For Sergey Kovalev, A Stoppage Over Hopkins Would Be Monumental

Published

10 years ago

November 3, 2014

As of this writing, Floyd Mayweather is thought of as being the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing (although I believe Guillermo Rigondeaux, Roman Gonzalez, and Andre Ward are better right now). Gennady Golovkin is boxing’s brightest emerging star, Manny Pacquiao is probably the best known worldwide and Bernard Hopkins has the highest boxing IQ and best resume.

However, there’s a fight coming up on November 8th in which one of the participants, if he were to win by stoppage, he would own the most impressive victory of any active fighter in boxing. And that includes any victory on the resume of Mayweather, Pacquiao and Golovkin…

That’s right, if Sergey Kovalev 25-0-1 (23) were somehow able to defeat former middleweight and reigning WBA/IBF light heavyweight title holder Bernard Hopkins 55-6-2 (32) by stoppage, no active fighter in boxing would own such a monumental and historic victory.

Think about that… How many active fighters are there today that are certified all-time greats (excluding somewhat inactive Roy Jones and James Toney)? There’s Mayweather, Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez and Hopkins. Sure, there are a few others who are in the midst of making their case, but only the four mentioned are can’t miss and would be voted in tomorrow if a vote was taken. Yes, Mayweather, Pacquiao and Marquez have defeated some great fighters, but nothing on their record equals Kovalev stopping Hopkins if it happened, especially if the nature of the stoppage is a legit knockout where Hopkins doesn’t beat the 10-count. Not only has Hopkins never been stopped, he’s never absorbed a beating in 63 professional bouts.

I don’t care that Hopkins is almost 50. In a recent media poll, 12 out of 23 boxing observers picked him to win the fight – so you can’t argue that Kovalev beat an old man on his last legs. Old and not quite what he once was, yes, but certainly not on shaky legs. Nobody has ever been close to stopping Hopkins and he was only really shaken once in his career, against Segundo Mercado in the fifth round of their first fight.

Whenever a big puncher comes along, the likes of Sergey Kovalev or Gennady Golovkin, the first thing we want to know is: who has he stopped? Heavyweight Deontay Wilder has won every one of his 32 fights by knockout. Yet we really don’t know if he is a genuine knockout artist because there isn’t one opponent on his record who even resembles an upper-tier fighter. In other words, Wilder’s knockout percentage is suspect. We won’t know if Wilder is even remotely close to being the real deal until he fights and convincingly stops an upper-tier heavyweight.

The two Biggest Shockers Of My Lifetime:

When George Foreman fought Joe Frazier for the undisputed heavyweight title, he was 37-0 (34). Yet, there were many who questioned if he truly was a once- in-a-generation puncher. Then he demolished Frazier, knocking him down six times in 4:35 of actual combat. At the time Foreman stopped Frazier, Joe was 29 years old and sported a record of 29-0 (25). He was a year and a half removed from conclusively beating Muhammad Ali in the “Fight Of The Century.” Before the fight the thought of Frazier being stopped (he was a 3-1 favorite) wasn’t even a consideration. Oh, some now say they saw it coming but nobody other than Howard Cosell called it before the fight. Foreman’s destruction of “Smokin” Joe is one of the most impressive exhibitions of punching power in boxing history. Seeing Frazier beaten and punched around the ring is something that myself and a plethora of others never thought we’d see. That was the fight that sealed Foreman’s reputation as being a great puncher, and it was never questioned again. And because of it George was a 3-1 favorite over Muhammad Ali when they fought roughly a year and a half later.

If there ever was a knockout in boxing that certified a fighter’s punching power, it was Foreman’s annihilation of Frazier. However, there is one that happened 11 years later that was every bit as impressive over a fighter, who, like Frazier, nobody ever thought they’d see counted out. And that was Thomas Hearns’ two round knockout over Roberto Duran to retain his WBC junior middleweight title. Duran was seven months removed from going the distance with undisputed middleweight champ Marvin Hagler when he fought Hearns. Against Hagler, Roberto wasn’t hurt, shook or in trouble once during the 15-round bout. Yet Hearns knocked Roberto cold with one straight right hand to the chin in the second round. Yes, Hearns scored some impressive once-punch knockouts before he fought Duran, but knocking out a great fighter and warrior like Duran with one punch is about as impressive of a knockout as a fighter can score.

If there ever were two fighters who looked impervious to their opponent’s punches and enjoyed fighting and combat like Frazier and Duran, I can’t think of who they might be. Joe and Roberto were the poster-boys for what a durable and tough fighter is in the ring. Seeing them beaten up and manhandled on the way to suffering their first stoppage defeat was unfathomable before Mr. Foreman and Mr. Hearns showed up on 1/22/73 and 6/15/84. And to no one’s surprise, it never happened to either of them.

Back to Hopkins:

Bernard is viewed as being every bit as tough and durable as Frazier and Duran were, there’s just no way around that. He’s never really been beaten up or knocked around the ring for a single round of his 63 bout career, and he’s fought every tough guy and bad a** who’s come along since 1993. Nobody, I mean nobody, questions Hopkins’ toughness and durability, even at age 49. And that is why if Sergey Kovalev beats up Hopkins so much so that the referee has to save him from getting really hurt, or if Kovalev puts him down for the count, he’ll own the most significant win among all active fighters.

For those who may doubt that, go back and check the record of Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez or any other top fighter today, and see if they own a single victory that one could say is as impressive and monumental as what a Kovalev stoppage of Hopkins would be. The closest and most impressive victory that any active all-time great has scored today is Marquez’s one-punch knockout of Pacquiao. But Manny was stopped twice before, yes he was young, but it happened twice. And we’ve seen him rattled plenty before during his Hall-of-Fame career.

It’s not how many knockouts a fighter scores, it’s who he knocks out or stops that is the lie-detector as to whether he is a genuine puncher. If Sergey Kovalev can send the “alien” to planet unconscious, he will join Foreman and Hearns in scoring one of the most meaningful stoppages in boxing history.

I declare that if Bernard Hopkins can’t finish the fight against Kovalev on November 8th 2014, then Sergey must be viewed as boxing’s brightest new star. Because stopping Bernard Hopkins has to be the toughest assignment that could be asked of any fighter in 2014. And I think the sight of Hopkins staggering around or out cold would be about the most shocking thing I’ve ever seen live in the ring. Again, if it were to happen.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Photo Credit: Denis Bancroft/Main Events

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Frank Lotierzo

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

David A. Avila

Floyd-Schofield-Wins-a-Banger-and Gabriella-Fundora-Wins-by-KO

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

LAS VEGAS-Shades of Henry Armstrong and Baby Arizmendi. If you don’t know those names, look them up.

Floyd Schofield battled his way past Mexico’s super tough Rene Tellez Giron who walked through every blow the Texan could fire but lost by decision on Saturday.

It was a severe test and perfect matchmaking for Schofield who yearns for the big bouts against the lightweight giants roaming the world.

Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) remains undefeated and won the war over thick-necked Mexican Tellez Giron (20-4, 13 KOs) who has never been knocked out and proved to be immune to big punches.

In the opening rounds, the Texas fighter came out firing rapid combinations from the southpaw and orthodox stances. Meanwhile the shorter Tellez Giron studied and fired back an occasional counter for two rounds.

Tellez Giron had seen enough and took his stand in the third stanza. Both unleashed blazing bombs with Schofield turning his back to the Mexican. At that moment referee Tom Taylor could have waved the fight over.

You never turn your back.

The fight resumed and Schofield was damaged. He tried to open up with even more deadly fire but was rebuked by the strong chin of Tellez Giron who fired back in the mad frenzy.

For the remainder of the fight Schofield tried every trick in his arsenal to inflict damage on the thick-necked Mexican. He could not be wobbled. In the 11^th round both opened up with serious swing-from-the-heels combinations and suddenly Schofield was looking up. He beat the count easily and the two remained slugging it out.

“He hit me with a good shot,” Schofield said of the knockdown. “I just had to get up. I’m not going to quit.”

In the final round Schofield moved around looking for the proper moment to engage. The Mexican looked like a cat ready to pounce and the two fired furious blows. Neither was hit with the big bombs in the last seconds.

There was Tellez Giron standing defiantly like Baby Arizmendi must have stood in those five ferocious meetings against the incomparable Henry Armstrong. Three of their wars took place in Los Angeles, two at the Olympic Auditorium in the late 1930s as the U.S. was emerging from the Great Depression.

In this fight, Schofield took the win by unanimous decision by scores 118-109 twice and 116-111. It was well-deserved.

“I tried to bang it out,” said Schofield. “Today I learned you can’t always get the knockout.”

Fundora

IBF flyweight titlist Gabriela Fundora needed seven rounds to figure out the darting style of Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz before firing a laser left cross down the middle to end the battle and become the undisputed flyweight world champion.

Fundora now holds all four titles including the WBO, WBA and WBC titles that Alaniz brought in the ring.

Fundora knocked down Alaniz midway through the seventh round. She complained it was due to a tangle of the legs. Several seconds later Fundora blasted the Argentine to the floor again with a single left blast. This time there was no doubt. Her corner wisely waved a white towel to stop the fight at 1:40 of the seventh round.

No one argued the stoppage.

Other Bouts

Bektemir Melikuziev (15-1, 10 KOs) didn’t make weight in a title bout but managed to out-fight David Stevens (14-2, 10 KOs) in a super middleweight fight held at 12 rounds.

Melikuziev used his movement and southpaw stance to keep Pennsylvania’s Stevens from being able to connect with combinations. But Stevens did show he could handle “The Bully’s” punching power over the 12-round fight.

After 12 rounds one judge favored Stevens 116-112, while two others saw Melikuziev the winner by split decision 118-110 and 117-111.

Super middleweight WBA titlist Darius Fulghum (13-0, 11 KOs) pummeled his way to a technical knockout win over southpaw veteran Chris Pearson (17-5-1, 12 KOs) who attempted the rope-a-dope strategy to no avail.

Fulghum floored Pearson in the first round with a four-punch combination and after that just belted Pearson who covered up and fired an occasional blow. Referee Mike Perez stopped the fight at 1:02 of the third round when Pearson did not fire back after a blazing combination.

Young welterweight prospect Joel Iriarte (5-0, 5 KOs) blasted away at the three-inch shorter Xavier Madrid (5-6, 2 KOs) who hung tough for as long as possible. At 2:50 of the first round a one-two delivered Madrid to the floor and referee Thomas Taylor called off the beating.

Iriarte, from Bakersfield, Calif., could not miss with left uppercuts and short rights as New Mexico’s Madrid absorbed every blow but would not quit. It was just too much firepower from Iriarte that forced the stoppage.

Photos credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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Results and Recaps from Turning Stone where O’Shaquie Foster Nipped Robson Conceicao

Published

2 days ago

November 2, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Results-and-Recaps-from-Turning-Stone-where-O'Shaquie-Foster-Nipped-Robson-Conceicao

Top Rank was at the Turning Stone casino-resort in Verona, New York, tonight with an 8-bout card topped by a rematch between Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster with the victor retaining or recapturing his IBF world junior lightweight title. When the smoke cleared, the operative word was “recapturing” as Foster became a two-time title-holder, avenging his controversial setback to the Brazilian in Newark on July 6.

This was a somewhat better fight than their initial encounter and once again the verdict was split. Foster prevailed by 115-113 on two of the cards with the dissenting judge favoring Conceicao by the same margin. Conceicao seemingly had the edge after nine frames, but Foster, a 4/1 favorite, landed the harder shots in the championship rounds.

It was the thirteenth victory in the last 14 starts for Foster who fights out of Houston. A two-time Olympian and 2016 gold medalist, the 36-year-old Conceicao is 19-3-1 overall and 1-3-1 in world title fights.

Semi-wind-up

SoCal lightweight Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) made a big jump in public esteem and moved one step closer to a world title fight with a second-round blast-out of Jose Antonio Perez who was on the canvas twice but on his feet when the fight was stopped at the 1:24 mark of round two. Muratalla, a product of Robert Garcia’s boxing academy, is ranked #2 by the WBC and WBO. A Tijuana native, Perez (25-6) earned this assignment with an upset of former Olympian and former 130-pound world titlist Jojo Diaz,

Other Bouts

Syracuse junior welterweight Bryce Mills, a high-pressure fighter with a strong local following, stopped scrawny Mike O’Han Jr whose trainer Mark DeLuca pulled him out after five one-sided rounds. Mills improved to 17-1 (6 KOs). It was another rough day at the office for Massachusetts house painting contractor O’’Han (19-4) who had the misfortune of meeting Abdullah Mason in his previous bout.

In a junior lightweight fight that didn’t heat up until late in the final round, Albany’s Abraham Nova (23-3-1) and Tijuana native Humberto Galindo (14-3-3) fought to a 10-round draw. It was another close-but-no- cigar for the likeable Nova who at least stemmed a two-fight losing streak. The judges had it 97-93 (Galindo), 96-94 (Nova) and 95-95.

Twenty-one-year-old Long Island middleweight Jahi Tucker advanced to 13-1-1 (6 KOs) with an eighth-round stoppage of Stockton’s teak-tough but outclassed Quilisto Madera (14-6). Madera was on a short leash after five rounds, but almost took it to the final bell with the referee intervening with barely a minute remaining in the contest. Madera was on his feet when the match was halted. Earlier in the round, Tucker had a point deducted for hitting on the break.

Danbury, Connecticut heavyweight Ali Feliz, one of two fighting sons of journeyman heavyweight Fernely Feliz, improved to 4-0 (3) with a second-round stoppage of beefy Rashad Coulter (5-5). Feliz had Coulter pinned against the ropes and was flailing away when the bout was halted at the 1:34 mark. The 42-year-old Coulter, a competitor in all manner of combat sports, hadn’t previously been stopped when competing as a boxer.

Featherweight Yan Santana dominated and stopped Mexico’s Eduardo Baez who was rescued by referee Charlie Fitch at the 1:57 mark of round four. It was the 12^th knockout in 13 starts for Santana, a 24-year-old Dominican father of three A former world title challenger, Mexicali’s Baez declines to 23-7-2 but has lost six of his last eight.

In his most impressive showing to date, Damian Knyba, a six-foot-seven Pole, knocked out paunchy Richard Lartey at the 2:10 mark of round three. A right-left combination knocked Lartey into dreamland, but it was the right did the damage and this was of the nature of a one-punch knockout. Referee Ricky Gonzalez waived the fight off without starting a count.

Knyba, 28, improved to 14-0 (8 KOs). A native of Ghana coming off his career-best win, a fourth-round stoppage of Polish veteran Andrzej Wawrzyk, Lartey declined to 16-7 with his sixth loss inside the distance.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 303: Spotlights on Lightweights and More

Published

3 days ago

November 1, 2024

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-303-Spotlights-on-Lightweights-and-More

Those lightweights.

Whether junior lights, super lights or lightweights, it’s the 130-140 divisions where most of boxing’s young stars are found now or in the past.

Think Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Schofield (17-0, 12 KOs) a Texas product, hungers to be a star and takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (20-3, 13 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotion card that includes a female undisputed flyweight championship match pitting Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz and Gabriela Fundora.

Like a young lion looking to flex, Schofield (pictured on the left) is eager to meet all the other young lions and prove they’re not equal.

“I’ve been in the room with Shakur, Tank. I want to give everyone a good fight. I feel like my preparation is getting better, I work hard, I’ve dedicated my whole life to this sport,” said Schofield naming fellow lightweights Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

Now he meets Mexico’s Tellez who has never been stopped.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” said Tellez.

Even in Las Vegas.

Verona, New York

Meanwhile, in upstate New York, a WBC junior lightweight title rematch finds Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) looking to prove superior to former titlist O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank fight card.

Last July, Conceicao and Foster clashed and after 12 rounds the title changed hands from Foster to the Brazilian by split decision.

“I feel that a champion is a fighter who goes out there and doesn’t run around, who looks for the fight, who tries to win, and doesn’t just throw one or two punches and then moves away,” said Conceicao.

Foster disagrees.

“I hope he knows the name of the game is to hit and not get hit. That’s the name of the game,” said Foster.

Also on the same card is lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) who fights Mexico’s Jesus Perez Campos (25-5, 18 KOs).

Perez recently defeated former world champion Jojo Diaz last February in California.

“We’re made for challenges. I like challenges,” said Perez.

Muratalla likes challenges too.

“I think these fights are the types of fights I need to show my skills and to prove I deserve those title fights,” said Fontana’s Muratalla.

Female Undisputed Flyweight Championship

WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight titlist Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs meets IBF titlist Gabriela Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. DAZN will stream the clash for the undisputed flyweight championship.

Argentina’s Alaniz clashed twice against former WBA, WBC champ Marlen Esparza with their first encounter ending in a dubious win for the Texas fighter. In fact, three of Esparza’s last title fights were scored controversially.

But against Alaniz, though they fought on equal terms, Esparza was given a 99-91 score by one of the judges though the world saw a much closer contest. So, they fought again, but the rematch took place in California. Two judges deemed Alaniz the winner and one Esparza for a split-decision win.

“I’m really happy to be here representing Argentina. We are ready to fight. Nothing about this fight has to do with Marlen. So, I hope she (Fundora) is ready. I am ready to prepare myself for the great fight of my life,” said Alaniz.

In the case of Fundora, the extremely tall American fighter at 5’9” in height defeated decent competition including Maria Santizo. She was awarded a match with IBF flyweight titlist Arely Mucino who opted for the tall youngster over the dangerous Kenia Enriquez of Mexico.

Bad choice for Mucino.

Fundora pummeled the champion incessantly for five rounds at the Inglewood Forum a year ago. Twice she battered her down and the fight was mercifully stopped. Fundora’s arm was raised as the new champion.

Since that win Fundora has defeated Christina Cruz and Chile’s Daniela Asenjo in defense of the IBF title. In an interesting side bit: Asenjo was ranked as a flyweight contender though she had not fought in that weight class for seven years.

Still, Fundora used her reach and power to easily handle the rugged fighter from Chile.

Immediately after the fight she clamored for a chance to become undisputed.

“It doesn’t get better than this, especially being in Las Vegas. This is the greatest opportunity that we can have,” said Fundora.

It should be exciting.

Fights to Watch

Sat. ESPN+ 2:50 p.m. Robson Conceicao (19-2-1) vs O’Shaquie Foster (22-3).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Floyd Schofield (17-0) vs Rene Tellez Giron (20-3); Gabriela Alaniz (15-1) vs Gabriela Fundora (14-0).

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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