How come Kovalev wasn’t “Old” for Eleider or Ward?

[ShaneMosleySr]

He’s shot because he’s 4-3 in his last 7 fights and has been knocked out twice.

I don’t understand why this is hard to follow.

So what you guys are confused in saying is that even though many said Ward lost against Kova in #1. That loss translated to being “old” because everyone was talking about ball sacks? Or one hard punch to the chin, aside from low blows, makes a fighter old?

I think many of you boxing fans run with cliche nonsensical posts from others and somehow think it’s good...

[Thuglife Nelo]

Prior to the low blows Kovalev looked on his way to losing. Ward landed a flush punch and Kovalev was in deep trouble. Even without the controversial ending he was going to lose.

Kovalev invented being staggered and losing in the round. Never had a fighter ever been staggered, survived the round, or won the fight afterwards. Those things simply never happen. #sour kasm

[TonyGe]

Kovalev invented being staggered and losing in the round. Never had a fighter ever been staggered, survived the round, or won the fight afterwards. Those things simply never happen. #sour kasm

There are plenty of examples of fighters coming back but more often what happens is they go on to lose the fight if it happens early. People remember the miraculous comebacks but tend to forget the events if the fighter loses. So you can go and show numerous examples of the miracle comeback but don't forget to look for the fights where the miracle didn't happen. Granted Kovealev came back against Yarde but Ward is on a whole different level and I'm not a fan of Ward's fighting style.

[Thuglife Nelo]

There are plenty of examples of fighters coming back but more often what happens is they go on to lose the fight if it happens early. People remember the miraculous comebacks but tend to forget the events if the fighter loses. So you can go and show numerous examples of the miracle comeback but don't forget to look for the fights where the miracle didn't happen.

bigjavi973

Watch this!

So let’s take Marquez PAC series starting from the first fight and all times Pac being KO’d and his repentance for narcotics or whatever, might as well include booze cause people say he was partying with women... as a guy should.

What’s the point of PAC fighting if he’s old or he’s been KO’d?

These are all simple double standards. It’s not like Ward is heavy handing or Kovalev went through what Stevenson endured with Gvozdyk. What were the odds in that fight? How old was Stevenson?

But when a Middleweight goes up everyone cries age or hydration clauses. LMAO

Catchweights were invented PARTICULARLY for two CHAMPS in different classes for middle ground!

WAR CANELO!

[Vlad_]

Kovalev invented being staggered and losing in the round. Never had a fighter ever been staggered, survived the round, or won the fight afterwards. Those things simply never happen. #sour kasm

[Vlad_]

There are plenty of examples of fighters coming back but more often what happens is they go on to lose the fight if it happens early. People remember the miraculous comebacks but tend to forget the events if the fighter loses. So you can go and show numerous examples of the miracle comeback but don't forget to look for the fights where the miracle didn't happen. Granted Kovealev came back against Yarde but Ward is on a whole different level and I'm not a fan of Ward's fighting style.

And yet if you look at Ward and how he was breathing after the low blow stoppage, you would see that Ward had emptied his tank. And besides the low shots, his punches were not landing flush on Kovalev at all.

[TonyGe]

bigjavi973

Watch this!

So let’s take Marquez PAC series starting from the first fight and all times Pac being KO’d and his repentance for narcotics or whatever, might as well include booze cause people say he was partying with women... as a guy should.

What’s the point of PAC fighting if he’s old or he’s been KO’d?

These are all simple double standards. It’s not like Ward is heavy handing or Kovalev went through what Stevenson endured with Gvozdyk. What were the odds in that fight? How old was Stevenson?

But when a Middleweight goes up everyone cries age or hydration clauses. LMAO

Catchweights were invented PARTICULARLY for two CHAMPS in different classes for middle ground!

WAR CANELO!

I'm not talking about Canelo here I'm talking about Ward and Kovalev. I posted the exact same thing immediately after their fight. How Kovalev responded after the punch that staggered him looked like a guy on his way to a defeat. Like I said people remember the comebacks but forget the loses.

[Larry the boss]

Good question, and I've given it a lot of thought. I will take 10 minutes to type out my answer to the question you asked, so please have the respect to read it and give me your feedback.

IMO Kovalev was already old for Ward. Ward had spies in Kovalev's camp and only "advanced cherry picked" Kovalev, while ducking all the prime top light heavyweights including the ones with more difficult styles for Ward (Stevenson Beterbiev etc), once he heard from them that Kovalev was drinking and old.

Did you not see Kovalev gas early in the first fight vs Ward in a fight he was dominating? Until then that was the same fight as Kovalev vs BHop, the difference is prime Kovalev could sustain it for 12 rounds, old Kovalev gassed after 4 and that made it harder for him, though Ward still couldn't really take advantage.

Did you miss Kovalev's fight directly before facing Ward? Vs Chilemba in Russia? He looked nearly out on his feet late in that fight too. Said it was a miracle he lasted 12 rounds. Vs *****ing Chilemba lol, a tricky guy but not someone who should come close to KOing you. Yet that's what almost happened. Rewatch the fight if you don't believe me.

Vs Alvarez, did you not see Kovalev vs Alvarez I? Kovalev put on ***** street in the 7th round of a fight he was winning big by one right hand from a 50% KO% puncher?

Even if you watch the beginning of that fight, Alvarez's jab was popping Kovalev's head into the front row. I've never seen Kovalev's head pop like that not even vs Chilemba and Ward when he was already old.

Kovalev's changes in training before the rematch seemed to fix that problem, but his legs still looked weak throughout the fight despite the win.

Vs Yarde you saw what happened again, falling apart in a fight he was dominating, and almost getting KO'd. It happened vs Chilemba (and Pascal I) to some degree, just not as bad. That was the beginning of his decline and it's normal, you see that a lot when boxers hit 31-32. 32 is the end of most boxer's primes. Floyd and BHop are unique cases. When will people learn this? It's *****ing basic ****.. Then it happened worse vs Ward 2 and Alvarez I. Then it happened even worse vs Yarde he just survived. And Kovalev said his legs were spaghetti all night vs Mikhalkin.

So out of Kovalev's last 9 or so fights, dating back to Pascal I (he allegedly trained better for the rematch after the wake up call, before falling off the wagon again after, plus Pascal was coming off a bad beating, so that explains the rematch), he has dominated the first 3 rounds, then gassed and almost gotten knocked out in the mid or late rounds, 6 of 9 times.

Does it get any more clear to you than that? It's almost like Kovalev and GGG are victims of their own great jabs because their great jabs still allow them to overcome their decline in other areas and pull out wins at the top level, and then all the critics come out saying "see? They're still prime." No they just have great jabs, great technique and boxing IQ, and heavy hands, which together can cover up a lot. When your jab does as much damage as your opponent's power punches, you really should never lose. That's a giant advantage. It's almost like a cheat code. But the fact Kovalev and GGG come so close to losing so regularly recently despite that advantage tells you what's up.

difference was the body shots Ward was landing and the fact Ward wasnt 50 like Hopkins

[Vlad_]

difference was the body shots Ward was landing and the fact Ward wasnt 50 like Hopkins

Yeah... body shots... Below the navel...

[Weebler I]

Old isn't about numerical age, but physical performance, some fighters get "old" overnight in this sport. It's clear Kovalev's physical performance has been slipping since Chilemba.

Kovalev's visibly past prime at this stage, thus he's a big-name cherry ripe for the picking at 175. But, Canelo is not a 175-lber so provided the weight terms aren't onerous, this is still an interesting fight.