Comments Thread For: Not making that mistake again: Hopkins beats Kovalev

[jas]

What if hes been getting old slowly over ten years and his competition level has dropped to accommodate that fact?

how many fighters has he ducked in the past 10 years to "accomodate that fact"?

ill wait...

[kafkod]

I read comments here saying that David Fields, the ref for this match, has been lenient in previous bouts he's handled. I think a lenient ref is BHop's only hope of winning this.
Kovalev seems to cut easily. If Fields allows BHop to get away with holding and using his head up close this could end in controversy. Maybe a "no contest" or technical decision either way after Kovalev is cut from a head clash.
If that doesn't happen, Kovalev will win inside the distance. He hits too hard and BHop is too old to cope with Kovalev's power for 12 rounds

[The Problem Child]

WAR KOVALEV but I have to make a confession............ I think Hopkins can pull it off.

I would love nothing more than for Kovalev to knock him out but... Hopkins's crafty, and Kovalev is a bit robotic with his movement and punch throwing.

One of the few times where I actually don't hide my concerns heading into a fight, but it is very present every time I think about the fight.

I actually see Kovalev as the underdog, it'll be a big task landing significant punches on Hopkins and not only that but land them cleanly.

WAR KOVALEV THOUGH!!!!!

[Tom Cruise]

how many fighters has he ducked in the past 10 years to "accomodate that fact"?

ill wait...

I think his opposition has been poor for a while now. and the good fighters he fought, he lost to. Thats not to say he has been ducking loads just that Cloud,Murat, Shumenov, Pascal, shot RJJ, Enrique Ornelias and even Pavlik (middleweight and alcoholic) are not even close to the same level as Kovalev.

Then he obviously fought Calzaghe and lost, and fought Dawson and lost

Sorry Jas. He is awesome for a 50 year old.But he is fifty years old, and hs recent resume is not great for a world level fighter.

[jas]

I think his opposition has been poor for a while now. and the good fighters he fought, he lost to. Thats not to say he has been ducking loads just that Cloud,Murat, Shumenov, Pascal, shot RJJ, Enrique Ornelias and even Pavlik (middleweight and alcoholic) are not even close to the same level as Kovalev.

Then he obviously fought Calzaghe and lost, and fought Dawson and lost

Sorry Jas. He is awesome for a 50 year old.But he is fifty years old, and hs recent resume is not great for a world level fighter.

k, ill bump this thread after the fight

bhop beat the guy who beat dawson

styles makes fights

bhop has done well against styles similar to kovalev

i dont see hopkins losing to a guy with 0 head movement

[bojangles1987]

Ive flip flopped a bit about this fight... but i think im going to pick against Hopkins here.

I know he has looked better than he should for his age against Murat, Shumenov and Cloud, but really how good are those guys?

Fooking Clevery TKO'd Murat

Kovalev is good enough and smart enough to not let Hopkins dictate to him in this fight. I see the fight maybe being even enough through 6, with Hopkins smothering SK's work and trying to pot shot from the outside, but after that the pace Kovalev will set will be too fast for a 50yo Hopkins. I expect SK to take over after round six, and once he does that it will depend on how much BH really has left whether he reaches the final bell (I think he will). I dont think Hopkins much loved 'mind games' will work so well against a supremely confident and alpha as **** Kovalev either.

This is it for Hopkins.... maybe...

How many times have we said that?

I have zero confidence picking this fight, but I'm going to stick with Kovalev for the reason in bold. Kovalev is much, much better than anyone Hopkins has beaten in a long time. He is slaughtering the fighters who beat the fighters Hopkins has beaten. And in some cases, humiliated the fighters Hopkins is beating.

Sure, Hopkins 5 years ago beats Kovalev. It isn't 5 years ago though, and Hopkins has looked very vulnerable against very questionable opposition. If Tavoris Cloud and Karo Murat are taking rounds off Hopkins and putting hands on him, why wouldn't Kovalev?

I might be completely wrong. At this point, it would be nothing new regarding Hopkins. I have zero real confidence either way. IMO, the result will be very clear by the end of the 1st. And it will depend greatly on the ref.

[Tom Cruise]

k, ill bump this thread after the fight

bhop beat the guy who beat dawson

styles makes fights

bhop has done well against styles similar to kovalev

i dont see hopkins losing to a guy with 0 head movement

The Hopkins 6-7 even 5 years ago i think would have to be favourite in this fight. Buts its not. He's basically been fighting guys who let him do whatever he wants to do in the ring recently which is how hes got away with having little left in terms of athleticism.

Honestly if he pulls this off then I will be amazed, I will hold my hands upand give B-Hop all the praise he deserves, but i dont think he will.

[Pain~Lucy]

I think bhop will take this by may be SD, because I also want him to fight GGG @ 168

[v.cassiusali@ya]

i expect hopkins to stick to his old-age style: punch-then-clinch thru round twelve...

[hitking]

What if hes been getting old slowly over ten years and his competition level has dropped to accommodate that fact?

There has been some smoke n mirrors to what Hopkins has been able to do post-Tito. And there is noticeable slippage. But none of that has anything to do with my view of this fight. Long story short, I think Hopkins wins not because he's still great. I think he wins because Kovalev isn't very good.