mofo2 Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Following the collapse yesterday of the Karo Murat fight, unbeaten Russian puncher, Sergey "the krusher" Kovalev has now entered straight into the IBF mandatory position for the 48-year old Bernard Hopkin's title. Described by Freddie Roach as "the one fighter that excites me most right now", the Russian's profile has soared in the last 48-hours, on account of being publicised that he will possibly be fighting Nathan Cleverly for the WBO version of the belt. But last night's textbook 3-round dismantling of respected 21-1 (16ko) Cornelius White, combined with the Murat withdrawal, has seen more lucrative American opportunities come to the fore. Kovalev's victory last night propels him to 21-0 in decent company, with almost 90% of those victories coming by way of knockout. Source: Livefight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavpowell Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year The entire boxing world is conspiring to embarrass Nathan Cleverly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshDevilRob Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Not sure if this is a good or bad thing for Cleverly. Kovalev certainly looks a powerful and awkward opponent. Kovalev has gone from ignored to the man of the moment now that Hopkins is seeking an opponent, following the Murat problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonRingRules Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Kovalev has gone from ignored to the man of the moment now that Hopkins is seeking an opponent, following the Murat problems. --- Given the histories of avoiding certain threats, me thinks it's just table dressing. Likely Kovalev gets ducked for the next couple of years unless he's made mandatory somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshDevilRob Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year --- Given the histories of avoiding certain threats, me thinks it's just table dressing. Likely Kovalev gets ducked for the next couple of years unless he's made mandatory somewhere. IBF have made Kovalev the mandatory and stated that the winner of Kovalev vs White will replace Murat. Bhop seems to be pushing for an Antonio Tarver fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemurphy Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year IBF have made Kovalev the mandatory and stated that the winner of Kovalev vs White will replace Murat. Bhop seems to be pushing for an Antonio Tarver fight. That figures. BHOP vs Tarver didn't draw flys the first time around and Bernard thought it was a financial success. The guy has never realized his own box office failure or that Tarver's fame is miniscule as well, he probably thinks that a PPV fight :laugh: That one will be like Hopkins-Roy 2 where they had to open up the doors and let people in for free of the strip just to have a half-full arena for TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavpowell Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Bhop seems to be pushing for an Antonio Tarver fight. When did boxing start staging rematches to spite the fans? Dawson-Hopkins 2, Hopkins-Jones 2, Hopkins Tarver 2. What have I ever done to Bernard Hopkins? Well, alright, I've called him an overrated, whinging, cheating, fouling, mauling egotist with a cherrypicking habit that would make Pacman blush, but frankly he should be big enough to let that go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mofo2 Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year The entire boxing world is conspiring to embarrass Nathan Cleverly. It's a credible fight for him to take, however Kovalev hasn't shown his qualities against anyone of substance yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshDevilRob Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year It's a credible fight for him to take, however Kovalev hasn't shown his qualities against anyone of substance yet! Gabriel Campillo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mofo2 Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Gabriel Campillo. Thanks for helping me prove my point it was appreciated :thumb: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavpowell Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year It's a credible fight for him to take, however Kovalev hasn't shown his qualities against anyone of substance yet! It's a credible fight, but every time Cleverly has his eye on on opponent, the opponent seems to ignore him and go elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshDevilRob Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Thanks for helping me prove my point it was appreciated :thumb: Don't think I helped you prove a point but maybe highlighted a weakness in your knowledge. :mlol: Keep up :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skav Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year When did boxing start staging rematches to spite the fans? Dawson-Hopkins 2, Hopkins-Jones 2, Hopkins Tarver 2. What have I ever done to Bernard Hopkins? Well, alright, I've called him an overrated, whinging, cheating, fouling, mauling egotist with a cherrypicking habit that would make Pacman blush, but frankly he should be big enough to let that go. Oi. Behave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemurphy Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year When did boxing start staging rematches to spite the fans? Dawson-Hopkins 2, Hopkins-Jones 2, Hopkins Tarver 2. What have I ever done to Bernard Hopkins? Well, alright, I've called him an overrated, whinging, cheating, fouling, mauling egotist with a cherrypicking habit that would make Pacman blush, but frankly he should be big enough to let that go. It speaks volumes that a 48-year-old who simply stays in shape and picks his shots, while bending the rules, can't be chased out of the game. To be honest, and no disrespect to BHOP, but it's kind of embarrassing to the sport, and the fighters in the LH division. There, I said it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavpowell Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Oi. Behave. Oh come on - his middleweight career is almost entirely forgettable - it's only his subsequent achievements that put him ahead of Calzaghe for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skav Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Oh come on - his middleweight career is almost entirely forgettable - it's only his subsequent achievements that put him ahead of Calzaghe for me. I pulled you up on it, not because I was going to argue that Hopkins achievements are great (even though I think they are), it is because plenty of people find him "boring." He has many critics. Nobody raves about him. He cannot possibly be overrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mofo2 Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Don't think I helped you prove a point but maybe highlighted a weakness in your knowledge. :mlol: Keep up :)Ive never said I was knowledgable :fish2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavpowell Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year I pulled you up on it, not because I was going to argue that Hopkins achievements are great (even though I think they are), it is because plenty of people find him "boring." He has many critics. Nobody raves about him. He cannot possibly be overrated. Have you not seen Ring Magazine and HBO? He was never raved about in his prime, but now he's venerated as some kind of living legend - even Boxing News(I think it was) had pieces in which he was hailed as providing all kinds of insights into his amazing abilities etc. HBO last time I heard them calling a Hopkins fight, could barely contain their excitement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodoCorazon17 Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Have you not seen Ring Magazine and HBO? He was never raved about in his prime, but now he's venerated as some kind of living legend - even Boxing News(I think it was) had pieces in which he was hailed as providing all kinds of insights into his amazing abilities etc. HBO last time I heard them calling a Hopkins fight, could barely contain their excitement. I agree with this. At this point - and over the last few years, especially since the Pascal W - Hopkins is treated as a messiah. Anything he does inside or outside the rules in the ring is simply labeled "old school". for me it's been consistent since day-1. Guy may be the most skilled boxer ever. But he bores the hell out of me. Always has, always will. Wouldn't pay to take a trip to one of his fights....which, for me, is the way I rank fighters across divisions. Not some mythical P4P list. But, would I shell out my hard earned money to travel to see him fight. No, I would not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshDevilRob Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year So, has Cleverlys opponent been announced today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_budweiser Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year So, has Cleverlys opponent been announced today? Press Conference got cancelled again, what that 3-4 times now?. The press conference is tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemurphy Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Press Conference got cancelled again, what that 3-4 times now?. The press conference is tomorrow. Or is it? You never know with these guys ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonRingRules Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year It's a credible fight for him to take, however Kovalev hasn't shown his qualities against anyone of substance yet! ---- Last time Popkins showed any substance was another era ago. Won't take but one good shot from a good puncher that he's been avoiding all these years. Pascal downed him twice with popcorn as did Superjoe, Jones, and Dawson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skav Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year Have you not seen Ring Magazine and HBO? He was never raved about in his prime, but now he's venerated as some kind of living legend - even Boxing News(I think it was) had pieces in which he was hailed as providing all kinds of insights into his amazing abilities etc. HBO last time I heard them calling a Hopkins fight, could barely contain their excitement. Actually, I don't read Ring, so no, I wouldn't have known to be honest. But a tv network bigging up a fighter they are showing on their network is hardly the sign of overrating a fighter, it is just something they have to do to get ratings. I'm sure it wasn't out of legit passion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mofo2 Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Re: Hopkins vs Kovalev looks to happen this year ---- Last time Popkins showed any substance was another era ago. Won't take but one good shot from a good puncher that he's been avoiding all these years. Pascal downed him twice with popcorn as did Superjoe, Jones, and Dawson. Bhop has nothing to prove he has done it all now, he is overdue a little respect from some quarters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now