Kovalev Brings Pressure and Power; Hopkins will Conduct & Inflict or Breakdown and Fail

11/07/201411/06/2014 Paul Strauss

This saturday at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, N.J., maestro Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins 55- 6-2 (32KO) will attempt to conduct a clinic highlighting his knowledge, experience, good judgement and discipline. No other boxer in history has successfully accomplished what he has. He is the consummate artist. Only weeks away from his 50th birthday, in exemplary fashion, he will climb into the ring with the “Krusher”, Sergey Kovalev 25-0-1 (23KO). At 31 the Russian is still a whippersnapper to Hopkins.

Hopkins, the Alien, sees things differently than most. When fans, and a few boxing experts, look at Krusher, they see a tough, determined fighter, who is ready to flatten anyone who stands in his way. So far he has been able to live up to his nickname by knocking the stuffing out of 23 of his 26 opponents. Not a bad percentage, just a couple of points shy of Gennady Golovkin’s 90%,

The Rodney Dangerfield of Boxing: Bernard Hopkins aka Bhop

11/04/201411/04/2014 Dapadre

Rodney Dangerfield made the catchphrase “I don’t get no respect” famous. Bernard Hopkins must be thinking the same.

This coming weekend Bhop goes up against hard hitting WBO Lt. Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev, which is an intriguing matchup. Can the hard hitting Kovalev catch Bhop and make him pay or will Bhop once again figure out how to win? The predictions are pretty much 50/50. There are those that think Bhop can’t keep betting against Father time and win, but truth be told we have seen him do this time and time again and there lies my pet peeve. Dislike him for his antics outside the ring and his ranting and sometimes ill advised comments (I will never let a white boy beat me), but please give this man credit for his accomplishments inside the ring. Only that alone is cause to give him benefit of the doubt. At 48 he is taking on the most dangerous guy in the division hands down, something Stevenson didn’t do. Bhop has ducked no one. Some other self proclaimed ATG can take a page from his book.

Hopkins v. Kovalev: Just How Old Is Bernard Hopkins?

11/03/201411/02/2014 Bill Barner

Approaching his 50th birthday, Bernard Hopkins is now a full eighteen years older than Rocky Marciano was when he [Marciano] retired from boxing. As B-Hop faces yet another World Champion in Sergey Kovalev on Saturday, November 8, 2014, here is a look at some historical events and landmarks that put Hopkins’ age as a prizefighter into perspective:

When Bernard Hopkins was born…

– Lyndon B. Johnson was President of the United States
– Winston Churchill was alive

Hopkins: I have 10 weapons to Kovalev’s one bomb

11/04/201411/02/2014 Bill Phanco

IBF/WBA light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) respects the power that WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs) will be bringing to their fight this Saturday night on HBO Championship Boxing at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, Hopkins feels that he’s got more ways to beat Kovalev than he does.

Hopkins figures that all he needs to do is nullify Kovalev’s power and he’ll have the fight won. That’s obviously going to be a lot easier said than done, because Kovalev is going to be on top of Hopkins for the full 12 rounds looking to blast him out with each shot. If Kovalev does fade in the later rounds, it likely won’t be unless the 8th or 9th. By then, he’ll have hit Hopkins with a lot of really hard head and body shots, and that might take a lot of the fight out of the aging 49-year-old.

Kovalev’s trainer wants him to hit Hopkins everywhere

11/01/201410/31/2014 Jeff Sorby

John David Jackson, the trainer for WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs), believes the best strategy for Kovalev to beat the 49-year-old IBF/WBA 175lb champion Bernard Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) in their fight on November 8th is for him to hit Hopkins everywhere – to his body, shoulders, arms and head. Jackson feels that this is the best way for Kovalev to wear the nearly 50-year-old Hopkins out to either score a knockout or win by a decision.

“I want him to hit Hopkins everywhere, his shoulder, his arms, body shots. Sergey is more athletic. He has power in both hands. He’s not robotic like Hopkins is. Sergey cuts the ring off. Bernard can’t match him power for power,” said Jackson via Fightnews.com.

Kovalev will earn $500K in his bout against Bernard Hopkins

10/31/2014 Vitali Shaposhnikov

We are just about a week away from one of the more talked about Bernard Hopkins bouts in a long time. While Hopkins (55-6-2) has already achieved more than most boxers could expect for themselves, at the age of 49 he is certainly pushing those limits of father time and human physiology. Nevertheless, the adrenaline of stepping through the ropes as well as the comfort of the cheering crowd is something that Hopkins is not willing to abandon just yet.

Sergey Kovalev Interview

10/31/201410/30/2014 Main Events

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev opened up his camp to the media today in preparation for his Nov. 8 light heavyweight unification bout with Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ and live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.

Question: How do you study Hopkins?

Sergey Kovalev: “I don’t study anybody. It is better to go to the gym to do some work for my shape or spend time to cook my breakfast or sleep in my bed. Why I need to spend the time?”

Kovalev: I’ll fight dirty against Hopkins if he fights dirty

10/26/2014 Jeff Sorby

World Boxing Organization (WBO) light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs) is ready for any dirty tricks IBF/WBA light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) plans on using in their unification fight next month on November 8th on HBO at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Kovalev says he plans on fighting dirty if the 49-year-old Hopkins fights dirty. He says he’s going to fight a clean fight, but if Hopkins wants to take it to another level and start getting physical with him then he’ll accommodate him by playing the same way.

Sergey Kovalev Interview Transcript

10/24/2014 Golden Boy Promotions

Oscar De La Hoya – We are getting close to what is probably the most anticipated event of this year, the main event, “Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev,” which will be a 12-round light heavyweight unification bout. The co-feature, we’re excited to announce is Sadam Ali vs. Luis Carlos Abregu, which will be a 10-round welterweight bout, and that event is being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank taking place at Caesars Atlantic City. We are excited to be also once again working with Corona Extra, AT&T, Hortitsia Vodka and Mexico – Live it To Believe It.

Tickets are still available but they are, as a lot of people here on this call can attest to it, going extremely, extremely well. Obviously, it’s a testament to the great card that we have put together. Now let me, without any further ado, introduce to you a co-promoter of this magnificent event to introduce to you Kovalev, is the CEO of Main Events, Kathy Duva.

Hopkins sees himself on another level as Kovalev

10/23/2014 T.Baker

IBF/WBA light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) might be nearing 50-years-old and losing punching power, but he still feels he’s at a higher level than his opponent WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs) who he’ll be facing on November 8th on HBO Championship Boxing at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Hopkins thinks he’s going to take the hard hitting Russian Kovalev to school next month and show him the difference between the levels he fights at and the one Kovalev has been fighting at during his career.