1. Work the Range
Photo by Wallace Barron
Sergey Kovalev has earned the reputation of a power puncher. The fighter is often seen blinding and pushing his opponents back with hard straights, forcing them to cover up before he lets out a wild ranged hook or overhand right to the head.
It’s these side blows that Bernard Hopkins needs to look for, and can be defended against with his range.
The American covers 75 inches, comparing to the Russian’s 72.5 inch range. Those extra 2.5 inches may be all that Hopkins needs to hold off the heavy blows.
Of course, by this point, Kovalev has mastered the art in his offensive strike, and he knows how to work against a larger range by merely stepping in to land those deadly punches. How else would he have worked the ring so well against guys like Blake Caparello, Nathan Cleverly and many others?
This isn’t “The Alien’s” first time around, though. If he can remember he has over two inches of play room, and not get frozen up in “The Krusher’s” straights, like so many others have fallen victim to, he may be able to manipulate the ring like he usually does.
A punch flying that fast and powerful, only to miss is gruesomely tiring, which is exactly what Hopkins needs to happen to Kovalev.
