Comments Thread For: Photos: Eleider Alvarez, Sergey Kovalev - Face-Off, Final Presser

[apollocreed]

I got Kovalev by UD. He will fight smarter and more defensive and Alvarez won't catch him like he did last time.

His chin looks shaky though. I got Alvarez again, probs by stoppage.

[MeanestNiceGuy]

Whoa...hol up....stop the press!


Some of y'all are just......flat out delusional. Period.

Let's be real here, the guy got knocked CLEANED out in the first fight. Some of y'all are speaking as though he got outboxed and/or lost a close decision. Stop!

He got KTFO! Period.

It doesn't matter if he starts slow or fast this time around, he knows how to lose and that's the difference in this fight.

I've never seen Sergey box in circles all night to a UD, ever. If he ever saw the final bell, it was because he couldn't maintain control of the fight.

Where did he lose control in the first Alvarez fight? The opening bell? Somewhere around round 5 or 6?

Point is, whether he was winning comfortably or not, he still KO'd. It's not like Alvarez was really wearing him down before Kovalev mounted an offense in round 3 or 4.

No. Kovalev was doing as you all said he did....he boxed and landed some big shots. Why couldn't he truly hurt or stop Alvarez?

Because he got tired and couldn't get away from the jab. He'll do the same in this fight, but his problem now is....Alvarez is the champ so his confidence has gone up more.

[Feint First]

Can't take anyone seriously who sports a Kmart logo on their chest and been brutally stopped twice already.

Alvarez by KO or Kovalev quits.

[Damn Wicked]

Kovalev was gassed after the 3rd or 4rth round in the first fight. I believe that was a big contributor to him getting hit cleanly by a big punch and not tolerating it well. His biggest defect is his stamina, not his chin. He's always seemed to have to fight at a controlled, moderate pace. Seems like he has to pace himself for fear of gassing out. In the first fight with Alvarez he stunned Alvarez in the third round...I think it was the third...Then Kov seemed to blow his load by trying to take Alvarez out...He seemed like he slowed down a lot after that and he looked really tired around the 5th round or so. If his team hasn't ridden him of his drinking habit then he's always going to have stamina issues.

I predict Kovalev won't blow his load this time. Unless he hurts Alvarez significantly, he won't push the pace too much. Alvarez will probably be more confident and he will try to push the pace after the first few rounds. His team knows that Kov has stamina issues....Alvarez will have to be careful when he's pushiing the pace though.

[etech1]

Looks like kov has put on a little muscle. It's about fkin time.

[theface07]

Can't take anyone seriously who sports a Kmart logo on their chest and been brutally stopped twice already.

Don't worry, nobody takes you seriously either.

[Superbee]

I don't think it'll matter. He was clearly outboxing Alvarez before the KO and the scorecards rightfully reflected that. If he gets his stamina right this time he'll win. That's a big question at age 35 though.

Ahead in points? Yeah... Out boxing Alvarez? Nope... I had it 4-2 after 6... Alvarez was finding Kovalev more and more with the jab and Krusher was beginning to fade in the 6th round... Matter of time before Alvarez hit him flush and it actually happened... Kovalev soul is gone... He might start strong on Saturday but the first clean shot from Alvarez will take his will away again... Not much you can do against doubting and Kovalev has been doubting and finding excuses for 2 years now... He's done...

[Boxing Logic]

It's no longer a case of stamina, but chin. Ward cracked it, Alvarez busted it open. In his prime, Kovalev would've dusted off shots like that. We might indeed see him outbox Alvarez for some rounds, but a KO shot will always be lurking.

Yeah but when did they crack it? Round 7 both times I believe right after Kovalev's stamina went from "reserve" to completely "empty." Legs too tired to keep moving in and out which was his main style in his prime, and still is he just can't sustain it anymore, arms too tired to hold up the hands, mind too tired to react smartly so he keeps throwing little lazy counter jabs from too close because he's too tired to move or set up something real that would take more energy, and thats when both Ward and Alvarez cracked him, countering or punching with him as he Kovalev threw a lazy jab while retreating on tired legs and gasping for air.

Now, I agree Kov's head was snapping like we've never seen before even in the early rounds vs Alvarez, so that may have been a little erosion in chin, or just Alvarez has a real nice jab and so on. But it was the stamina that got him KO'd. His head was snapping but he was still taking the shots, in the first 6 rounds. It was losing stamina that made him unable to take the shots after.

[teaser]

Krusher looks relaxed and fit ...gonna go out on a limb and and say he's gonna turn it around this time ...we will know after he gets tagged hard

[VatoMulatto]

Even though got KO'd, wasn't Kovalev winning the fight? I think he'll fight smarter this time. I don't think Kovalev is finished at the highest level. I pick Kovalev to win by KO/TKO.