Is it safe to assume Kovalev cannot box off his backfoot?

[Boxfan83]

Ive noticed most Eastern European/Russian fighters besides packing a hell of a punch cannot box going backwards. Take for instance, Provodnikov and Kovalev, when fighters actually stand their ground against them and throw punches back, it throws them off their game and forces them to rely on getting the KO. No one has yet to stand their ground against GGG but I think itd be safe to say he wouldnt fare well moving backwards either.

[////]

When has someone standing their ground and throwing with Provodnikov ever gone well for anyone? He loves that. Even the guys who outboxed him learned a nasty lesson when they tried to step to him.

Against Kov you'd probably die like the last guy who tried (no disrespect intended, but it's true).

[jas]

They aren't used to fighting on back foot because what they are doing has worked for them

Tell me which fighters will push them back

[Dr Rumack]

Kovalev fights more on the balls of his feet than either Golovkin or Provodnikov. I don't really see him being incapable of boxing on the backfoot if necessary, I do think his defence isn't great though. It seems to be more in his legs than anything else.

[King_]

You just compared Provodnikov..... A caveman brawler, with Kovalev.

[Humean]

Does anyone ever start threads about how some fighter cannot fight off the front foot?

[nivek535]

kovalev knocked down hopkins, backfoot?
how many times did kovalev get clinched by hopkins?
how many times does hopkins clinch with real front-footed-fighters?

[////]

That's true. I nearly forgot about Kovalev's supaslick backfoot KD of Hopkins.

[MPX309]

At the moment; Does he really need to?

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Kovalev showed some nice athleticism and versatility in the Hopkins fight. He was fighting off the front and back foot.

Golovkin has looked really suspect when he's been backed up though.

Provodnikov is just one dimensional.