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How Canelo defeated Sergey Kovalev.
Canelo had to work against reach, power and experience.
Canelo's victory comes from Patience, pressure, pacing and fantastic shot selection.
Cómo Canelo derrotó a Sergey Kovalev.
(tácticas y técnicas)
#LaEraDelCanelo
#CaneloEsAzteca
Canelo had to work against reach, power and experience.
Canelo's victory comes from Patience, pressure, pacing and fantastic shot selection.
Cómo Canelo derrotó a Sergey Kovalev.
(tácticas y técnicas)
#LaEraDelCanelo
#CaneloEsAzteca
For this fight, Canelo moved up from 160 lbs (against Jacobs) to 175 lbs to challenge the long, dangerous but aging Sergey Kovalev.
Canelo's 2 main obstacles would be, Kovalev's reach, closing the distance but also pacing himself with 15 extra pounds of muscle.
Canelo's 2 main obstacles would be, Kovalev's reach, closing the distance but also pacing himself with 15 extra pounds of muscle.
Canelo's high guard here is to protect him from Kovalev's jab but also because he's going to block/parry and counter a lot.
Canelo's volume is very low because he's looking for good openings. He's slowly but surely trying to walk down Kovalev (using big counters to back him up)
Canelo's volume is very low because he's looking for good openings. He's slowly but surely trying to walk down Kovalev (using big counters to back him up)
Nice example here in R2.
Canelo explosed on the left hook counter, as soon as he blocked the punch he throw the hook. This backs Kovalev up.
Straight right blocked and counter by the jab again. Simple but efficient. Make Kovalev works and save energy.
Canelo explosed on the left hook counter, as soon as he blocked the punch he throw the hook. This backs Kovalev up.
Straight right blocked and counter by the jab again. Simple but efficient. Make Kovalev works and save energy.
Slow motion just for you to enjoy the parrying, blocking and counter skills of Canelo here.
Kovalev jab lands but Canelo parries it on its way back, make sure to lift his elbow to block the lead hand again in the same motion of his right counter.
Very important in this fight.
Kovalev jab lands but Canelo parries it on its way back, make sure to lift his elbow to block the lead hand again in the same motion of his right counter.
Very important in this fight.
Breaking rhythm is key.
So far, Canelo moved slowly with upper body movement and high guard.
But here he blocks and duck Kovalev's attack then block and step in with the counter jab to set up the beautiful body shot. This surprised Kovalev. Appreciate Saul's lead foot position.
So far, Canelo moved slowly with upper body movement and high guard.
But here he blocks and duck Kovalev's attack then block and step in with the counter jab to set up the beautiful body shot. This surprised Kovalev. Appreciate Saul's lead foot position.
Level change (duck under the jab to get in range) as he feint the left hand, draw the defense of Kovalev, finds a small spot for the body shot.
Then Kov throw combos to back Canelo up but he plant his feet and throw a series of powerful hooks to the body.
Kov escapes the pocket.
Then Kov throw combos to back Canelo up but he plant his feet and throw a series of powerful hooks to the body.
Kov escapes the pocket.
(next one I remembered it right away from a @leewylieboxing video - )
I wanted to highlight how Kovalev is already over reacting to the same feint & lose territory
Canelo made the most of his missing punch to grab Kovalev's neck and set up the body shot
I wanted to highlight how Kovalev is already over reacting to the same feint & lose territory
Canelo made the most of his missing punch to grab Kovalev's neck and set up the body shot
Kovalev is throwing so much more than Canelo. Using good shot selection trying to punch through Canelo's hig guard but Canelo's rare explosion tends to land more and more and when close to the ropes Canelo always finish agressively and don't neglect body work to tire out Kovalev
Kovalev start to be less and less balanced and steady on his feet.
Canelo's ring cutting and shot selection help him pressuring the champion.
Canelo also knows for changing the direction of his punch through the motion and he start to do here (left hook starts low, goes high)
Canelo's ring cutting and shot selection help him pressuring the champion.
Canelo also knows for changing the direction of his punch through the motion and he start to do here (left hook starts low, goes high)
Canelo blends his defense and offense together (he bends towards his left - left hook) then cut the ring bends towards his left again (Kovalev think a left hook is coming) but throw a huge right hand.
Frames Kovalev with his lead forearm and pivot with him to keep the pressure
Frames Kovalev with his lead forearm and pivot with him to keep the pressure
Finally, Kovalev goes to the body and stop head hunting. Realising that Canelo's high guard, head movement and countering skills are too much. After working the high guard Kovalev lands a nice body shot but take a big left hook upstairs behind it that rocks him. Rest is bonus
Closing the distance
Ducks and slips the lead hand of Kovalev who's so straight that at this point it's only a line that you can counter easy. Land nasty body shot
Countering
parries the lead hand, take a step back and counter with the same hand for another body shot.
Ducks and slips the lead hand of Kovalev who's so straight that at this point it's only a line that you can counter easy. Land nasty body shot
Countering
parries the lead hand, take a step back and counter with the same hand for another body shot.
Round 6 is very interesting because Kovalev is still ahead (on scorecards) and does still very well on the backfoot, and without realising it Canelo fell into his own trap of actually throwing too much because he finds too many openings and has Kovalev's timing to a tee.
Fantastic ring cutting here.
Left hook forces Kovalev to circle towards Canelo's rear hand. Canelo then do not pressures but move sideways (lead foot on the outside) until Kovalev is trapped then enters the range to draw Kovalev's attack and block and counters .... to the body
Left hook forces Kovalev to circle towards Canelo's rear hand. Canelo then do not pressures but move sideways (lead foot on the outside) until Kovalev is trapped then enters the range to draw Kovalev's attack and block and counters .... to the body
Canelo's great defensive skills allows him to take sequence of 25 to 50 seconds without throwing punches (pacing himself) with blocks, parries and footwork.
Sergei's very fond of straight punches and his lack of diversity in punches thrown or feinted cost him a lot. predictable
Sergei's very fond of straight punches and his lack of diversity in punches thrown or feinted cost him a lot. predictable
Kovalev trapped Canelo against the ropes.
Tight high guard, Canelo is ready. Kovalev land a nice jab to the body and then work with his lead hand to drop Canelo's right glove and hook behind it but Canelo defends it well and get under it. A simple level change backs Kovalev up.
Tight high guard, Canelo is ready. Kovalev land a nice jab to the body and then work with his lead hand to drop Canelo's right glove and hook behind it but Canelo defends it well and get under it. A simple level change backs Kovalev up.
Kovalev jabs and tries to draw Canelo's counter as he shows him the rear hand and punch after the feint but as soon as Canelo sees that right shoulder moving he throws that power left hook once again .
Canelo's little head movement (up) was enough for Kov's punch not to land
Canelo's little head movement (up) was enough for Kov's punch not to land
Round 9 is fantastic. Canelo might feel this fight is not going the way he hope (thought the body shot will do much more on Kovalev) so he's fighting at higher pace and forces thing (gets into a war of jab with kovalev, not the best idea) Canelo's straight aggression not working.
This gives Sergey some strengths but in those exchanges Canelo is going to make a few important reads. As mentioned earlier, Kovalev very vulnerable over that lead forearm framing from Canelo (E.g. the finish later)
Canelo's out and in so much faster than Sergei and going back to the body helps him here. but the most important thing here is the framing with the left hand, the short push to set up the right hand. Canelo pushed a bit too much which caused him to end up short with the R hand.
The correct framing and the correct punch was found in a 20 seconds interval they were just not followed by the right punch or set up with the correct framing.
Push + Right hand didn't work
but what about Forearm framing + right hook ... ?
Push + Right hand didn't work
but what about Forearm framing + right hook ... ?
Canelo's left hook has been money since the beginning of the fight, but that framing + right hand starts to be thrown more and more by the Mexican and if it didn't land flush yet, the lack of defense towards that side is concerning for Sergei.
Canelo's looking for that shot all the time.
He Made Kovalev walk towards his right hand, level change to draw uppercut (block it) Kovalev then AGAIN goes for that shoulder bump and on the exit, Canelo miss the right hand. Good head movement after to close distance (framing)
He Made Kovalev walk towards his right hand, level change to draw uppercut (block it) Kovalev then AGAIN goes for that shoulder bump and on the exit, Canelo miss the right hand. Good head movement after to close distance (framing)
Fantastic Pressure and set up by Canelo. Lot of urgency, stayed under that lead hand as he used to do to set up the left hook but this time up jab Kovalev as soon as he pulled back his arm. baited Kov into throwing the R hand to land a perfect 1-2. huge moment for him.
Canelo level changed, Kovalev in fear of body shots does too then ONCE AGAIN close the distance with that shoulder bump, Canelo frames him and catch him with uppercut cross and another uppercut on his way out. Insane control and perfect shot selection. What a stud. Unreal.
Fantastic ring cutting (made kovalev circled towards the rear hand but throw the left hook upstairs, right hook to the body to stop him) which AGAIN forced Kovalev to grab and that's where the FOREARM FRAMING MIXED PERFECTLY WITH THE RIGHT HAND that hurt Kovalev so bad and made
Him walk into that fantastic Left hook. Of course it had to be that shot. That left hook who's direction (start like uppercut, does it go low or high?) is so difficult to read lands clean on an already rocked Kovalev who then walk into the final shot. MASTERPIECE by CANELO.
