SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.
Exactly. Over in England that idiot Supreme Adam Smith was constantly referring to Kovolev like he was some brute incarnate devoid of skill. Any moron knows any guy who could outbox Hopkins the way Kovalev did is a seriously fine boxer
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.
Easy. Remember, this is Ward after taking two easy fights. He'll probably be a bit sharper next time around. Ward already has what gives Kovelev trouble figured out.(even if it was late the first fight) And Kovelev isn't going to box better. He's going to go in the remach trying to KO Ward early and get tired quicker and we'll see the same fight after that with Ward actually winning it. If Kovelev actually could finish Ward, he would have.
x2x wrote:I don't know if Ward will even be able to fight again. Where is he? Has anyone heard from him after the fight? Does anyone have a photo of his face after the fight?
He's relaxing. You think after a long training camp, putting your body through a lot, agter the fight he's gonna wanna be seen? He's having some time off that he deserves.
I just watched an interview with Kovalev two days after the fight. Amazingly he doesn't have a mark on him.
Some guys mark up, some guys don't. Whoever looks worse isn't necessarily the loser. Does anyone remember Pacquiao/Clottey? where Manny beat his ass for 12 rounds, but Clottey landed maybe 15-20 shots and Manny was the one who looked busted up? How about every Gatti fight?
This rematch has to happen, Ward needs to make it happen. And I think he could avoid another disastrous start and clearly get a win. Sergei deserves the chance to get his titles back as well.
SFW wrote:Some guys mark up, some guys don't. Whoever looks worse isn't necessarily the loser. Does anyone remember Pacquiao/Clottey? where Manny beat his ass for 12 rounds, but Clottey landed maybe 15-20 shots and Manny was the one who looked busted up? How about every Gatti fight?
This rematch has to happen, Ward needs to make it happen. And I think he could avoid another disastrous start and clearly get a win. Sergei deserves the chance to get his titles back as well.
Im very curious how they will line the rematch. There is a lot of smoke that Kovalev won the fight but that Ward was the one who readjusted in the 2nd half. I would think Ward would again be a very short favorite if the books are to assume Ward will box from Round 1 like he did from Round 5-6 on.
GPTM1403 wrote:I don't know whether to find the ever growing revisionism of the Ward fans annoying or funny - I think more the latter. If all anyone did was read those comments you'd think Kovalev was out on his feet for the last 3 rounds and Ward was robbed of a deserved bigger victory and apparently only Ward can improve in the next fight, because apparently he won every round after the second and will destroy Kovalev just like he did in the first.....oh hang on back to reality. Second fight is 50-50 like the first just now Kovalev knows he has to bounce Ward off the canvas most rounds to get a draw so maybe he'll approach the fight different.
Agreed.
If anything, Kovalev is going to now know what he's up against & what he needs to do to win.
I'm not saying he'll do it, but he'll certainly prepare accordingly for the rematch.
Just to throw it out there, Kov mentioned after the fight that he wants to 'kick his ass' in a rematch. Now if he goes in all guns blazing that will leave himself open to Ward surely? Whilst I'm not glossing over the fact that Kov's plan may well work out and he gets to Ward, equally I can see Ward landing a haymaker or 2 himself. I have to say I'm looking forward to the rematch.
Roars Like Me wrote:Just to throw it out there, Kov mentioned after the fight that he wants to 'kick his ass' in a rematch. Now if he goes in all guns blazing that will leave himself open to Ward surely? Whilst I'm not glossing over the fact that Kov's plan may well work out and he gets to Ward, equally I can see Ward landing a haymaker or 2 himself. I have to say I'm looking forward to the rematch.
It is an interesting scenario but has Ward ever been one to take those opportunities? As I said somewhere else, the reason his stoppage % is as low as it is doesn't come from lack of punch but from lack of instinct to take the chances to finish fights. But, having said that, if Ward opens up we're looking at a scenario where both are landing and we all know which carries the one punch power to finish it - which I don't think Ward is dumb enough to allow to happen.
Roars Like Me wrote:Just to throw it out there, Kov mentioned after the fight that he wants to 'kick his ass' in a rematch. Now if he goes in all guns blazing that will leave himself open to Ward surely? Whilst I'm not glossing over the fact that Kov's plan may well work out and he gets to Ward, equally I can see Ward landing a haymaker or 2 himself. I have to say I'm looking forward to the rematch.
It is an interesting scenario but has Ward ever been one to take those opportunities? As I said somewhere else, the reason his stoppage % is as low as it is doesn't come from lack of punch but from lack of instinct to take the chances to finish fights. But, having said that, if Ward opens up we're looking at a scenario where both are landing and we all know which carries the one punch power to finish it - which I don't think Ward is dumb enough to allow to happen.
I actually thought Ward came into the Kovalev fight quite confident that he could stand and trade power shots. He obviously learnt pretty quickly that he couldn't following the knockdown.
I see Kovalev having even more success the second time around. The mystique surrounding Ward being an level above him in terms of boxing skill is gone. That's now not an anxiety for Kovalev who out-boxed Ward in the classic sense. What was demonstrated by Ward is that he is a ruthless boxer. There is an unwritten law that Teddy Atlas spoke about regarding entering the clinch. Obviously fighters exploit this and they have every right to if its within the rules, Tyson comes to mind. When you enter a clinch with another boxer and your hand is tied up in theirs, it's almost instinctual to stop, maybe grab some air, reset, let each other go, wait for the ref....I mean your boxing with your fists, your training for a fist fight not a wrestle. It's a natural habit which has maybe come about from sparring where you build friendships and respect with your sparring partners, well I know I did when I belonged to a small amateur club.
Ward and others boxers have completely exploited this "habit". What I saw Ward do the other night, the small bits of success he had when he learnt he couldn't "traditionally and properly" outbox Kovelev was......time a short left while Kov was on the front foot coming in (like Chilemba) and then clinch or throw out one stiff singular left to the body or head and then clinch if Kov was stationary.
Following this in the clinch he would try to grab then get one arm free and punch and I even saw on a couple of occasion's when they were separating from the clinch he would throw to the body. Imagine that, you've just been tied up with someone and are now separating and as your both stepping back to begin boxing again and the other person has already thrown a combo to your body. In my opinion, that's as ruthless and exploitative as you get but its also original, especially if you know your going to get away with it and have trained that way. He did this in the Dawson fight, it's ruthless and exploitative but then again...it's a fight isn't it. One person wants to win and it's evident Ward will do everything in his power to win. Even though he didn't win this time. I think these tactics have been a big part of his success, obviously he's a very talented traditional boxer, add in this exploitative tactic of his, he's got dimension to his game. If he can't traditionally outbox you he will smother your power and punches and punch you in a position you've never been punched before or have seen/trained for. Again though, this is clever and it is a fight and what he's been allowed to do.
As for Kovalev, he did a good job grappling him but he never deterred Ward from continuing to do the clinch and punch tactics. In the next fight, expect the same thing, expect the ref not to protect Kovalev. Kovalev's got to know what to expect and really train accordingly.This is up to him and his training team. I couldn't really tell you what he needs to do other than dropping his elbows on wards limbs.
Furthermore, I don't want to see Kovalev coming forward the whole fight like he did. He got no points for the effective aggression and it seems Ward stole points for back peddling. Fighting on the front foot, constantly bringing the fight IS energy zapping. Especially when your opponents in survival mode like Ward and Chilemba and then they just time a left while Kovalev is coming forward. Rather if Kovalev comes forward in spurts then he can save some stamina and maybe this will encourage Ward to engage and try and close a gap, see how he does with that. Maybe that will make more of a boring fight but I think it will heat up after some slow rounds.
What are peoples thoughts? These are just my observations. I think it's pretty clear I'm not a Ward fan after the other night but I'm happy to listen to another perspective.
Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.
I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.
IMO, Ward won 7-4-1. But if people keep claiming it was a robbery, I'm prepared to argue that Ward won 11 or maybe even 12 rounds. That would be poetic justice for these people who can't score a fight and keep calling a solid decision a robbery.
Both guys are good boxers, but Ward has more dimensions to his game, and will be even more evident in the rematch. Some talk like Ward did all the clinching? Kovalev doesn't fight well on the inside, so I doubt if that will change much. Ward is a very intelligent boxer, and will win easier in the rematch. I wouldn't call Kovalev one dimensional, but compared to Ward he is easier to figure out. He will have to have a very effective jab for 12 rounds to have a chance, because he isn't getting the KO.
Tanzio wrote:
Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.
I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.
IMO, Ward won 7-4-1. But if people keep claiming it was a robbery, I'm prepared to argue that Ward won 11 or maybe even 12 rounds. That would be poetic justice for these people who can't score a fight and keep calling a solid decision a robbery.
75+ percent of boxing media and many of Ward's fans think that Kovalev won. One needs to be delusional or corrupt to think that Ward won more than 6 rounds when he actually won 3 to 5 rounds depending on who you give close rounds to.
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:If there is a second fight, make sure you watch it like a real man, don't drink and score it rbr on box rec. Lmao, poor tanzio, biggest bitch in here.
