Kovalev, the Trinidad of light heavyweight

[creekrat77]

He is built so much like Felix Trinidad. He's a knockout artist at his best and any one would be foolish to exchange with him. His chin has shown vulnerability but it hasn't been a major problem yet. One thing for certain............is he able to fight effectively on the backfoot? From what I saw in Kovalev vs Pascal he spent the entire fight needing to shift forward to throw a punch. Is this Kovalevs weakness? Backing him up?

[Mitchell Kane]

Their styles really aren't that similar.

[TRTboy]

Their styles aren't similar. Kovalev throws straight punches right down the middle while Trinidad was more of " hooker ".

No disrespect to Tito because I was still a kid when he was in his prime but from the fights I've seen of him, kovalev is more versatile and skilled. Kovalev's footwork is great and he can punch while moving which is one of his greatest asset IMO. Trinidad was more stationary and needed a guy to stand in front of him to look like a beast. With Kovalev even if you are moving he will track you down and beat you down.

[creekrat77]

Their styles aren't similar. Kovalev throws straight punches right down the middle while Trinidad was more of " hooker ".

No disrespect to Tito because I was still a kid when he was in his prime but from the fights I've seen of him, kovalev is more versatile and skilled. Kovalev's footwork is great and he can punch while moving which is one of his greatest asset IMO. Trinidad was more stationary and needed a guy to stand in front of him to look like a beast. With Kovalev even if you are moving he will track you down and beat you down.

I didn't mean their two styles being the same. I was just referring to where they generate their power. Kovalev and Tito gyrate their whole body into their punch. Kovalev throws while in a forward motion. Even when he is stationary he throws a punch with his body in a forward kinetic motion. Guys like Hopkins, Lara, Khan, etc don't rely solely on forward motion to mount an offense. Sure they do it, but can throw assorted punches from different trajectories.

[Mike Haynes]

With questionable glove manipulation just like Tito.

[TRTboy]

I didn't mean their two styles being the same. I was just referring to where they generate their power. Kovalev and Tito gyrate their whole body into their punch. Kovalev throws while in a forward motion. Even when he is stationary he throws a punch with his body in a forward kinetic motion. Guys like Hopkins, Lara, Khan, etc don't rely solely on forward motion to mount an offense. Sure they do it, but can throw assorted punches from different trajectories.

I see what you mean. But as you said what makes kovalev more dangerous is he can crack you while he's chasing you down. He's one of the best in the game at chasing a guy down with straight punches as they are moving back.

Tito as I said is more stationary where he would sit on his punches more and create so much torque when he throws his hooks.

[Joshua Child]

I didn't mean their two styles being the same. I was just referring to where they generate their power. Kovalev and Tito gyrate their whole body into their punch. Kovalev throws while in a forward motion. Even when he is stationary he throws a punch with his body in a forward kinetic motion. Guys like Hopkins, Lara, Khan, etc don't rely solely on forward motion to mount an offense. Sure they do it, but can throw assorted punches from different trajectories.

Which is why none of them have the power Kovalev has. Kovalev uses the weight of his body moving forward and a straight arm to generate a lot of power (other than his natural god given power). So yes, he uses forward kinetic motion to punch but generates much more power than guys like Lara, Khan, Hopkins. Kovalev fights how HE should to be most effective as a fighter.

read:

http://zinelibrary.info/files/Championship%20Fighting%20by%20Jack%20Dempsey%20(1950).pdf

[Weebler I]

...is he able to fight effectively on the backfoot? From what I saw in Kovalev vs Pascal he spent the entire fight needing to shift forward to throw a punch. Is this Kovalevs weakness? Backing him up?

Who is going to back a guy up that hits that hard? Beterbiev maybe and that's about it.

[////]

With questionable glove manipulation just like Tito.

What did kovalev supposedly do to his gloves? google turned up no accusations

[Weebler I]

What did kovalev supposedly do to his gloves? google turned up no accusations

I think he hits them against the wall, but Hopkins complained and he didn't do it. Still dropped B-Hop in the first round.