I’d Rather Be Wrong Picking Hopkins Over Kovalev Than The Opposite

Published

10 years ago

November 8, 2014

Tonight, WBA/IBF light heavyweight title holder Bernard Hopkins 55-6-2 (32) will meet WBO light heavyweight title holder Sergey Kovalev 25-0-1 (23). Hopkins, 49, just nine weeks shy of 50, is roughly a 3-1 underdog in the bout. And that’s mainly because of his age and the fact that many boxing observers see Kovalev as being the hardest puncher and most dangerous fighter Hopkins will fight since moving up to light heavyweight a little over eight years ago.

Hopkins was a solid underdog in his maiden light heavyweight bout when he challenged Antonio Tarver for the “Ring Magazine” lineal title during the summer of 2006. Back then Hopkins was coming off two suspect decision losses to Jermain Taylor, thus losing all four of his middleweight title belts. The thought at the time was, Tarver, who beat Roy Jones in their rubber match in his last bout, would be too big and strong for the 3-1 underdog Hopkins. Like many, I figured that if Hopkins couldn’t conclusively beat Taylor once in two fights, how he would handle the bigger and stronger Tarver, who was much more seasoned and tested than Taylor.

Now here we are again. In Kovalev, Hopkins is facing another physically big and strong light heavyweight, like Tarver, only Hopkins is 49, not 41. Kovalev’s reputation is even bigger than what Tarver’s was as far as being a “catch n’ kill” knockout artist. However, nobody mentions how Tarver clearly faced and defeated a significantly better grade of fighters than what Kovalev has faced in his 26 professional bouts. And needless for me to overstate it, Hopkins literally and figuratively took Tarver apart the night they fought. Hopkins had Tarver down in the fifth round and routed him by the scores of 118-109 on all three judges’ scorecards.

I said after that fight I would never pick against Hopkins again. Well I did, I picked him to lose to both Joe Calzaghe and Chad Dawson by decision, and he did. Although I did have him beating Calzaghe by a point. That said, my reasoning for picking Calzaghe and Dawson to beat Hopkins was based strictly on style. It’s been my belief, especially since the two Taylor fights and his move up to light heavyweight, that Hopkins is most vulnerable to quicker handed and footed fighters who look to get in and get out. Basically, they beat Hopkins at playing touch and tag and don’t even attempt to hurt or knock him out. As opposed to power driven fighters like Tarver, Kelly Pavlik and Jean Pascal, who looked to impose themselves physically on Hopkins.

Since the Tarver fight I’ve contended that it’ll take a fighter with more than sheer power and aggression to beat Hopkins. And when all is said and done, what is Sergey Kovalev’s identity? It’s power and steady pressure. Yes, he’s a tall and rangy light heavyweight. But unlike past Hopkins opponents, he does his best work from mid-range and can probably hurt Hopkins without having to get inside or crowd him, something that could very well be a key to a Kovalev victory. Then again if Hopkins isn’t bothered much by Kovalev’s Sunday punches, regardless where they’re launched from, it’s unlikely he’ll win.

I’ve been thinking about who I like in this fight since it was signed. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone back and forth so much in trying to decide who I think will win a fight. And that of course is why the bout is so intriguing and much anticipated. Will power and aggression overcome technical proficiency and experience -or- will wisdom and versatility trump physicality and youth?

I generally have an opinion about who’ll win an upcoming fight, but this is one where I just can’t get a firm feel for it. Aside from Hopkins by early kayo, I can picture almost any result here.

So here are my thoughts:

I know Hopkins has taken the bullets away from every big puncher he has ever faced, and reduced them to looking like they were trying to knock out a sheet hung over a clothes line. Kovalev is perceived as being the best two-handed puncher in the light heavyweight division. Hopkins’ last three opponents Beibut Shumenov, Karo Murat and Tavoris Cloud all went the distance with him and only Shumenov touched the canvas. Kovalev is bigger, stronger and much more capable and dangerous than the three of them combined.

Hopkins is closer to 50 years old than 49. He’s not the fighter he was five years ago. As much as I love Bernard as a fighter, he really hasn’t beaten anyone close to being special in awhile and, Kovalev has never faced a special fighter. I also don’t know if Sergey Kovalev is special, but if I had to bet, I think there’s a good chance he just may be. I also don’t believe Hopkins is going to be able to unravel Kovalev the way he has done so many other big punchers and opponents. I get the feeling Kovalev isn’t the type to come undone by some of the deceptions and mirages that Hopkins presents. Add to that I think Kovalev being able to get Hopkins’ respect from mid-range because he’s not a big hooker and does damage when he catches you at the end of his punches, could be a big factor.

Another thing I’m looking at, is Kovalev is going to be making the fight (regardless of what Hopkins has hinted regarding switching roles for this fight). With Kovalev pushing the action and most likely landing the bigger shots, that’ll make it easier for the judges to give him rounds. And lastly, it’s better business if Kovalev wins. Like Gennady Golovkin, Sergey can be promoted as a killer, only he’ll have superior credentials to Golovkin if he beats Hopkins. Make that 10-fold if he stops him.

Boxing’s new stars are knocking at the door. With a win against Hopkins, Kovalev will be the fighter standing behind it when it opens. Kovalev’s size, power, youth and corner, along with my belief that the boxing establishment (which will factor into the decision if it’s close) is looking to get rid of Hopkins and use his name to promote its latest emerging star, makes it very tempting to go with Kovalev.

But I can’t.

I remember when Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe met the first time for Holyfield’s undisputed heavyweight title. My belief at the time was, Bowe had the style and size to really give Holyfield trouble and beat him. However, I had questions about Bowe’s stamina and character. Had I not had those questions regarding Bowe, I may have picked him to beat Holyfield. But I couldn’t get past those voices in my head about Bowe. And the last fighter I’m picking to beat Holyfield in his first big fight is a fighter who I had questions about pertaining to his constitution and stamina. So I went with Holyfield and was wrong because Bowe fought the greatest fight of his life that night. And you know what, I’ve never questioned my decision for going with Holyfield for the reasons that I did.

In some ways, Hopkins-Kovalev, when it comes to picking the winner, reminds me of how I felt in the leadup to Holyfield-Bowe I. I know what Hopkins is, and that’s a great fighter/boxer/technician that is as tough and durable as any fighter ever. There are no questions or unknowns about Hopkins. The only question is, when Father Time will finally catch up with him. He’s two months shy of 50 years old, that day is drawing closer every time he enters the ring. Will it be against Kovalev, maybe? I think I know what kind of a commodity that Sergey Kovalev may be, but I do have some unanswered questions. Would I be surprised if Kovalev beat Hopkins, no. However, he doesn’t get the benefit of my doubt until his next fight after Hopkins, if he wins. I know what I’m getting in Hopkins; I don’t fully know that about Kovalev.

So I’m gonna roll with the known entity, Hopkins. And that’s simply because I’d rather be wrong Sunday morning going with the proven great fighter who became an old fighter on Saturday night, as opposed to being wrong Sunday morning because the old all-time great fighter schooled the up and coming, but untested, next guy.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Photo Credit : David Spagnolo

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Frank Lotierzo

Ringside at the Fontainebleau where Mikaela Mayer Won her Rematch with Sandy Ryan

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Ringside-at-the-Fontainebleau-where-Mikaela-Mayer-won-her-Rematch-with-Sandy-Ryan

LAS VEGAS, NV — The first meeting between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan last September at Madison Square Garden was punctuated with drama before the first punch was thrown. When the smoke cleared, Mayer had become a world-title-holder in a second weight class, taking away Ryan’s WBO welterweight belt via a majority decision in a fan-friendly fight.

The rematch tonight at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas was another fan-friendly fight. There were furious exchanges in several rounds and the crowd awarded both gladiators a standing ovation at the finish.

Mayer dominated the first half of the fight and held on to win by a unanimous decision. But Sandy Ryan came on strong beginning in round seven, and although Mayer was the deserving winner, the scores favoring her (98-92 and 97-93 twice) fail to reflect the competitiveness of the match-up. This is the best rivalry in women’s boxing aside from Taylor-Serrano.

Mayer, 34, improved to 21-2 (5). Up next, she hopes, in a unification fight with Lauren Price who outclassed Natasha Jonas earlier this month and currently holds the other meaningful pieces of the 147-pound puzzle. Sandy Ryan, 31, the pride of Derby, England, falls to 7-3-1.

Co-Feature

In his first defense of his WBO world welterweight title (acquired with a brutal knockout of Giovani Santillan after the title was vacated by Terence Crawford), Atlanta’s Brian Norman Jr knocked out Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas in the third round. A three-punch combination climaxed by a short left hook sent Cuevas staggering into a corner post. He got to his feet before referee Thomas Taylor started the count, but Taylor looked in Cuevas’s eyes and didn’t like what he saw and brought the bout to a halt.

The stoppage, which struck some as premature, came with one second remaining in the third stanza.

A second-generation prizefighter (his father was a fringe contender at super middleweight), the 24-year-old Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) is currently boxing’s youngest male title-holder. It was only the second pro loss for Cuevas (27-2-1) whose lone previous defeat had come early in his career in a 6-rounder he lost by split decision.

Other Bouts

In a career-best performance, 27-year-old Brooklyn featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) blasted out Jose Enrique Vivas (23-4) in the third round.

Carrington, who was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials despite being the lowest-seeded boxer in his weight class, decked Vivas with a right-left combination near the end of the second round. Vivas barely survived the round and was on a short leash when the third stanza began. After 53 seconds of round three, referee Raul Caiz Jr had seen enough and waived it off. Vivas hadn’t previously been stopped.

Cleveland welterweight Tiger Johnson, a Tokyo Olympian, scored a fifth-round stoppage over San Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda. Johnson assumed control in the fourth round and sent Castaneda to his knees twice with body punches in the next frame. The second knockdown terminated the match. The official time was 2:00 of round five.

Johnson advanced to 15-0 (7 KOs). Castenada declined to 21-9.

Las Vegas junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (13-0, 11 KOs) blasted out Stockton, California’s Giovanni Gonzalez in the second round. Vargas brought the bout to a sudden conclusion with a sweeping left hook that knocked Gonzalez out cold. The end came at the 2:00 minute mark of round two.

Gonzalez brought a 20-7-2 record which was misleading as 18 of his fights were in Tijuana where fights are frequently prearranged. However, he wasn’t afraid to trade with Vargas and paid the price.

Emiliano Vargas, with his matinee idol good looks and his boxing pedigree – he is the son of former U.S. Olympian and two-weight world title-holder “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas – is highly marketable and has the potential to be a cross-over star.

Eighteen-year-old Newark bantamweight Emmanuel “Manny” Chance, one of Top Rank’s newest signees, won his pro debut with a four-round decision over So Cal’s Miguel Guzman. Chance won all four rounds on all three cards, but this was no runaway. He left a lot of room for improvement.

There was a long intermission before the co-main and again before the main event, but the tedium was assuaged by a moving video tribute to George Foreman.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

Published

3 days ago

March 29, 2025

David A. Avila

William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

No surprise, once again William Zepeda eked out a win over the clever and resilient Tevin Farmer to remain undefeated and retain a regional lightweight title on Saturday.

There were no knockdowns in this rematch.

The Mexican punching machine Zepeda (33-0, 17 KOs) once more sought to overwhelm Farmer (33-8-1, 9 KOs) with a deluge of blows. This rematch by Golden Boy Promotions took place in the famous beach resort area of Cancun, Mexico.

It was a mere four months ago that both first clashed in Saudi Arabia with their vastly difference styles. This time the tropical setting served as the background which suited Zepeda and his lawnmower assaults. The Mexican fans were pleased.

Nothing changed in their second meeting.

Zepeda revved up the body assault and Farmer moved around casually to his right while fending off the Mexican fighter’s attacks. By the fourth round Zepeda was able to cut off Farmer’s escape routes and targeted the body with punishing shots.

The blows came in bunches.

In the fifth round Zepeda blasted away at Farmer who looked frantic for an escape. The body assault continued with the Mexican fighter pouring it on and Farmer seeming to look ready to quit. When the round ended, he waved off his corner’s appeals to stop.

Zepeda continued to dominate the next few rounds and then Farmer began rallying. At first, he cleverly smothered Zepeda’s body attacks and then began moving and hitting sporadically. It forced the Mexican fighter to pause and figure out the strategy.

Farmer, a Philadelphia fighter, showed resiliency especially when it was revealed he had suffered a hand injury.

During the last three rounds Farmer dug down deep and found ways to score and not get hit. It was Boxing 101 and the Philly fighter made it work.

But too many rounds had been put in the bank by Zepeda. Despite the late rally by Farmer one judge saw it 114-114, but two others scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for Zepeda who retains his interim lightweight title and place at the top of the WBC rankings.

“I knew he was a difficult fighter. This time he was even more difficult,” said Zepeda.

Farmer was downtrodden about another loss but realistic about the outcome and starting slow.

“But I dominated the last rounds,” said Farmer.

Zepeda shrugged at the similar outcome as their first encounter.

“I’m glad we both put on a great show,” said Zepeda.

Female Flyweight Battle

Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle edged past Texas fighter Marlen Esparza to win their showdown at flyweight by split decision after 10 rounds.

Valle moved up two weight divisions to meet Esparza who was slightly above the weight limit. Both showed off their contrasting styles and world class talent.

Esparza, a former unified flyweight world titlist, stayed in the pocket and was largely successful with well-placed jabs and left hooks. She repeatedly caught Valle in-between her flurries.

The current minimumweight world titlist changed tactics and found more success in the second half of the fight. She forced Esparza to make the first moves and that forced changes that benefited her style.

Neither fighter could take over the fight.

After 10 rounds one judge saw Esparza the winner 96-94, but two others saw Valle the winner 97-93 twice.

Will Valle move up and challenge the current undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora? That’s the question.

Valle currently holds the WBC minimumweight world title.

Puerto Rico vs Mexico

Oscar Collazo (12-0, 9 KOs), the WBO, WBA minimumweight titlist, knocked out Mexico’s Edwin Cano (13-3-1, 4 KOs) with a flurry of body shots at 1:12 of the fifth round.

Collazo dominated with a relentless body attack the Mexican fighter could not defend. It was the Puerto Rican fighter’s fifth consecutive title defense.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 319: Rematches in Las Vegas, Cancun and More

Published

5 days ago

March 28, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-319-Rematches-in-Las-Vegas-Cancun-and-More

Rematches are the bedrock for prizefighting.

Return battles between rival boxers always means their first encounter was riveting and successful at the box office.

Six months after their first brutal battle Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) and Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) will slug it out again for the WBO welterweight world title this time on Saturday, March 29, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.

ESPN will show the Top Rank card live.

“It’s important for women’s boxing to have these rivalries and this is definitely up there as one of the top ones,” Mayer told the BBC.

If you follow Mayer’s career you know that somehow drama follows. Whether its back-and-forth beefs with fellow American fighters or controversial judging due to nationalism in countries abroad. The Southern California native who now trains in Las Vegas knows how to create the drama.

For female fighters self-promotion is a necessity.

Most boxing promoters refuse to step out of the usual process set for male boxers, not for female boxers. Things remain the same and have been for the last 70 years. Social media has brought changes but that has made promoters do even less.

No longer are there press conferences, instead announcements are made on social media to be drowned among the billions of other posts. It is not killing but diluting interest in the sport.

Women innately present a different advantage that few if any promoters are recognizing. So far in the past 25 years I have only seen two or three promoters actually ignite interest in female fighters. They saw the advantages and properly boosted interest in the women.

The fight breakdown

Mayer has won world titles in the super featherweight and now the welterweight division. Those are two vastly different weight classes and prove her fighting abilities are based on skill not power or size.

Coaching Mayer since amateurs remains Al Mitchell and now Kofi Jantuah who replaced Kay Koroma the current trainer for Sandy Ryan.

That was the reason drama ignited during their first battle. Then came someone tossing paint at Ryan the day of their first fight.

More drama.

During their first fight both battled to control the initiative with Mayer out-punching the British fighter by a slender margin. It was a back-and-forth struggle with each absorbing blows and retaliating immediately.

New York City got its money’s worth.

Ryan had risen to the elite level rapidly since losing to Erica Farias three years ago. Though she was physically bigger and younger, she was out-maneuvered and defeated by the wily veteran from Argentina. In the rematch, however, Ryan made adjustments and won convincingly.

Can she make adjustments from her defeat to Mayer?

“I wanted the rematch straight away,” said Ryan on social media. “I’ve come to America again.”

Both fighters have size and reach. In their first clash it was evident that conditioning was not a concern as blows were fired nonstop in bunches. Mayer had the number of punches landed advantage and it unfolded with the judges giving her a majority decision win.

That was six months ago. Can she repeat the outcome?

Mayer has always had boiler-oven intensity. It’s not fake. Since her amateur days the slender Southern California blonde changes disposition all the way to red when lacing up the gloves. It’s something that can’t be taught.

Can she draw enough of that fire out again?

“I didn’t have to give her this rematch. I could have just sat it out, waited for Lauren Price to unify and fought for undisputed or faced someone else,” said Mayer to BBC. “That’s not the fighter I am though.”

Co-Main in Las Vegas

The co-main event pits Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) facing Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) in a contest for the WBO welterweight title.

Norman, 24, was last seen a year ago dissecting a very good welterweight in Giovani Santillan for a knockout win in San Diego. He showed speed, skill and power in defeating Santillan in his hometown.

Cuevas has beaten some solid veteran talent but this will be his big test against Norman and his first attempt at winning a world title.

Also on the Top Rank card will be Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Emiliano Vargas, the son of Fernando Vargas, in separate bouts.

Golden Boy in Cancun

A rematch between undefeated William “Camaron” Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) and ex-champ Tevin Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) headlines the lightweight match on Saturday March 29, at Cancun, Mexico.

In their first encounter Zepeda was knocked down in the fourth round but rallied to win a split-decision over Farmer. It showed the flaws in Zepeda’s tornado style.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card that also includes a clash between Yokasta Valle the WBC minimumweight world titlist who is moving up to flyweight to face former flyweight champion Marlen Esparza.

Both Valle and Esparza have fast hands.

Valle is excellent darting in and out while Esparza has learned how to fight inside. It’s a toss-up fight.

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 12 p.m. Cameron Vuong (7-0) vs Jordan Flynn (11-0-1); Pat Brown (0-0) vs Federico Grandone (7-4-2).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. William Zepeda (32-0) vs Tevin Farmer (33-7-1); Yokasta Valle (32-3) vs Marlen Esparza (15-2).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Mikaela Mayer (20-2) vs Sandy Ryan (7-2-1); Brian Norman Jr. (26-0) vs Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1).

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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