Thoughts on the rise and fall of Sergey Kovalev

[Illmatic94]

Nothing happened to Kovalev.. Except he got KTFO.

thats all that happened.

He practically had the fight in the bag and was boxing beautiful up until that right hand from hell exploded on his temple and gave him noodle legs.

Ward took his aura. i agree with that. but that doesn't mean Kov was no longer dangerous. he was still seen as LHW kingpin in Ward's absence.

Tyson got his aura taken by Douglass but that didn't mean he was a cakewalk for future opponents.

what Ward did "expose" though is Kovalev's poor survival instincts. he doesnt even attempt to clinch when he's hurt. he doesnt think to take a knee and kill time. he just continues to get battered.

what this fight ultimately exposed to me is Adonis Stevenson is hands down the most coward b-tch made boxer of my lifetime. it's not even close. leaving Alvarez constantly waiting and ducking to keep his belt is some punk sh-t. and for Kovalev to give the man a shot when he didn't have to is worthy of respect.

[Ray*]

His aura of invincibility was exposed by ward in that rematch. I remember saying he would never be the same since that fight. I have never seen anything like it since Tyson was manhandled and stopped by Douglas. Kov was destroyed to the body, getting tagged by right hands and he was looking at the referee to save him. I thought any rival would be looking at that and think hmmm..

[WhatDisButtonDo]

His aura of invincibility was exposed by ward in that rematch. I remember saying he would never be the same since that fight. I have never seen anything like it since Tyson was manhandled and stopped by Douglas. Kov was destroyed to the body, getting tagged by right hands and he was looking at the referee to save him. I thought any rival would be looking at that and think hmmm..

Yep, Alvarez hit him low a few times and he looked at the ref...and in my mind i'm thinking *hIT HIM LOW BACK YA BIG DUMMY AND HE'LL STOP*

[nubianpiye]

Kovalev quitting against Ward was the start of his downfall, that was when I realised he was a coward. This beating shows that he's only a front runner and a bully. I hope he can go find a Russian coach now and **** off back into obscurity.

[soul_survivor]

Kovalev was the most feared light heavyweight in decades but it is not Ward that took his soul, it was his own arrogance. On the biggest night of his life, he outboxed and out punched the supposed p4p no. 1, almost every press rower that scored that fight had Kovalev winning. HBO's treatment of that event was a disgrace. By the time the rematch rolled around, Kovalev was widely reported as not being in his best shape, fighting his trainer, drinking too much etc etc.

Since then, it does not seem like he has given up his bad habits or straightened out his training. Think about it, last night he out boxed and physically dominated one of the premier technicians in the division...yet by the 6th round he was already blowing. His lack of fitness took him, coupled with a great right hand.

Kovalev destroyed Kovalev.

[Ray*]

Yep, Alvarez hit him low a few times and he looked at the ref...and in my mind i'm thinking *hIT HIM LOW BACK YA BIG DUMMY AND HE'LL STOP*

Exactly!!! Hit him back low period!

[Dip_Slide]

Kovalev is like 35 years old, not all fighters can compete with the best in the world at that age, he accomplished a lot and was a phenomenal fighter, beat all the contenders and straight up outboxed and outskilled the best P4P fighter in the world in Andre Ward in the first fight.

However I don't think Kovalev is the type of fighter that knows how to save energy and use certain tactics to take breathers and to frustrate and stall younger opponents, actually none of the eastern european fighters with the extensive amateur background can, they fight too honest, no tricks of the pro trade. Look at all the greats who fought well into their late 30s and into their 40s, they all knew certain tricks to take breathers and to be effective despite being physically at a disadvantage.

Hopefully Kivalev made enough money and smart investments to be able to just walk away now and start a new chapter away from performing in the ring.

[removed]

It sounds like his age and his drinking caught up with him.


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[Biolink]

Limited skill set Kovalev? Bro don’t make me laugh

[Curt Henning]

there was an interveiw before ward/kovalev 2....with ward in the gym...i cant remember specifics of what ward said exactly...but i remember watching it...and saying "wow ward seems like he knows he has this guy now"...i think it had alot to do with kovalev talking after the first fight and whining....and it seemed like ward knew he was a bit broken/soft after that fight