Buddy McGirt: Sergey Kovalev 'going to shock the world'

Buddy McGirt insists that a lot of people are going to be surprised on November 2.

McGirt, the trainer of Sergey Kovalev, won’t speak to speculation that his fighter has declined because he wasn’t around during the Russian’s supposed peak. He will say this, though: The fighter he’s been working with is damn good, certainly good enough to beat Canelo Alvarez in two weeks on DAZN.

“All I can see is what I see right now, a guy who is going to shock the world on November 2,” he told Boxing Junkie.

McGirt has heard the criticisms of Kovalev. He can’t handle body shots, he punches hard but isn’t physically strong. And they’ll point to the Russian’s two worst fights: Stoppages against Andre Ward (eighth round) in 2017 and Eleider Alvarez (seventh) last year, as well as some shaky moments against relative novice Anthony Yarde in his knockout victory in August.

Yeah, yeah. The body shots? McGirt chuckled when he said, “Listen, nobody likes getting hit in the body. I don’t give a s—t who you are.” The physical strength? “I don’t see a problem in the gym.”

And the two bad outings? McGirt said that Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 knockouts) strayed from the basics because he was knocking everyone out.

“What happened to this guy is that, as a pro, he got away from what got him there,” McGirt said. “I said, ‘Let’s get back to that.’ And I think he’s improving.”

Kovalev bounced back from the Alvarez setback by easily outboxing the Colombian to win a wide decision six months later in his first fight with McGirt. He then stopped the relatively inexperienced Yarde in the 11^th round but was nearly knocked out himself in the eighth.

“Yes, he had some shaky moments,” McGirt said. “Until then he was winning easy. And then he got back on the horse and won the fight. That’s what’s important.”

McGirt doesn’t have much to say about the one obvious advantage Kovalev figures to have against Alvarez: natural size. The middleweight titleholder is moving up two weight classes to challenge for Kovalev’s WBO belt.

McGirt expects Alvarez to weigh no more than 170 pounds – five below the limit – the day before the fight but isn’t counting on that to be a factor on fight night.

“I don’t even look at that,” he said. OK, but a natural size advantage doesn’t hurt, right? “Yeah, but you know, just because you’re bigger don’t mean you’re better. It’s what you can do to execute that makes you better.”

A good big guy beats a good little guy, no? Pause. “(Thomas) Hearns lost to Ray Leonard, (Marvin) Hagler lost to Ray Leonard,” McGirt said.

Kovalev will make a career-high payday against Alvarez. The fight is about more than economics for him, though. At 36, he won’t get a better opportunity to prove how good he truly is. A victory could clinch an invitation to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Thus, it’s no surprise that McGirt has been working with a fighter who has never been more motivated.

“This is his chance to prove himself, more than ever in his career,” McGirt said. “And I think he will. There’s more to him than meets the eye. He hasn’t really shown all his talent. Could he be better than ever? Yes.

“I think Canelo is a very good fighter, but I think this is the best fighter he’s faced since (Floyd) Mayweather.”