Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward: who will you be rooting for?

[Freedom2013]

It's good to see most current scene posters will be supporting Kovalev.

[Counter-puncher]

However, when you go out like a light numerous times like that chinny little Brit, Khan-job, well that my amigos is definitely a China Chin.

Point of detail, khan was stopped on his feet for two of his three stoppage losses IIRC

So are you saying that you're the one guy in the world who thinks Khan-job has a granite chin?

You wouldn't be closing in on 80 too, would you?

No, my friend, I am simply saying that against Prescott and Garcia, he didn't go out like a light, as he was stopped on his feet

That means he has only gone out like a light once, not numerous times, at least if by out like a light you mean unconscious on his back or face Pacquiao-Marquez style.

Like I say just a point of detail, khan has been sparked out like a light once, not numerous times.

He has been knocked down, wobbled and hurt, numerous times, but knocked out like a light only once.

[Freedom2013]

Kovalev had VADA testing for his last fight with Pascal. Will Ward (who worked with Victor Conte) accept VADA testing?

Will Ward fight Kovalev outside of Oakland? It was reported today on BS that the fight may not be in Las Vegas after all.

Will Ward have a referee who is on his side, and permits him to foul (like Jack Reiss did in Ward-Kessler, or Lawrence Cole did for the home boxer in Lomachenko-Salido)?

[Tony1244]

Ward. But I can't say I care tremendously.

[diddy]

Kovalev had VADA testing for his last fight with Pascal. Will Ward (who worked with Victor Conte) accept VADA testing?

Will Ward fight Kovalev outside of Oakland? It was reported today on BS that the fight may not be in Las Vegas after all.

Will Ward have a referee who is on his side, and permits him to foul (like Jack Reiss did in Ward-Kessler, or Lawrence Cole did for the home boxer in Lomachenko-Salido)?

According to you the fight was never gonna happen in the first place. Amirite? And it'll be in Vegas. Where are you hearing this nonsense otherwise? They have a contract and a booked venue.

[Freedom2013]

And it'll be in Vegas. Where are you hearing this nonsense otherwise? They have a contract and a booked venue.

Check the link on my post above (it's in blue). Here it is again:

http://www.BS.com/andre-ward-t ... ev--107490

[Enlightened-One]

I'm not really fussed about who wins this fight, but if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to decide, then I'd probably favour Andre Ward by the tiniest of margins, purely because I tend to appreciate boxers over punchers... and he's also having to leave his 168lb comfort zone to face a naturally bigger athlete.

In my mind both guys deserve a lot of praise for quickly engaging in a 50-50 bout where somebody's zero has to go... and Canelo and Golovkin can both learn a lot from these guys.

[MaxiBoxc]

--->>>
I'd bet on Ward. But my sympathies are with Krusher.
Attacking style makes fight, but defensive style makes result.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Don't really have a preference, I think Ward is a special fighter, but he is rather dull. I just hope that it turns out to be a good fight.

[SFW]

Ward is going to outbox him, and never come close to going down. I do hope that embarrassing dumb feeling sinks in when you doubters & haters have to face it. It's gonna happen. None of the created doubts or semi-true criticisms are going to matter. Your bias overtook your brain. Not only are you getting a lesson, much like Kovalev, your getting 12 of them. 3 minutes apiece. your simply doubting the wrong fighter. Cheers

[gilgamesh]

I'll be rooting for Kovalev. He's one of my favorite fighters.

I don't recall ever rooting for Andre ward. Doubt I ever will.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Ward is going to outbox him, and never come close to going down. I do hope that embarrassing dumb feeling sinks in when you doubters & haters have to face it. It's gonna happen. None of the created doubts or semi-true criticisms are going to matter. Your bias overtook your brain. Not only are you getting a lesson, much like Kovalev, your getting 12 of them. 3 minutes apiece. your simply doubting the wrong fighter. Cheers

Id be surprised. Ward is a great technician byt kovalev isnt a mug.

[Counter-puncher]

Ward is going to outbox him, and never come close to going down. I do hope that embarrassing dumb feeling sinks in when you doubters & haters have to face it. It's gonna happen. None of the created doubts or semi-true criticisms are going to matter. Your bias overtook your brain. Not only are you getting a lesson, much like Kovalev, your getting 12 of them. 3 minutes apiece. your simply doubting the wrong fighter. Cheers

Id be surprised. Ward is a great technician byt kovalev isnt a mug.

I know it's the internet, like, but do you understand all the zero-sum 'NO doubt who wins this' posts, mate?

To me I could see either winning, it seems weird that so many people seem to be completely sold either way.

Still, its the internet, which means there's partisanship, reverse-racism, and god knows what else at play.

[Enlightened-One]

I’m kind of hoping that the Kovalev-Ward fight is really exciting and competitive, to the point it easily warrants a rematch, because otherwise, the choice of their next opponent (in the short-term) seems rather limited:
• The winner of Juergen Braehmer vs. Nathan Cleverly
• Erik Skoglund
• Sean Monaghan
• Dominic Boesel
• Oleksandr Gvozdyk
• Vyacheslav Shabranskyy

Most of these guys are merely talented, undefeated novices. And Braehmer is not 100% guaranteed to get past Cleverly (who himself has already been whooped by Kovalev).

[jamesmcdonnell]

Ward is going to outbox him, and never come close to going down. I do hope that embarrassing dumb feeling sinks in when you doubters & haters have to face it. It's gonna happen. None of the created doubts or semi-true criticisms are going to matter. Your bias overtook your brain. Not only are you getting a lesson, much like Kovalev, your getting 12 of them. 3 minutes apiece. your simply doubting the wrong fighter. Cheers

Id be surprised. Ward is a great technician byt kovalev isnt a mug.

I know it's the internet, like, but do you understand all the zero-sum 'NO doubt who wins this' posts, mate?

To me I could see either winning, it seems weird that so many people seem to be completely sold either way.

Still, its the internet, which means there's partisanship, reverse-racism, and god knows what else at play.

I agree. Its a tough match up

[Enlightened-One]

If I take the average betting odds probability from the following bookies:
Stan James, Sky Bet, William Hill, bet365, 888 Sport & Paddy Power

Andre Ward is rated to have a 60% probability of defeating Kovalev. Sergey’s probability to defeat Ward is 46%.

[jamesmcdonnell]

If I take the average betting odds probability from the following bookies:
Stan James, Sky Bet, William Hill, bet365, 888 Sport & Paddy Power

Andre Ward is rated to have a 60% probability of defeating Kovalev. Sergey’s probability to defeat Ward is 46%.

I'd say that's probably about right.

[SFW]

We've seen it time and again, power punchers even volume ones befuddled by superior defense, distance, and footwork. In every case their volume drops significantly and so does the accuracy. What makes this so interesting is Kovalev will walk through fire to land his shots that's how confident he is in his power, Ward lacks power. He has the strength but not the heavy hands. Andre knows this, Virgil knows this, it's no secret. They'll be prepared, for anything. Andre is the real deal, durable and ready for this. Shit, he is the fresh one Kov has not looked like the monster who clobbered Cleverly lately. Dre hasn't had the tough fights wearing his body out like Kov has, he's young and filled out at the weight he is ready. No excuses

[crusader]

What tough fights was Kovalev in? Pascal had like two good rounds between their fights and Chilemba never put a dent in him. There is less than a year in age between Kov and Ward, so if one's young in years the other is too. Also, after Pascal II you said Sergey was getting better and better, but now he's on the decline?

I think it's a well-matched fight, and I lean towards Ward, but it's not at all a sure thing that he'll win.

[Freedom2013]

I think Kovalev was wise to fight Chilemba first, who has a similar spoiling style as Ward. Shabranskyy would have been a better choice for Ward, because he's somewhat similar to Kovalev, but not quite as good.

I believe Sergey will be ready on Nov 19. It's good to see he's not underestimating Ward. I just hope they have a fair and honest ref and judges (there a good chance it will go to the cards, Ward is not easy to KO).

[SFW]

I thought the first Pascal fight was a tough 8 rounds none really easy, rematch was easy, Chilemba fight he was winded even with little resistance coming back so couldn't of been that easy. Kov just being in the ring is more wear and tear than what Andre has been doing. The age factor is relative, how much punishment over time have both taken. A younger guy with a face first style is racking up more damage than the older one who doesn't get hit much.. I think Ward is the fresher guy coming in. The inactivity could hamper him, the time off could have benefited. I think it helped but we'll see on fight night for sure. I can't wait to see this one.

[crusader]

Kov hasn't really taken much punishment in my opinion. Pascal's success in their first fight was was limited to two rounds, not spread across all eight, and Chilemba wasn't landing damaging shots. He probably has less wear and tear on him than most elite fighters do, although if he was fighting crap like Smith and Brand I suspect that he would have been hit less.

[Badhusker]

Ward will find a way to win. Bank on it.

[boxing_rocks]

Ward will find a way to win. Bank on it.

Then he will discover that it was a way to get crushed

[boxing_rocks]

We've seen it time and again, power punchers even volume ones befuddled by superior defense, distance, and footwork. In every case their volume drops significantly and so does the accuracy. What makes this so interesting is Kovalev will walk through fire to land his shots that's how confident he is in his power, Ward lacks power. He has the strength but not the heavy hands. Andre knows this, Virgil knows this, it's no secret. They'll be prepared, for anything. Andre is the real deal, durable and ready for this. poo, he is the fresh one Kov has not looked like the monster who clobbered Cleverly lately. Dre hasn't had the tough fights wearing his body out like Kov has, he's young and filled out at the weight he is ready. No excuses

That Ward you talk about doesn't exist anymore. On Saturday, I saw a pretty slow and unimressive boxer. In any case, I think Kovalev would beat the 2011 version of Ward.