Why did Kovalev not throw his RIGHT hand?

[soul_survivor]

Even if he was afraid of being countered he had to throw a few hard shots to let Canelo know what the power feels like. A fighter of Kov's caliber should had at least landed hard shots anywhere, body, arms, anywhere so Canelo can feel the difference.

He was petty patting all night.

Easy he didn't want to get countered. Same reason why GGG refused to throw any body shots against Canelo in their first fight then the entire world and his trainer screames GGG had to go to the body in the rematch and yet...GGG was still shook and wouldn't throw it. Same reason GGG after calling for Mexican Style ended up retreating and jabbing. THEY DON'T WANT TO RISK GETTING COUNTERED. So they become crazy with the jab which becomes more a defensive punch just to keep canelo off of them. You go to the body and canelo hands are faster and it leaves you open to eat huge shots. Kovalev commits to big shots with the right and it leaves him open for counter shots specifically that monster left hook to the body.

Canelo takes these shots away from his opponents and makes them less aggressive on offense because they don't want that return fire.

Dunny boy your question just got answered (see the post quoted above you).

No elite level fighter completely abandons throwing meaningful punches. GGG actually did well enough to win the fight in the eyes of most yet again. Regardless of that he threw some BAD shots all night, as did Canelo and it made it one of the FOTY.

Last night Kovalev did nothing but throw arm punches.

[strykr619]

There was always a risk in doing that, he respected Canelo's power too much. That and he was content with just keeping Canelo at the end of his jab.

GGG walking thru Canelo best shots and Kov afraid of them tells me how much of an iron Chin GGG really has.

[SplitSecond]

Where was Kov’s right hand vs Yarde?

He’s old, his legs suck, he fights lethargically and just because Yarde sucks enough to get lit up and stopped by arm punches doesn’t mean it’ll work vs an elite like Canelo.

He swung plenty of right hands, and just about all of them with meaning saw him eating a right to the body.

[!! Shawn]

McGirts plan was to box behind the jab, use zero power to try and cure Kovalevs stamina issues, and win a decision.

It was a terrible game plan.

McGirt is was and always has a been a terrible trainer. He gets fighters hurt by turning them into passive fighters that don't use their strengths.

The idea that he was going to take the bigger older fighter with stamina problems, and have him out work the younger smaller fighter, is farcical.

It was a bad game plan. He wanted Kovalev to take him deep.

Taking him deep is one thing, but you have to do damage in the process, and McGirt was committed to not having him do anything besides pitty pat with his jab.

McGirt has always been a gunshy trainer, I imagine it was doubly so with him having one of his fighters die on him a couple of months ago.

[soul_survivor]

Where was Kov’s right hand vs Yarde?

He’s old, his legs suck, he fights lethargically and just because Yarde sucks enough to get lit up and stopped by arm punches doesn’t mean it’ll work vs an elite like Canelo.

He swung plenty of right hands, and just about all of them with meaning saw him eating a right to the body.

Kovalev threw and landed plenty of big shots, included right hands and left hooks against Yarde and the other Alvarez. Were you watching the same fights?

McGirts plan was to box behind the jab, use zero power to try and cure Kovalevs stamina issues, and win a decision.

It was a terrible game plan.

McGirt is was and always has a been a terrible trainer. He gets fighters hurt by turning them into passive fighters that don't use their strengths.

The idea that he was going to take the bigger older fighter with stamina problems, and have him out work the younger smaller fighter, is farcical.

It was a bad game plan. He wanted Kovalev to take him deep.

Taking him deep is one thing, but you have to do damage in the process, and McGirt was committed to not having him do anything besides pitty pat with his jab.

McGirt has always been a gunshy trainer, I imagine it was doubly so with him having one of his fighters die on him a couple of months ago.

I can not believe that this was the plan. I have watched the sport for over 20 years and never seen an elite fighter refuse to throw and then start to pull his punches....never, not once...not Oscar against Pac, heck not even Gatti against Mayweather.

If you follow boxing I assume you would have seen film of Ali v Berbick...the great one was suffering from PD, was out of shape and STILL landed hard shots at times.

You're telling me that Kovalev's only fight plan was to throw smacks like this was a technical sparring session?

[FinitoxDinamita]

To avoid penalties.. each right hand thrown could have cost him six figures.

[SplitSecond]

Kovalev threw and landed plenty of big shots, included right hands and left hooks against Yarde and the other Alvarez. Were you watching the same fights?



I can not believe that this was the plan. I have watched the sport for over 20 years and never seen an elite fighter refuse to throw and then start to pull his punches....never, not once...not Oscar against Pac, heck not even Gatti against Mayweather.

If you follow boxing I assume you would have seen film of Ali v Berbick...the great one was suffering from PD, was out of shape and STILL landed hard shots at times.

You're telling me that Kovalev's only fight plan was to throw smacks like this was a technical sparring session?

Yarde has no defense, that’s the difference, he was eating jabs all night. No i didn’t see many right hands, not like Kovalev used to throw it, maybe some of those around the guard? Yarde for sure would have been ko’d easily if he was fighting with more confidence to throw the punches he was known for.

Anyway my thoughts post fight were

Kovalev is on the fast track down with how he mistreated his body. Mcgirt also has him throwing lots of pitter patter filler shots. Those also tire you out, Kovalev needs to take more risks. He would have ended Yarde by the halfway point if he didn’t wait till after being hurt to decide to now earn some respect. If you are going to pitter patter you need legs, not to be lazing around lethargically.

People surprised that Kovalev was pitter pattering his way through this fight didn’t pay attention to his last fight.

[soul_survivor]

Yarde has no defense, that’s the difference, he was eating jabs all night. No i didn’t see many right hands, not like Kovalev used to throw it, maybe some of those around the guard? Yarde for sure would have been ko’d easily if he was fighting with more confidence to throw the punches he was known for.

Anyway my thoughts post fight were



People surprised that Kovalev was pitter pattering his way through this fight didn’t pay attention to his last fight.

The last two fights which he won by stoppage?

You are really stretching here. I get it, you're a Canelo fan but Kovalev threw 0 meaningful punches all night. Can you explain how a diseased Muhammad Ali at 39 years of age could do that against a prime heavyweight contender but Kovalev couldn't against a 5'7'' middleweight?

[pasawayako]

Anyone who think that this isn't a fix fight DKSAB...

[QueensburyRules]

All night long, from the first bell to the final KO, Kovalev refused to throw a single punch in anger. He out jabbed Canelo all night and in my opinion, should have been up on points but other than that, where were his power punches.

He pawed with his right hand (it may have been hurt as Buddy at one stage said "don't worry about the right"), his left hook was a playful slap and he didn't throw an uppercut against a guy walking in with his hands held up...

I am not going to say the KO was staged because it clearly wasn't. Kovalev was disconnected from his senses and no one can pull that off as an act BUT why was Kovalev so gun shy all night?

We saw hi just 12 weeks ago put a beating on a prime LHW and throw mean punches, yet here he was content with slapping and then fist bumping Canelo all night.

The sport in the US is all but dead and it would be even worse if the heavyweight championship was over there (oops, forgot the robbery that was Wilder/Fury). I am glad we're seeing guys like Usyk, Loma and AJ take fights all over the world. The further removed from the American and Mexican mobs we can get, the better for this sport.

- -Kov landed his signature Rt than sends fighters down for the count, but Canelo unbothered.

What grade U repeat this year?