Hopkins with good chance of beating Shumenov, Kovalev and Stevenson

By Boxing News - 04/01/2014 - Comments

hopkins435By Steve Davis: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO’s) will be looking to capture Beibut Shumenov’s IBA and WBA light heavyweight titles in their unification bout on April 19th in their fight at the Armory, Washington, DC. Hopkins will be turning 50 on January 15th in 2015.

Hopkins not only wants IBA and WBA belts, but wants to capture the WBC and WBO light heavyweight titles before he retires. If he wins on April 19th, two fighters stand in his way and they are WBC champion Adonis Stevenson and WBO champion Sergey Kovalev.

Is it possible for Hopkins to unify all the 175lb titles? The TV networks may have something to say about it, but let’s put the politics aside. As a boxer can Hopkins unify the division?

My answer to that question is yes. Let’s take each fight in turn. Hopkins will likely defeat Shumenov (14-1, 9 KO’s) on 19th April by a unanimous decision. Shumenov is arguably the weakest of the three light heavyweight champions and Hopkins will handle him in the same way he did Karo Murat in order to win by a wide margin.

Now let’s look at Kovalev. He’s a murderous puncher but who didn’t look too good in his last title defense against Cedric Agnew last Saturday night. Yes, Kovalev stopped him in the seventh, but Agnew gave him problems. Maybe Kovalev’s not as murderous as we thought, and he’s certainly not for a defensive master like Hopkins. Hopkins will frustrate Kovalev throughout this fight and will steal the rounds in order to win, and just doing enough in the judges’ eyes to get a win. This fight would get ugly and the referee will have his work cut out but after twelve rounds. However, Hopkins will have his arms raised in triumph, winning by split decision.

Then comes the hard part in defeating Adonis Stevenson. He’s a hard puncher who looked great in defeating Chad Dawson and Tavoris Cloud, but I wasn’t that impressed with him against Tony Bellow. I see this fight going the same as Hopkins’ second fight with Jean Pascal. Stevenson will come out strong firing bombs, looking to knock Hopkins out. Hopkins may even have to take a count, but by the half point Stevenson will be spent, Hopkins will then pot shot his way to victory, just doing enough to win by split decision.

I know what you’re all thinking; that I’m crazy and that there is no way Hopkins at his age will be able to stand up to and win against Kovalev and Stevenson. But look at Hopkin’s record. Nobody thought he would beat Jean Pascal, Kelly Pavlik, Antonio Tarver or Tavoris Cloud. Look at it that way. I just could be right. Hopkins with legacy cemented could hang up his alien mask and walk off into the sunset. A true great. He really can have it all.



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