Kovalev vs the heavyweights

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Are there any you would give him a chance against?
This subject requires some imagination but there's been precedence for light heavys fighting and beating heavyweights (as you all know).

When people like Greb were were beating heavyweights there wasn't the same weight disparity as there would be now for Kovalev due to the era of the super heavyweight, or not in all cases but, as in Greb's and other fighters of bygone era's, the skill won out in the end. Greb being more of a natural middle gives it even more substance.

Just using him as an example whereas Tunney , Charles, Moore, Foster, and many others have gone there. Roy Jones did it not long ago even if it was just for the one fight.

I think Kovalev is good enough to pick up some wins there and think his power may carry.
Anyone agree, have ideas of who he could beat or am I talking nonsense?

(I'm not comparing Kovalev to any of the other fighters by the way, only in weight)

Cheers Ranjit. History tells us I think, that the gap between the light heavies and the heavies is a brige too far just as the gap between middle and light heavy is unbridgeable (see Hopkins/Kovalev, though Hoppy could beat up lesser light heavies, and see Robinson/Maxim, though Ray was unlucky with the heat.)

Kov might be able to beat some of the lesser heavies but unlikely to beat the best. I hope that makes sense. A genuine middleweight champion is never going to beat a genuine light-heavyweight champion. A genuine light-heavyweight champion is never going to beat a genuine heavyweight champion imo. But a genuine welterweight champion can often beat a genuine middleweight champion.

RJJ??

C'mon Toppy, you're not reading the post, Ruiz genuine ???


RJJ beating Lewis, Tyson or Holy ???

There are countless middleweights who have stepped up and beaten genuine 175lbers, Hopkins, Jones, Tiger and Hearns among them.

James Toney beat Holyfield. He stepped up weight quite well-ish

By genuine, I mean genuine champion, not genuine light-heavy.

Learn to read Hammersmith.


And grow up, it's seems you are more intent on debating the poster rather than the subject.

James Toney is a good point and sprang to mind after I posted, but I would contend Holy was on the slide by then and not the main man.

Also bringing up Toney is somewhat missing the point.

As Toney was not an active middleweight when he beat Holy.

We are talking active and genuine here !

Herman Jaeger wrote:Learn to read Hammersmith

And grow up, it's seems you are more intent on debating the post rather than the subject.

James Toney is a good point and sprang to mind after I posted, but I would contend Holy was on the slide by then and not the main man

Careful son. Hammersmith will try to get you banned if he doesn't like you

Agree that Holyfield was on the slide but I think would have held his own against most heavy's despite being a Supermiddleweight originally

Hopkins beat two genuine light heavyweight champions whilst many regarded Jones as the man. Hard to argue there was anyone better than Hill for Hearns to beat either.

With this being a weak era for heavyweights, I think Kovalev could beat a few of them minus Wlad, Povetkin, Joshua and Wilder. Anyone else I'd say with his power he'd have a great chance of beating them.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Hopkins beat two genuine light heavyweight champions whilst many regarded Jones as the man. Hard to argue there was anyone better than Hill for Hearns to beat either.

Which two?

And Hill was never a genuine undisputed light-heavy champion, c'mon.

RanjitPatel wrote:With this being a weak era for heavyweights, I think Kovalev could beat a few of them minus Wlad, Povetkin, Joshua and Wilder. Anyone else I'd say with his power he'd have a great chance of beating them.

He could definitely beat plenty of them, though interestingly he did say that when he spars cruiser weights, they can sometimes push him around.

Bob Foster to bring up his name, could have beaten plenty of heavyweights too you feel, just happened to take on two of the greatest ever in Ali and Frazier !

You have to be something very special to be 175lbs and have the power to bother a 240lb+ boxer. I can tell you with some confidence that Kovalev vs Fury would be a bloodbath and end badly for Kovalev. I don't like Fury, I think he's really bad and makes boxing look bad by being one of the top rated in the division, but I feel the gulf in size would just be too great. I think we've had very few examples in history of a LHW being able to go up to those reaches. RJJ being the last freak of nature (but lets face it, Ruiz wasn't exactly massive)

Just think its too much to ask.

Herman Jaeger wrote:C'mon Toppy, you're not reading the post, Ruiz genuine ???


RJJ beating Lewis, Tyson or Holy ???

Was more in ref to MW>LHW. RJJ was the man at SMW and LHW having been a legitimate champ at MW after beating Hoppo there.

Herman Jaeger wrote:

RanjitPatel wrote:With this being a weak era for heavyweights, I think Kovalev could beat a few of them minus Wlad, Povetkin, Joshua and Wilder. Anyone else I'd say with his power he'd have a great chance of beating them.

He could definitely beat plenty of them, though interestingly he did say that when he spars cruiser weights, they can sometimes push him around.

Bob Foster to bring up his name, could have beaten plenty of heavyweights too you feel, just happened to take on two of the greatest ever in Ali and Frazier !

Except that he lost to almost any notable heavyweights he ever fought.

Kovalev's thinking about going after Beterbiev according to this bit of news:

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/kovalev-vs-beterbiev-next-299571

Pascal and Tarver were both THE light heavyweight champions when Hopkins beat them while as Raf will point out Foster lost to the mighty Doug Jones at Heavyweight.

Tarver was the champ at LH when Hopkins went up 2 divisions to beat him

Lance wrote:Tarver was the champ at LH when Hopkins went up 2 divisions to beat him

Wasn't following things closely back then, I've just checked it was for the Ring title.

But could you clarify for me- was Tarver the undisputed champion? Did Tarver have all four belts to his name?

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Pascal and Tarver were both THE light heavyweight champions when Hopkins beat them while as Raf will point out Foster lost to the mighty Doug Jones at Heavyweight.

Was Hopkins an active middleweight when he beat Pascal?

Wasn't Foster a late substitute for Zora Folley who pulled out with a virus, in the Jones fight?

Really squirming here, Herman. Perfectly valid examples have been given, not matter how much you try to twist the requirements to invalidate them.

I would note your OP that kicked off this debate never said that the boxer in question had to be active in both divisions at once, only that he had to 'bridge' them.

You also did not say undisputed nor qualify how this term is to be defined for the purposes of the question at hand.

Point still stands, look what happens when Hopkins took on the only dominant light-heavy he ever faced, ie the only light-heavy who would have been a champion in the old days of one title. Not just beaten, but schooled.

Going off track a bit here, but hate to see a great champion like Foster denigrated the way Hammersmith seems willing to do, so here's a couple of links:-

http://www.theboxingpost.com/2011/10/bob-foster-light-heavyweight-for-ages.html

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=159191

Eh?

So now we're talking about Hoppo several years after he first 'transitioned' the two divisions by beating Tarver and, later, Pascal.

Talk about moving the goalposts........

TopHat24/7 wrote:Eh?

So now we're talking about Hoppo several years after he first 'transitioned' the two divisions by beating Tarver and, later, Pascal.

Talk about moving the goalposts........

I know toppy, it's getting a bit confusing isn't it !


Time to wrap it up, I feel.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Pascal and Tarver were both THE light heavyweight champions when Hopkins beat them while as Raf will point out Foster lost to the mighty Doug Jones at Heavyweight.

I think kov would do ok a heavyweight assuming he was able to add weight. Adamek was able to move and was ranked in the top ten for years. The size/flab advantage of a lot of these heavyweights is grossly overplayed.

You have embarrassed yourself a bit Herman

Tarver was a clear number 1 in division before he fought Hkpkins. Kovalev has yet to be

Back to the Kov Adonis debacle, Super duck has apparently signed to fight Tommy Karpency next hahahahahaha

He's described Karpency as 'ranked top 10'. Disgraceful choice of opponent who has absolutely no chance. This is the epitomy of milking a title.

He'll definitely never fight Kovalev now. Hopefully Haymon will make him fight Beterbiev as it's easier to make before he retires. Fights like this make me think retirement may not be far off.

Braehmer fought Krasniqi last time out not Karpency, it's a crap fight but coming after the mighty Kovalev fighting Mohammedi I couldn't really give a toss, both as bad as each other.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Braehmer fought Krasniqi last time out not Karpency, it's a crap fight but coming after the mighty Kovalev fighting Mohammedi I couldn't really give a toss, both as bad as each other.

Oops, i'll get my coat.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Braehmer fought Krasniqi last time out not Karpency, it's a crap fight but coming after the mighty Kovalev fighting Mohammedi I couldn't really give a toss, both as bad as each other.

I was under the impression Mohammedi was Kovalev's mandatory?(Who he made very short work off). Is this fight for Stevenson a voluntary or a mandatory?

To be fair, Kovalev had to pay step aside money twice to the guy. I can imagine he wasn't too enamoured with the idea of continuously paying a guy not to waste his time.

To be more fair... Karpency has a win over a former Lineal champ.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Braehmer fought Krasniqi last time out not Karpency, it's a crap fight but coming after the mighty Kovalev fighting Mohammedi I couldn't really give a toss, both as bad as each other.

1. Mohammedi is still better than Clev-victim nurse Karpency; and
2. Is Karpency a mandatory (like Mo was, having twice stepped aside) or a voluntary.....??

Frankly, the only way some people's defences of Superduck could be any more hilarious is if Truss was here....