Somethings not right with Kovalev

[moosaev]

Which is a complete non-sequitur.

It's mind blowingly dumb to consider someone a racist for saying something they did not know was racist. You haven't offered a single defense.

Have you travelled at all in other cultures? It seems no. If you had, you would realize that you had committed many innocent and naive social faux pas that you are not used to label you a bad person because you didn't know about them.

If Kovalev continued to make the ape comparison after being told it was racist, you could call him racist. He didn't.

Although I don't think Kovalev has racist motivations, you have to note that Russia/Ukraine have an incredibly serious racism problem. Racism is so bad in that region that black players were advised to leave their families behind during the 2012 Euros because their safety couldn't assured. Its not a stretch to speculate that Kovalev has racist attitudes, although I don't think the monkey t-shirts alone are definitive proof of that.

 

[Sunfish]

Ape joke from a Russian does not equal racist.

Have you travelled much?

I've been to Canada USA Mexico Dominican Brazil Bolivia Peru Australia India South Africa Japan Spain Portugal Germany France Italy Slovenia Slovakia Norway Denmark Greece Estonia Latvia Lithuania switzerland Czech Republic Croatia Serbia all of the uk and Ireland Belgium the Netherlands Austria Sweden Finland Serbia Romania Israel Egypt morocco poland Guyana and I might be missing some there? Yourself? Am I allowed to be racist to people, racism isn't allowed just because you're from one country dumbass.

 

[BusterKeaton]

calling a black person an ape not racist? try telling a black person that.

 

[stuff jones]

This makes me wonder where does the chip on the shoulder come from? I ask a clarifying question and you get pissy before you start making wild assumptions. You need a nap.

Again not substantiating your argument.

 

[stuff jones]

I've been to Canada USA Mexico Dominican Brazil Bolivia Peru Australia India South Africa Japan Spain Portugal Germany France Italy Slovenia Slovakia Norway Denmark Greece Estonia Latvia Lithuania switzerland Czech Republic Croatia Serbia all of the uk and Ireland Belgium the Netherlands Austria Sweden Finland Serbia Romania Israel Egypt morocco poland Guyana and I might be missing some there? Yourself? Am I allowed to be racist to people, racism isn't allowed just because you're from one country dumbass.

I've been to about 30 countries, lived in several of them.

Nevertheless the point sailed way over your head, yet again. I guess that's what I get for trying to have a nuanced discussion on a boxing forum.

 

[JayE]

Ape joke from a Russian does not equal racist.

Have you travelled much?

Are you serious? Why do black soccer players regularly get bananas thrown at them in Eastern Europe? Comparing black people to apes is the go to racist trope throughout Eastern Europe.

 

[stuff jones]

Are you serious? Why do black soccer players regularly get bananas thrown at them in Eastern Europe? Comparing black people to apes is the go to racist trope throughout Eastern Europe.

Please provide evidence Kovalev knew that the ape comparison is so deeply ingrained in the American psyche with regard to race. He's from a backwater town in Russia. The fact that that has happened in an Eastern European country does not mean he knew that saying someone looks like an ape is racist.

 

[stuff jones]

He's clearly a bit of a dick though.

Also its not clear to me why teasing someone on account of their race is racist. It is here because it's such a big part of our history, but does any negative comment about someones race = racism = viewing that race as inferior? I don't think so.

 

[JayE]

Please provide evidence Kovalev knew that the ape comparison is so deeply ingrained in the American psyche with regard to race. He's from a backwater town in Russia. The fact that that has happened in an Eastern European country does not mean he knew that saying someone looks like an ape is racist.

So you're backing off your claim that comparing black people to monkeys as a way of claiming blacks are subhuman isn't incredibly common in Eastern Europe, right? I don't know what Kovalev's mindset or intention was (lol at having to conclusively prove that), but comparing black people to monkeys is incredibly common in Russia and he'd certainly understand the connection.

 

[CatchnShoot]

But he did taunt an unconscious Silakh. And this was after he killed Simakov.

Silakh talked mad shit, Kovalev was pissed off.
Don't poke the bear, dumbfucks.

 

[WklySportsMemes]

So you're backing off your claim that comparing black people to monkeys as a way of claiming blacks are subhuman isn't incredibly common in Eastern Europe, right? I don't know what Kovalev's mindset or intention was (lol at having to conclusively prove that), but comparing black people to monkeys is incredibly common in Russia and he'd certainly understand the connection.

Bingo. I noticed he didnt touch my quote on that either.

 

[CatchnShoot]

Oh, and comparing a black person to an ape is racist in any country on planet Earth. Full fucking stop.

It's racist in the US, Europe, Africa and even the former USSR.
Whether that racisim is a big deal varies from country to country, but it's racist none the less.

I'm sure Kov would have worn a Poop Emoji on a shirt with Adonis Stevenson's name on it if that had been a thing at the time.

 

[Shoemaker]

Again not substantiating your argument.

What argument was that, exactly? I'll wait lol.

 

[Shoemaker]

I don't know what Kovalev's mindset or intention was (lol at having to conclusively prove that)

This is particularly hilarious given the wild assumptions @stuff jones made after I asked him a question.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

Kovalev is an asshole but he didn't try to kill Simakov, it was an accident. His family has been trying to sue him for years unsuccessfully. He donated his purse from his next fight to the family and when he fought in Russia last, fight before last against Chilemba, he donated his purse to them after. Money can't bring their son back but it can help them financially to live a more comfortable life.

Racism (as we perceive it in America) toward darker skinned people in Eastern Europe is common, particularly in Russia. Sillakh is biracial, half West African and half Ukrainian. In 2015 biracial Zhan Belenyuk, who is half Rwandan and half Ukrainian, was voted Ukrainian Sportsman of the Year (All-Ukrainian Sports Hero). He received the same award Lomachenko won. Belenyuk was the favorite not just to medal but to win gold in his division last year in Rio at the Olympics as a Greco-Roman wrestler. Progress is being made there.



Roy Jones Jr. opened at least one gym in Moscow and Floyd just opened the TMT Boxing Academy in Zhukovka, Russia. He'll be opening multiple gyms across Russia this year. They know they can do good business there and have gone there to teach at their gyms. This is a good thing.

Photos: Floyd Mayweather Opens TMT Boxing Academy in Russia

 

[ctrlaltdelete]

I think Kov's trying to get the public talking, like McGregor did ( he had previously said that he was a big fan ) but he's saying things in bad taste.

Then again, Russia isn't as PC as we are in liberal America.

 

[BusterKeaton]

I have a friend from russia and I texted him on whatsapp. he knew it was racist. (and thought it was an odd question because I asked it at random) there are borderline offensive things you can do in other countries but this one isnt one of them.

 

[BusterKeaton]

being racist in russia to a lot isnt a big deal but this is clearly racist and I'm sure kovalev is aware of that and could give a fuck

 

[Sunfish]

I've been to about 30 countries, lived in several of them.

Nevertheless the point sailed way over your head, yet again. I guess that's what I get for trying to have a nuanced discussion on a boxing forum.

It didn't sail anywhere, Russia is known by most people as a racist country, one of their football teams main fan club leaders said "we have no problem with black players, we have no black players so there is no problem". I don't care if culturally you think that's acceptable, calling a black person an ape is racist.

Where I live saying you're going to the paki shop, ordering a ys, calling someone a darky are all normal among people who know it is but almost everyone is white, it doesn't mean they go to football matches and throw bananas or call black people apes, you're either saying he is thick as shit or justifying its cool to be racist if you're white and from a low income homogenous area, both notions are stupid.

 

[moosaev]

Kovalev is an asshole but he didn't try to kill Simakov, it was an accident. His family has been trying to sue him for years unsuccessfully. He donated his purse from his next fight to the family and when he fought in Russia last, fight before last against Chilemba, he donated his purse to them after. Money can't bring their son back but it can help them financially to live a more comfortable life.

Racism (as we perceive it in America) toward darker skinned people in Eastern Europe is common, particularly in Russia. Sillakh is biracial, half West African and half Ukrainian. In 2015 biracial Zhan Belenyuk, who is half Rwandan and half Ukrainian, was voted Ukrainian Sportsman of the Year (All-Ukrainian Sports Hero). He received the same award Lomachenko won. Belenyuk was the favorite not just to medal but to win gold in his division last year in Rio at the Olympics as a Greco-Roman wrestler. Progress is being made there.



Roy Jones Jr. opened at least one gym in Moscow and Floyd just opened the TMT Boxing Academy in Zhukovka, Russia. He'll be opening multiple gyms across Russia this year. They know they can do good business there and have gone there to teach at their gyms. This is a good thing.

Photos: Floyd Mayweather Opens TMT Boxing Academy in Russia

I'm sorry but I don't buy this. Racist societies have always provided space for/welcomed the wealthiest or most well known black people. In South Africa apartheid parlance, they make fabulously rich or famous black people "honorary white men". It does not indicate a changing culture or attitude in society. Of course that doesn't mean its not happening, but the examples you gave above aren't proof of it. All they tell me is that in order to be treated like a human being there, you either have to be a boxing legend or national sports hero.