Yarde fought Kovalev after Kovalev had a good 6 months rest and recovery time from the Eleider Alvarez win. It was a fresh and fully prepared Kovalev. Yarde landed more punches on Kovalev than any elite fighter previously did - including more than Andre Ward in both fights!
In an interview Kovalev did a few days after the fight on his Instagram answering fans questions (in Russian), Kovalev was grunting in pain whenever he moved. He was hurt in that Yarde fight and under any normal circumstances he should have had at least 3 months recovery time before starting a camp for his next fight. But he had already agreed dates to face Canelo before the Yarde fight and if he postponed, he may never have had the opportunity again.
Canelo fought Kovalev only 10 weeks after the tough fight he had with Yarde (one of the toughest fights of Kovalev's career) and we saw what happened. It wasn't the same fighter that Yarde faced. He just didnt have anywhere near enough time to recover properly.
So what happens if the order was reversed?
If Canelo had fought the same fresh Kovalev that Yarde faced, he does a lot of damage like Yarde did, but does he still win the fight or does Kovalev stop him?
And likewise, if Yarde faced the Kovalev that had been damaged by Canelo only 10 weeks earlier, does Yarde beat him the same way Canelo did or even quicker?
Personally I think Canelo still probably beats Kovalev although it would be a much closer fight and would go to scorecards. And Yarde definitely beats Kovalev, probably stopping him quicker than Canelo did.
In an interview Kovalev did a few days after the fight on his Instagram answering fans questions (in Russian), Kovalev was grunting in pain whenever he moved. He was hurt in that Yarde fight and under any normal circumstances he should have had at least 3 months recovery time before starting a camp for his next fight. But he had already agreed dates to face Canelo before the Yarde fight and if he postponed, he may never have had the opportunity again.
Canelo fought Kovalev only 10 weeks after the tough fight he had with Yarde (one of the toughest fights of Kovalev's career) and we saw what happened. It wasn't the same fighter that Yarde faced. He just didnt have anywhere near enough time to recover properly.
So what happens if the order was reversed?
If Canelo had fought the same fresh Kovalev that Yarde faced, he does a lot of damage like Yarde did, but does he still win the fight or does Kovalev stop him?
And likewise, if Yarde faced the Kovalev that had been damaged by Canelo only 10 weeks earlier, does Yarde beat him the same way Canelo did or even quicker?
Personally I think Canelo still probably beats Kovalev although it would be a much closer fight and would go to scorecards. And Yarde definitely beats Kovalev, probably stopping him quicker than Canelo did.
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