Comments Thread For: Kovalev: No Plans To Leave 175, Even With Andre Ward Win

[techliam]

so the 2 most "avoided" fighters seem to be the 2 least willing to go up in weight and take risks what a shocker

Ward isn't a risk to Kovalev? Theres risks in his own division. Going by the logic in your post alone, he should be at HW where the biggest risks are.

[techliam]

**** thats a huge f#cking jump. Can't really blame him. How do you gain 25lbs of non-fat at 30 whatever age Kov is. Plus 175 is the ***ier division right now. More interesting fights to be had with guys on the verge of becoming known. Plus I need to see Kov vs Beterbiev. I think Beterbiev is gonna beat all these fools, but it'll be much more fun if he fights the guys currently on top like Kov, Ward & Stevenson (assuming Beterbiev fights on his knees or with one hand behind his back so Stevenson feels safe taking the fight) vs the guys coming up.

I don't think Stevenson is relevant at the top of 175 at this time. He's about to fight his 4th over matched opponent in a row, and should be punished for doing so, especially when there are options out there for him.

175 is stacked though. There are good fighters that no-one has heard of (for good reason). From the top of my head we have Kovalev, Ward, Pascal, Braehmer, Fonfara, Alvarez, Shabranskyy, Beterbiev and ofc Stevenson. The mid tier opponents (top 20) are also pretty good, with Cleverly, Williams, Barrera, Oosthuizen, Murat, Cloud etc. 175 seems top heavy, but only because Kovalev has outshone everyone else there (excluding new comer Ward). How anyone can criticise Kovalev for wanting to remain in a much stronger division, is far beyond me.

[BoxingFan85]

Win or lose against Ward. Kovalev will get to face Beterbiev, Oleskandr & Bivol 3 most lucrative LHW prospects in the coming 1-2 years.. & should make worthy opponents..

[BoxingFan85]

**** thats a huge f#cking jump. Can't really blame him. How do you gain 25lbs of non-fat at 30 whatever age Kov is. Plus 175 is the ***ier division right now. More interesting fights to be had with guys on the verge of becoming known. Plus I need to see Kov vs Beterbiev. I think Beterbiev is gonna beat all these fools, but it'll be much more fun if he fights the guys currently on top like Kov, Ward & Stevenson (assuming Beterbiev fights on his knees or with one hand behind his back so Stevenson feels safe taking the fight) vs the guys coming up.

Its going to be a mismatch if he were to face this year.. But I'd like to Beterbiev vs Oleskandr vs Bivol and see the emergence of the best prospect in the next year or 2..

[Chrismart]

LHW to CW is a big leap. Plus LHW is a good division..i don't see any problem with Kovalev staying there.

[MDPopescu]

Kovaliov doesn't give a fuck... Didn't you watch him?...

[John Locke]

Good, 175 is full of talent and I wanna see Kovalev mix it up with all of them. Mekhontsev, Bivol, Gvozdyk, Beterbiev etc

[letsgobrady]

it seems like the new thing is to force people from middleweight and above to move up in weight as if mw is the same as lightweight.
where was all this you have to move up in weight 3-4 years ago? i dont remember anyone trying to force any mw to move up in weight 4-5 years ago but now that people dont like triple g you all made a new rule of everyone has to move up in weight

[thabanga510]

John David Jackson admitted the cruiser weight Isaiah Thomas gave Kovalev that work in sparring.

[Eff Pandas]

I don't think Stevenson is relevant at the top of 175 at this time. He's about to fight his 4th over matched opponent in a row, and should be punished for doing so, especially when there are options out there for him.

LOL solid critique of Stevenson that I think most acknowledge, but he's still relevant even if he's dipping further into obscurity with each fight.

175 is stacked though. There are good fighters that no-one has heard of (for good reason). From the top of my head we have Kovalev, Ward, Pascal, Braehmer, Fonfara, Alvarez, Shabranskyy, Beterbiev and ofc Stevenson. The mid tier opponents (top 20) are also pretty good, with Cleverly, Williams, Barrera, Oosthuizen, Murat, Cloud etc. 175 seems top heavy, but only because Kovalev has outshone everyone else there (excluding new comer Ward). How anyone can criticise Kovalev for wanting to remain in a much stronger division, is far beyond me.

Definitely a stacked division with a lot of fun fights to make at all levels. The tip top is a lil bare right now cuz the best guys aren't fighting yet, but there are a ton of guys on the rise & all they can do is make things more interesting.

As for people critical of Kov I think people are far too into being successful at one weight meaning you need to move up is the thing. I obviously don't agree with that stance as everyone isn't even able to put on weight, but the next division to move up to requirements make the need for Kov to move up "to prove himself further" is nuts. If the next division was 182 or 185 or something like that it might be a more reasonable request, but gaining 25lbs of healthy weight at 30 something isn't a reasonable plan for Kov or anyone else. If guys wanna do that far enough, but I think expecting it is a silly expectation.