Ward - Kovalev (@175)

[klitoris]

I think this is the fight that I would pay to see at LHW at the moment.
If Ward can move up fully to LHW and fight guys like Pascal&Braehmer and then set up a fight with Kovalev, that would be huge.

Heigh:
Both at 6ft (183cm) tall

Reach:
Kovalev got one inch reach advantage.

From what I remember Ward re-hydrated to like low 180s when he fought at 168 and walks around at like 200 from what I heard.
Size wise there isn't really a clear-cut advantage here.

I say it's a very even fight. Maybe Ward edges a decision here imo.


If built right I think this could be borderline PPV.

[sendo]

It always surprises me given his power that Kovalev is not a big LHW. I would agree with you that Ward would get a decision, I don't think it would be a an entertaining fight though.

[Ian1973]

Kovalev. Probably by KO. He would shove ward around. too big, too strong.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Nothing has changed in years. Kovalev still wins by KO. The thought of Ward staying away from that beast for 12 rounds is ridiculous to me.

[PsychoGamerTwo]

50yr old Hopkins went 12 rounds with Kovalev. Ward is no Shumenov or Murat. Ward isn't 50yrs old either. If Agnew & Pascal go into the 2nd half, Ward will do it aswell. It would either be Kovalev by late KO, or Ward by decision after 12 rounds.

[ikorolev]

Ward doesn't have Bernard's chin though.

[Aaronide_ger]

Ward doesn't have Bernard's chin though.

Exactly that, We all Know Ward has a Glass Jaw.

[thomasjkelley]

50yr old Hopkins went 12 rounds with Kovalev. Ward is no Shumenov or Murat. Ward isn't 50yrs old either. If Agnew & Pascal go into the 2nd half, Ward will do it aswell. It would either be Kovalev by late KO, or Ward by decision after 12 rounds.

I don't think a whitewash of Bernard Hopkins is a negative. After all he is not your average 50 year old and all he did in that fight was survive. I don't know who would prevail if Ward and Kovalev faced off but that's a fight I would love to see. I do think it would go to the the late rounds also, probably to the cards.

[JC]

Heigh:
Both at 6ft (183cm) tall

Reach:
Kovalev got one inch reach advantage.

From what I remember Ward re-hydrated to like low 180s when he fought at 168 and walks around at like 200 from what I heard.
Size wise there isn't really a clear-cut advantage here.

Not quite. Ward rehydrated to 176lbs for his fight with Dawson and Kovalev came in at 188lbs for his fight with Hopkins. Also Ward has stated, albiet a few years ago, that his walk around weight was 180lbs, I doubt it's gone up 200lbs since.

So, even though they're similar heights, I would guess Kovalev is the naturally bigger man. That being said, Ward is clear a very strong guy; he was able to bull Bika around in the clinches, which must be no mean feat.

It's a great fight if it comes off. I think I'd want to see Ward at LHW before making a pick.

[stevedoc]

I'd pick ward on points ,I don't think the weight would be to much of a problem and while krusher has the power I just think ward is the better all round fighter

[PsychoGamerTwo]

50yr old Hopkins went 12 rounds with Kovalev. Ward is no Shumenov or Murat. Ward isn't 50yrs old either. If Agnew & Pascal go into the 2nd half, Ward will do it aswell. It would either be Kovalev by late KO, or Ward by decision after 12 rounds.

I don't think a whitewash of Bernard Hopkins is a negative. After all he is not your average 50 year old and all he did in that fight was survive. I don't know who would prevail if Ward and Kovalev faced off but that's a fight I would love to see. I do think it would go to the the late rounds also, probably to the cards.

Nobody said its negative, and Hopkins is a exception we'll likely (this generation) never see again. I just think Ward can do the same, survive all 12 rounds, BUT win the rounds, which the 50yr old couldn't. Ward isn't perfect, Kovalev isn't perfect, but Hopkins didn't look too good against Murat, and Shumenov was a damn joke, he should've finished early.

[ikorolev]

Not quite. Ward rehydrated to 176lbs for his fight with Dawson and Kovalev came in at 188lbs for his fight with Hopkins. Also Ward has stated, albiet a few years ago, that his walk around weight was 180lbs, I doubt it's gone up 200lbs since.

So, even though they're similar heights, I would guess Kovalev is the naturally bigger man. That being said, Ward is clear a very strong guy; he was able to bull Bika around in the clinches, which must be no mean feat.

It's a great fight if it comes off. I think I'd want to see Ward at LHW before making a pick.

Didn't Ward weigh 181 in the morning yesterday, because there was a limit of 181 for the morning weigh-in ? So, I suppose he was at 185 or above in the ring.

[JC]

Not quite. Ward rehydrated to 176lbs for his fight with Dawson and Kovalev came in at 188lbs for his fight with Hopkins. Also Ward has stated, albiet a few years ago, that his walk around weight was 180lbs, I doubt it's gone up 200lbs since.

So, even though they're similar heights, I would guess Kovalev is the naturally bigger man. That being said, Ward is clear a very strong guy; he was able to bull Bika around in the clinches, which must be no mean feat.

It's a great fight if it comes off. I think I'd want to see Ward at LHW before making a pick.

Didn't Ward weigh 181 in the morning yesterday, because there was a limit of 181 for the morning weigh-in ? So, I suppose he was at 185 or above in the ring.

May well have done, I only saw info for the Dawson fight.

Kovalev has said he walks around at 190lbs so maybe they are quite close in natural weight.

Weight won't be the main factor obviously, but I always find it interesting.

[ElJefe]

Would be interesting to see how Kovalev deals with his opponents moving towards him instead of backing off. Ward has said himself that he doesn't move away from power punchers, he goes to them and they're often not used to it, that's one reason why I think he'd wipe the floor with Stevenson who seems a bit shit on the inside. I think Kovalev has more tools than Stevenson but whether he's smart enough to beat Ward is a different matter.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Would be interesting to see how Kovalev deals with his opponents moving towards him instead of backing off. Ward has said himself that he doesn't move away from power punchers, he goes to them and they're often not used to it, that's one reason why I think he'd wipe the floor with Stevenson who seems a bit poo on the inside. I think Kovalev has more tools than Stevenson but whether he's smart enough to beat Ward is a different matter.

Ward will not be moving forward against Kovalev. If he is smart, he is on his bike for the whole fight. Not that he can win from there either.

[SenorPipino]

It would be like Ali whipping on Frazier.

Too smart, too quick, too talented for the Russian.

Smart, gifted boxers beat oncoming sluggers 87% of the time.

Give Ward a couple more fights to get in peak condition and he slaps Kovalev around for 12.

The guy is a ring genius.

[punchoutsb]

It would be like Ali whipping on Frazier.

Too smart, too quick, too talented for the Russian.

Smart, gifted boxers beat oncoming sluggers 87% of the time.

Give Ward a couple more fights to get in peak condition and he slaps Kovalev around for 12.

The guy is a ring genius.

Just like Hopkins, right

[crusader]

at Hopkins having trouble with Shumenov. He totally outclassed him and the fight wasn't remotely close despite the one BS card.

Stretching a bit far there.

[crusader]

Hopkins had one of the strongest recent resumes in the division going into the Kovalev fight, so if you're putting down what he did you should be for virtually everyone else in the division too. The fact that you absurdly suggested that Hopkins struggled with Shumenov also suggests to me that you are clearly biased and willing to try to distort things to support your cas.

So who at the time were clearly better than Pascal and Hopkins when Kovalev fought them? Beterbiev didn't beat Campillo until after Kovalev-Pascal, and immediately before that he was dropped (without his foot being stepped on) and outboxed for an admittedly short period by novice Jeff Page. He also had only one win of note prior to Kovalev fighting Hopkins, and I highly doubt that his team would've wanted to put him in with Kovalev at that stage anyway. So aside from Stevenson, who had recently jumped networks when a Kovalev fight was close, which better opponents than Pascal and Hopkins could have Kovalev fought?

[ikorolev]

By the way, Hopkins dropped Shumenov, while Ward failed to drop Smith. The Smith corner stopped the fight, because they lost any hope of winning and didn't want him to take additional punishment.

[ElJefe]

Would be interesting to see how Kovalev deals with his opponents moving towards him instead of backing off. Ward has said himself that he doesn't move away from power punchers, he goes to them and they're often not used to it, that's one reason why I think he'd wipe the floor with Stevenson who seems a bit poo on the inside. I think Kovalev has more tools than Stevenson but whether he's smart enough to beat Ward is a different matter.

Ward will not be moving forward against Kovalev. If he is smart, he is on his bike for the whole fight. Not that he can win from there either.

Why not? Ward is more than comfortable on the inside. Kovalev prefers to have a bit of distance between himself and his opponent. Considering Ward himself has stated that most guys move away from punchers but he has always gone towards the puncher, it seems logical that he'd close to distance between himself and Kovalev, not allow Sergey to set himself to land his big shots and out work him up close.

[diddy]

Ward-Kovalev is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing right now. Not Ward-GGG. GGG would get washed by Ward.

[crusader]

Hopkins had one of the strongest recent resumes in the division going into the Kovalev fight, so if you're putting down what he did you should be for virtually everyone else in the division too. The fact that you absurdly suggested that Hopkins struggled with Shumenov also suggests to me that you are clearly biased and willing to try to distort things to support your cas.

So who at the time were clearly better than Pascal and Hopkins when Kovalev fought them? Beterbiev didn't beat Campillo until after Kovalev-Pascal, and immediately before that he was dropped (without his foot being stepped on) and outboxed for an admittedly short period by novice Jeff Page. He also had only one win of note prior to Kovalev fighting Hopkins, and I highly doubt that his team would've wanted to put him in with Kovalev at that stage anyway. So aside from Stevenson, who had recently jumped networks when a Kovalev fight was close, which better opponents than Pascal and Hopkins could have Kovalev fought?

I DID put down the whole division earlier, as a very shallow weight class in the upper ranks. I'm not accusing Kovalev of avoiding Stevenson or anyone else. I'm just saying Kovalev is every bit as unproven as GGG & Golovkin is constantly getting flak for his shallow resume. In the test of time, GGG will end up in a whole different level than Kovalev. IMO too many nuthuggers are already grooming Kovalev for the HOF when he hasnt really done much in an admittedly weak division.

As for Beterbiev, I said right now I would give him a 50/50 shot to beat Kovalev & also said with 2 more bouts under his belt I expect Beterbiev to be a favorite over Kovalev, who he beat numerous times in the unpaid ranks.

Using the quote box and challenging my actual quotes would keep you from doing the same "distortions" you accuse me of.

I never suggested that you claimed Kovalev was ducking anyone. You have, however, suggested that Kovalev needs to step up his opposition and I've been asking why that's the case when he's fought what I believe to be the best realistic opposition available. I've also asked you how he could've improved his opposition (i.e. which better opponents could he have fought) and you seem to be avoiding giving a clear response to this. Kovalev has fought four opponents who were commonly ranked in the top 5 of the division at the time (Hop, Pascal, Campillo, and Cleverly), with the first two being his most recent opponents, so I think his opposition has been good. Perhaps LHW is a shallow division, but you don't seem to be calling for Kovalev to change divisions, and in that case I think whether he needs to improve his opposition should be based on who he's fought at the weight and who is available there.

As for the amateur fights, to my knowledge they only fought twice and in the second meeting Beterbiev won by only a point. I believe that Kovalev lost multiple times to Matt Korobov, and by wider margins, but it's pretty clear who the better pro is.

[ikorolev]

To be fair, Kovalev also beat Korobov once (and very confidently). As for Kovalev vs Beterbiev, they had only one official fight in amateurs. The other one was an unofficial fight inside their national team. Beterbiev had backing of high level Chechen leaders to go to international events, so I wouldn't trust results of those fights.

[ikorolev]

GGG would get washed by Ward.

So, where is that multi-million contract from Roc Nation ? After watching Ward's performance from yesterday, Golovkin would probably sign it without reading.