Heavyweights Can Underestimate Povetkin at Their Peril

Heavyweights Can Underestimate Povetkin at Their Peril

By Sina Latif

It seems that a new heavyweight is recently coming out every day wanting a piece of Alexander Povetkin.

David Allen called out the Russian prior to his recent loss to David Price, the man who Povetkin knocked out brutally last year on the Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker unification fight undercard.

Hughie Fury fought the Russian on his Matchroom debut on the Vasily Lomachenko vs Luke Campbell undercard, and the Russian beat Fury by unanimous decision in an unentertaining affair, not unfamiliar for a Hughie Fury fight.

For a 24-year-old who has previously lost to Parker and Kubrat Pulev on the occasions when he has stepped up to world level, their blatant belief that now was the perfect opportunity to catapult Tyson’s cousin into world title contention by beating the Russian who turned 40 two days after the fight, backfired.

Povetkin won 117-111 on all three judges scorecards and showed that he still has the legs and the endurance to last all 12 rounds.

Following this fight, Joe Joyce tweeted: “I want Povetkin next !!!!”

Since then, Joyce has called out Jarrell Miller. Whether Miller should be allowed to be fighting so soon, or even at all, having tested positive for multiple banned substances prior to his planned fight with then unbeaten, unified heavyweight champion Joshua, which was subsequently cancelled, is a topic for another time. However, to fight Miller would be a wiser move for Joyce than to face Povetkin.

For Joyce, a come-forward fighter who gets hit with a lot of shots, Povetkin even at 40 years of age possesses power that could very well put the Brit on the canvas and end a fight between the pair at any moment.

Michael Hunter called out Povetkin following the American’s unanimous decision win over Sergey Kuzmin. Hunter said the following in the ring after his victory:

“I wanna fight Povetkin in Saudi. So Povetkin, you see me, I’m coming for you. I want to continue to make my claim as a heavyweight.”

Hunter wants to face Povetkin on the Andy Ruiz Jr vs Joshua rematch undercard in Saudi Arabia on December 7th.

Of all the aforementioned fighters, Hunter would perhaps have the best chance of beating Povetkin. The American now has six consecutive victories as a heavyweight since moving up following his sole career loss to Oleksandr Usyk when challenging for the WBO cruiserweight title.

Povetkin vs Hunter is a realistic fight for Saudi as Eddie Hearn has already expressed his desire for Povetkin to be on the undercard of this big event.

Hunter has quick hands and feet, is aggressive and has youth on his side. He wants to maintain his winning momentum at heavyweight and will hope that victory over Povetkin could earn him a shot at a world title.

However, for the likes of Joyce and Hunter, they should seek a fight against a heavyweight contender like Carlos Takam as a step-up in their quest towards challenging the upper echelons of the glamour division.

Povetkin, in his recent victory over Fury, showed that he is still a viable heavyweight contender. Styles make fights, as the old adage goes, and although he was unable to display the danger he still poses against Fury, against the likes of Joyce and Hunter, the Russian could very well show them why it is still a bad idea to be calling out the 40-year-old in true heavyweight boxing fashion. A division which is about knockouts.

Povetkin has effective combinations consisting of left hooks, overhand rights and uppercuts, with significant power.

It seems that numerous heavyweights are viewing Povetkin as some sort of new gatekeeper in the blue-riband division, a big name who is now past it, seeking to exploit the Russian at what they view as the perfect time to catapult themselves onto the world stage and in contention for a title shot.

Wrong move.

Povetkin is a 2004 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medalist with an amateur record of 125-7 and 35 victories in 37 professional fights, with 24 KO’s. The Russian has an impressive pedigree.

Povetkin’s only losses have come against Wladimir Klitschko in 2013 and Joshua at Wembley last year. The Russian is a very experienced fighter, and is still a dangerous top-class contender, seeking one last chance at supremacy.

Boxing is an unpredictable sport, as many have realised time and again, and anything can happen, but maybe some of these fighters wanting to work their way up the heavyweight rankings should think twice and divert their attention elsewhere before actively calling out ‘The White Lion.’