Cutting off the ring-underrated?

[HeadShots]

Cutting off the ring =/= swarming overmatched opposition

Golovkin cornered Canelo, Cotto and Martinez. they just all forfeited.

[Sledgeweather17]

Kovalev actually excels at cutting the ring off, but he chose to box from the outside more than stalk and hunt and he drifted away from it.

Similar to how ODLH is a master boxer who had one of the most educated jabs in the sport abandoned it against Floyd, except Kovalev did this more intentionally.

Make no mistake, Kovalev will cut him off, and chop him down in the rematch.

I think the OP was tryna state the difference between a stalker and a pressure fighter but used the wrong terms.

GGG is a pressure fighter, meaning that he cuts off the ring and engages at the same time.

Kovalev cuts off the ring, but he doesn't engage immediately, he wants to time and measure everything. The problem comes when you do that against an intelligent fighter like Ward. You're not supposed to give that kind of guy time to think and plan for you.

Kovalev could have KO'd Ward early in the fight if he was a pressure fighter, the problems started when Ward adjusted not only to Kovalev's timing and rhythm, but also to his power as well.

Finally, Kovalev checked out both mentally and physically in the second half of the fight. His inability to control the fight and land clean power on Ward while getting countered wore him down mentally, and all the wrestling they did wore him down physically.

That's why, apart from the fact that the end result was inconclusive, a rematch is in order. It was a learning curve for both the fighters and I think a rematch will show us truly who is the better fighter.

[Sledgeweather17]

Of course it is an underrated skill.
Golovkin clearly is the best right now, but Rigondeaux is quite good as well as Lomachenko and Lucas Matthyse was underrated when it comes to cutting of the ring.

Hey! How dare you talk about cutting off the ring and not mention Spence?

[Chrismart]

I think Kovalev cuts off the ring pretty well, but still wants to be patient and fight long while doing so. As opposed to guys like GGG who like to cut off their opponent's space and engage in close.
It's a skill that not that many use really well. I think that's why fans get excited when they see a guy who can do it. For some though, it doesn't suit their style to pin people up against the ropes.

As for Pacquiao, i've not really looked at him as a fighter who cuts off the ring that well.

[Canelo and GGG]

Not everybody want to do it,depends on style

[yngwie]

Hey! How dare you talk about cutting off the ring and not mention Spence?

Damn, i missed that name.
Spence put a masterclass of cutting of the ring in his last two fights.

[The Big Dunn]

Kovalev actually excels at cutting the ring off, but he chose to box from the outside more than stalk and hunt and he drifted away from it.

Similar to how ODLH is a master boxer who had one of the most educated jabs in the sport abandoned it against Floyd, except Kovalev did this more intentionally.

Make no mistake, Kovalev will cut him off, and chop him down in the rematch.

If he doesn't tire. Lost in all the BS is the fact Ward's bodywork contributed to Kov not being able to cut off the ring in the 2nd half of the fight. Roy Jones even mentioned it.

I think if Kov uses camp to just work on stamina so he doesn't fade he will be fine. Of course, an East Coast referee may penalize him for holding which means Ward gets inside more and Kov's inside game needs improvement.

[ccpreps]

IMO Kovalev went from cutting off the ring early in the fight to slowly following Ward, thus opening himself up for sharp counter jabs/hooks.

[The Big Dunn]

IMO Kovalev went from cutting off the ring early in the fight to slowly following Ward, thus opening himself up for sharp counter jabs/hooks.

I agree with this.

[Madison Boxing]

athough i though kovalev won, i agree i wasnt impressed with how he cut the ring off. Like it or not, kovalevs footwork to cut the ring off isnt anywhere near as good as GGG's