't see him beating Kovalev. All these Kelly Pavlik comparison are dumb and just plain foolish. Sergei is 2 weight classes above middleweight and he also has a better jab, left hook, and a better body puncher. Plus he's 20 years younger too.