Paul Smith: Ward Schools Kovalev

[diddy]

http://www.BS.com/paul-smith-a ... gin--95518

The Brits should enjoy this read. They love Ward.

[crusader]

I wonder what he'd be saying if he'd fought Kovalev instead.

By the way, where in the article does Smith say that Ward would school Kovalev? He says "If I had to pick a winner, I'd sway towards Ward out-boxing him and winning by a wide margin on points. But if Kovalev nails him.....". I can't see the bit you've put in quotes though.

[diddy]

Winning by a wide margin means something else to you?

A wide margin = easily. By any definition.

[crusader]

Someone could have to work hard throughout a fight and just squeak out rounds, yet if they do so on a consistent basis they could win a wide decision. They may also win a large portion of rounds yet go through hell in the other rounds, such as being hurt multiple times and/or badly cut by punches, and in this case I wouldn't call such a win easy even if it were fairly wide on the cards.

Smith also never said that Ward would widely beat Kovalev, just that if he were forced to make a prediction that's the outcome he'd go with; even the typical idiot probably knows the difference between asserting that an outcome is inevitable and asserting that it's simply what someone believes is the most likely among multiple possible outcomes.

I actually think Smith is pretty fair with his assessment and I can see Ward widely outboxing Kovalev, though as Smith suggests Kovalev's power could be a major factor.

[diddy]

Of course he's not gonna say Kovalev has no chance! Only an idiot would do that. But read between the lines. The guy gave details as to why he would beat Kovalev. And if to make a pick he would pick Ward to outbox him clearly...with a caveat that he could get knocked out with one shot. Yeah no sh*t. It's boxing.

[crusader]

No shitt he picked Ward and gave reasons why he did so, but he never asserted that Ward would school him as if it were inevitable (your thread title makes it seem like he does in my opinion) and a wide decision certainly doesn't have to be an easy one as I pointed out.

So Andre Ward victim Paul Smith would lean towards Ward by decision if the latter fought Kovalev.....incredible.

[davie]

It reminds me of the comical scenes before the Cleverly vs Bellew rematch where they sat and had an argument over who was better out of Kovalev and Stevenson.
It was like "I got my ass handed to me by the better fighter"
"No no, the guy who tore me to shreds was clearly better"

Truly cringeworthy stuff.

As it happens I agree with Smith.
I'm 60% Ward decision, 40% Kovalev nails him.

[forcefraser]

It reminds me of the comical scenes before the Cleverly vs Bellew rematch where they sat and had an argument over who was better out of Kovalev and Stevenson.
It was like "I got my ass handed to me by the better fighter"
"No no, the guy who tore me to shreds was clearly better"

Truly cringeworthy stuff.

As it happens I agree with Smith.
I'm 60% Ward decision, 40% Kovalev nails him.

Not as cringeworthy as "dees fists feed da kids, it's as simples as that"

[Boxerbeetle]

As it happens I agree with Smith.
I'm 60% Ward decision, 40% Kovalev nails him.

That's exactly how I see it.

[Pureist]

Diddy, by reading between the lines you have only put your own opinion forward, you can read anything into " between the lines"

[ikorolev]

As it happens I agree with Smith.
I'm 60% Ward decision, 40% Kovalev nails him.

That's exactly how I see it.

I am 20% Ward decision, 80% Kovalev nails him. Ward is used to bully smaller guys hanging on them when needed. That will not work with Kovalev who is at least the same size and have good skills and crushing jab.

[caldo2025]

I just don't see Ward winning this one or even signing the darn contract because he's soft. I used to be a fan of the man but one fight in 3 years and now he' got a mouse in his pocket yapping at all these other boxers. He demands respect but chose to sit on his hands the last 3 years while these people he's yapping at are fighting 3 times a year. Now I'm hearing that he might fight on the undercard of Canelo/Cotto? Probably because no one tuned in to see his fight on freaking BET. Oh how the might have fallen.

[diddy]

I just don't see Ward winning this one or even signing the darn contract because he's soft. I used to be a fan of the man but one fight in 3 years and now he' got a mouse in his pocket yapping at all these other boxers. He demands respect but chose to sit on his hands the last 3 years while these people he's yapping at are fighting 3 times a year. Now I'm hearing that he might fight on the undercard of Canelo/Cotto? Probably because no one tuned in to see his fight on freaking BET. Oh how the might have fallen.

No one tunes into BET period.

[SenorPipino]

I just don't see Ward winning this one or even signing the darn contract because he's soft. I used to be a fan of the man but one fight in 3 years and now he' got a mouse in his pocket yapping at all these other boxers. He demands respect but chose to sit on his hands the last 3 years while these people he's yapping at are fighting 3 times a year. Now I'm hearing that he might fight on the undercard of Canelo/Cotto? Probably because no one tuned in to see his fight on freaking BET. Oh how the might have fallen.

No one tunes into BET period.[/quote]

I hear that Al Sharpton doesn't miss a minute of it.

[jamesmcdonnell]

The headline of this could read 'World stunned as Bear shites in Woods."

[jamesmcdonnell]

As it happens I agree with Smith.
I'm 60% Ward decision, 40% Kovalev nails him.

That's exactly how I see it.

I am 20% Ward decision, 80% Kovalev nails him. Ward is used to bully smaller guys hanging on them when needed. That will not work with Kovalev who is at least the same size and have good skills and crushing jab.

Kessler wasn't smaller than him, neither was Froch.

[PredatorHayds]

I think Paul Smith is entitled to his opinion and puts it across in a good way.
The fight would be a classic boxer-versus puncher match up.
Personally I'd go for Kovalev.