How is Yarde only a slight underdog vs Kovalev in Russia?

[Jubei]

I mean I get that Kovalev is past prime, got stopped twice and Yarde looks like a beast, but...

1) Kovalev is very experienced and still an elite fighter
2) Fight is in Russia
3) Yarde has never fought anybody with a pulse

How is Yarde only such a slight underdog?



What am I missing here?

[SuperSuperLeeds]

Yeah I was dissapointed wanted to make some money picking yarde

['b']

Praying to the racist gods that Kovalev does to Yarde what Gvozdyk did to Chickenson

No but in all seriousness, I honestly think 'some' people on Yarde's team are actually delusional and don't have his best interests at heart. Either way will the winner please unify? LHW is a joke, things finally happening now but it has taken so long. Want the winner to face Gvozdyk/Beterbiev winner.

[TonyGe]

Probably because there are doubts about Kovalev not that they think Yarde is an elite fighter. Kovalev's out of the ring problems have to be a factor as to why Kovalev isn't a huge favorite.

[MusoMeanderings]

A buddy of mine used to train with Kovalev. He told me every time Kov hits Chelyabinsk he drinks into oblivion. I hope that is not the case before this fight.

[Blond Beast]

I mean I get that Kovalev is past prime, got stopped twice and Yarde looks like a beast, but...

1) Kovalev is very experienced and still an elite fighter
2) Fight is in Russia
3) Yarde has never fought anybody with a pulse

How is Yarde only such a slight underdog?



What am I missing here?

Honestly I don’t think ur missing anything. U made good points on both sides. Still at the same time u expressed that Kovalev should be a bigger favourite but didn’t offer ur own perceived odds or opinion on how u see the fight play out. I’m not slagging you, I just don’t think this one is obvious to most people. Don’t get me wrong if someone has a clear idea of who and how someone is going to win I’d love to hear about it. I get the Russia factor also. I was never as high on Kovalev as sum people were but at the same time I’m not as down on him now as sum are. I usually think weight is overrated but Yarde looks big in the ring. He might plod a bit but he punches hard and mixes them up well enough. I think I have Kovalev favoured mostly on his experience. I’ll put him at -185.

[REDEEMER]

Yarde should be favored, younger , faster and likes body shots. Kovalev can't take body shots .

[asgarth]

Yarde should be favored, younger , faster and likes body shots. Kovalev can't take body shots .

Landing bodyshots against journeymen is different to landing bodyshots against world Level fighters. There is a reason why Golovkin abandoned a sustained bodyattack against Canelo.

Yarde shouldnt be favoured.
He only had a dozen Amateur fights. => Doesn't have experience against a variety of styles

All his fights in the professional game have been against handpicked opponents, no power, no offense, Basic defense, no Special effects.

His longest fight has gone 7 rounds. He doesn't have any experience in the Championship rounds, he won't be able to know how to pace himself correctly. Also, None of his opponents were even able to push the pace against Yarde. Yarde is only used to fight at a measured pace, controlled by him.

Other than his fight against a journeyman in the US, he hasnt fough abroad. Especially not in russia, which has a more hostile atmosphere than fighting in the US. A big part of boxing is the mental aspect and Yarde does have no experience at the big stage.

Those are all the non-technical aspects. From the boxing perspective, it's not like Yarde just blows away his opponents. He thinks his philly Shell is good, but he gets tagged cleanly against low-level opponents. He backs off in straight lines, Kovalev is good at chasing down opponents who back off.

Kovalev has a great control of distance, stiff jab and heavy right straights. If Yarde tries to fight at midrange against Kovalev he will get outboxed.

I'm not saying that Yarde doesn't have a shot, but there are way too many reasons for him to not be the favourite.

[REDEEMER]

Landing bodyshots against journeymen is different to landing bodyshots against world Level fighters. There is a reason why Golovkin abandoned a sustained bodyattack against Canelo.

Yarde shouldnt be favoured.
He only had a dozen Amateur fights. => Doesn't have experience against a variety of styles

All his fights in the professional game have been against handpicked opponents, no power, no offense, Basic defense, no Special effects.

His longest fight has gone 7 rounds. He doesn't have any experience in the Championship rounds, he won't be able to know how to pace himself correctly. Also, None of his opponents were even able to push the pace against Yarde. Yarde is only used to fight at a measured pace, controlled by him.

Other than his fight against a journeyman in the US, he hasnt fough abroad. Especially not in russia, which has a more hostile atmosphere than fighting in the US. A big part of boxing is the mental aspect and Yarde does have no experience at the big stage.

Those are all the non-technical aspects. From the boxing perspective, it's not like Yarde just blows away his opponents. He thinks his philly Shell is good, but he gets tagged cleanly against low-level opponents. He backs off in straight lines, Kovalev is good at chasing down opponents who back off.

Kovalev has a great control of distance, stiff jab and heavy right straights. If Yarde tries to fight at midrange against Kovalev he will get outboxed.

I'm not saying that Yarde doesn't have a shot, but there are way too many reasons for him to not be the favourite.

Really have a hard time seeing Kovalev winning here , a body shot is a body shot . I think Kovalev will get dropped hard by one of not soften him up for a finish. I think where the fight is taking place has more impact on the odds. It's always like this , doubters will doubt guys who look good until a big win but they almost always come.

[djif]

That's not slight.

Cause someone's feeling Yarde has a puncher's chance in this fight..