Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
A battle between a 49-year-old legendary champion and a virtually untested 31-year-old titleholder will be the featured attraction for boxing fans on Saturday night. I'm not sure that's a good or bad thing. The ageless wonder Bernard "The Alien" Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KO) will put his WBA and IBF light heavyweight titles on the line in a unification bout with WBO champion Sergey "The Krusher" Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KO).
There's something to be said for Hopkins' longevity and for Kovalev's power, but The Alien's presence at the top of the light heavyweight division is proof of how soft the competition is at 175 pounds.
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That's not meant as disrespect to Hopkins. What he has accomplished is magnificent. But I'm not sure it would be possible in an era with better light heavyweights.
For all of Kovalev's devastating knockouts, he still hasn't beaten anyone who would certify him as one of the sport's best. That said, it's not Kovalev's fault he hasn't faced top-notch competition.
There aren't a lot of good fighters in his weight region, and the one who looked to pose the biggest threat seemed to want no part of him. A bout between Kovalev and WBC champion Adonis Stevenson seemed to be on the horizon, but Stevenson bolted HBO for Showtime, which complicated the deal in today's boxing climate.
Hopkins is also affiliated with Golden Boy and Showtime, but he is crossing the invisible lines that divide GBP and HBO/Top Rank Boxing to further cement his place in the sport's history.
For that reason, if for no other, this bout is majorly significant. We can only hope this is the first step toward bringing cross-promotional battles that will deliver the best fights.
Here's how you can watch, a closer look at both fighters and my prediction for the bout.
When: Saturday, Nov. 8 at 10:45 p.m. ET
Where: Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City
TV: HBO
Live Stream: Box Nation (region restricted and subscription required)
Increasing the Legacy
Hopkins won the first of his seven world titles in 1995. He was the undisputed middleweight king from 2001 to 2005, and he had an unbeaten streak of 26 consecutive fights that spanned 12 years.
He's beaten Roy Jones Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Kelly Pavlik, Winky Wright, Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson and a host of others in his eventual Hall of Fame career. Yet, he wants more.
In January, Hopkins will be 50 years old, and if events transpire the way he hopes, he will hold three of the four world championships in the light heavyweight division.
The fact that he owns two of the belts is astonishing in itself. Many critics would have suspected one of the many young contenders Hopkins has faced over the last five years would have sent him into retirement, but it hasn't happened.
Facing such a powerful and hungry opponent has to make even the most ardent supporter of Hopkins nervous. Kovalev possesses what none of the other light heavyweights Hopkins has faced had: destructive power.
Hopkins is known for his defense and guile. He'll need plenty of both if he is to pull off what some might call the most improbable win of his historic career. Hopkins has overcome a troubled past that saw him do five years in prison and fail at his first two attempts to capture a world title.
But he has succeeded at the sport of boxing. Win or lose, he has made his mark in a major way. If we know Hopkins, he isn't focused on the latter.
Looking for the Signature Win
Kovalev is undefeated in 26 bouts. The only blemish on his record is a technical draw in which his opponent was unable to continue after an accidental foul.
The Krusher has stopped 25 of his opponents and won a world title, but he still isn't respected as much as one might expect from a champion with a virtually spotless record. That's because he hasn't scored a victory over anyone that the boxing community cares about.
As of now, Kovalev's biggest win came against Nathan Cleverly when the former won the WBO title in Aug. 2013. Cleverly is a skilled fighter with little power, but he was clearly in over his head against Kovalev. Cleverly had also fought predominantly in the United Kingdom, thus he hadn't established any significant popularity in the United States.
In order for Kovalev to establish himself as a household name to casual fans, he needs to beat a big name.
Names don't come much bigger than Hopkins.
This is an oddly large opportunity for Kovalev. Winning won't automatically deliver him to the masses as a pound-for-pound contender; it will simply allow him to take one small step in that direction.
If Kovalev wins, many will simply say: "Someone finally beat the old man in the division." That take will detract from Kovalev's accomplishment. If Kovalev loses, he'll look like a joke as fans will say: "He couldn't even beat a dude that's almost 50."
Both are partially unfair, but such is life.
Because of these dynamics, this is a must-win for Kovalev. He won't be placed on the fast track to boxing glory with a win, but he'll be significantly detoured by a loss.
Prediction
As usual, Hopkins needs to muck up the action in an effort to drain the youth and exuberance from his younger opponent. There's no question Hopkins can't match power with Kovalev. Even in The Alien's prime, he was never a devastating puncher.
Kovalev hasn't faced great fighters, but one look at the physical reaction from the fighters he hits lets you know the man can really punch.
Believe it or not, Kovalev's work rate is a major part of his success. Per boxing analytics on Boxing.com, Kovalev throws 62 punches per round, which bests his opponents by a 2-1 margin.
Part of the reason for this is that Kovalev's pressure and power force fighters into a defensive posture. Opening up to throw power shots means making themselves vulnerable to take one of The Krusher's punches. That's ill advised.
Will Hopkins have an answer for that? I believe he will...partially.
Hopkins sees something in Kovalev that he believes he can exploit. Seeing and making a 49-year-old body execute are two different things. By using clinches, roughhousing tactics and his remarkable instincts, Hopkins will avoid taking the shots that put the lights out.
However, he won't mount enough offense to win the rounds necessary to beat Kovalev. His work rate and Hopkins' need to protect himself make up the recipe for a unanimous-decision victory for The Krusher.
Kovalev will hold three titles, which should make Stevenson feel compelled to push for a fight with his contemporary. In all honesty, that's about as likely as there being another fighter like Hopkins in the sport.
This loss may not end Hopkins' career, but maybe it sets up a fight between him and Stevenson. Somehow, Kovalev would still wind up the loser in that scenario. This is boxing.
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.
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