Ward vs. Kovalev: Who's watching?

[Ricky_]

Outright cheatery

Absolute disgrace.

Talkin about the low shots, slip of the tongue from Nelson just said "dickin" rather than "duckin"

[boxingknockout]

Right - so 2 world titles defended successfully by stoppage, using illegal blows.

And Ward wins the Champion Low Blow Emiritus p4p title from Andrej Golota.

Tony Weeks also wins the Emeritus Incompetent Cheating Vegas ref title from Kenny Bayless.

Well I for one am glad I stayed up for this record breaking boxing night.....

[KiwiRider]

I had time to calm down and rewatch the fight and counted 8 low blows, there were 2 successive ones before the shot that rocked Kov.
What a disgrace.
At least he had a kid before that fight.

[Ricky_]

Strong case that Ward should have been DQd.

https://twitter.com/RingSide_TV/status/ ... 3372189696

[coneye]

Shit like this realy has put me off a lot of boxing , Ward holding . low blows constantly , trying to clash heads , and not one warning , just gets rewarded the fight . . Sick of officials who want to toe the line allowing blatant cheating .

[veriton]

just waking up to read all this. you were all surprised? andre ward fights are always awful, it's guaranteed. He will now take 18 months out and then come back proclaiming he's number one. seriously, why would anyone care about this fool?

[boxingknockout]

We at least now know what S.O.G. really stands for...

Andre 'Son Of Golota' Ward

[Boxerbeetle]

So Ward stopped Kovalev? Looking forward to all posters who insisted that was impossible eating their humble pie

[Boxerbeetle]

https://twitter.com/loudibella/status/8 ... 6313189376

[klitoris]

So you can win a fight now by hitting a guy in the balls over and over.

effing Rocnation had that one fixed big time. Illuminati pudendum Jay Z.

Oh and Matthew Macklin, make sure you brush your teeth after slobbering all over Ward's cock.

Have you seen Salido vs Lomachenko?

[rab]

wtf is wrong with ward ? the man has all the talent in the world yet still insists on using his head (looked to me one of those head butts staggered kovalev in the 10th) and constant low blows.
weeks just moved into the bayless category for me ,i would like to see both get a good kicking (not punching) just for spoiling my viewing and the damage both have done to boxings reputation

[tobyh5]

I skimmed it on youtube and initial feeling was that Ward clearly took the wind out of Kovalev with those low blows but although they were below the beltline, they were not in the nutsack but in his lower gut and abs which although by the rules were illegal, in the mano a mano of a fight were fine and nowhere near hitting him in the balls and that they drained Kovalev suggests he was getting broken down.

Generally I felt that Kovalev once again started well but again faded and then failed to find answers and was getting broken down. People seem to be forgetting that he got stunned with a head shot shortly before the stoppage and staggered back from that. A low blow came shortly before but as said, although below the belt it did still hit the actual body and not the bollocks of the man. Kov was not lasting much longer, he was drained and on the way out. He was sagging and close to spent as Ward chased him down at the end. I thought Weeks jumped in due to Kov becoming semi-defenceless

[Tuan_Jim]

Ward had Kovalev figured out. He spoiled and speared him all night, while Krusher could get nothing off and overreacted to every single infringement, sending clear distress signals and likely making Ward stronger. I mean really, bending double and holding your balls because a guy tapped you on the belt? When John Ruiz did it over and over we were enraged; when Kovalev does it it's suddenly legitimate?

Too bad Tony Weeks didn't referee the 2nd Holyfield/Ruiz fight. We could have got rid of Ruiz there and then and never seen him again.

PS. Ward to stop Adonis Stevenson!

[tobyh5]

Ward had Kovalev figured out. He spoiled and speared him all night, while Krusher could get nothing off and overreacted to every single infringement, sending clear distress signals and likely making Ward stronger. I mean really, bending double and holding your balls because a guy tapped you on the belt? When John Ruiz did it over and over we were enraged; when Kovalev does it it's suddenly legitimate?

Too bad Tony Weeks didn't referee the 2nd Holyfield/Ruiz fight. We could have got rid of Ruiz there and then and never seen him again.

PS. Ward to stop Adonis Stevenson!

[dr_devious]

We at least now know what S.O.G. really stands for...

Andre 'Son Of Golota' Ward

[dr_devious]

BS result, absolute disgrace and yet another black eye for boxing.

[Stuarty]

Was enjoying the fight up until that bullshít stoppage. Have to give Ward credit. I had him just ahead at the time of the stoppage but he was throwing low shots all night so points off for that. The ref conveniently turned a blind eye and favoured Ward. Bad night for the sport when this kind of thing happens.

The right hand Ward landed to get Kov going was as good a shot as I've seen Ward land his whole career.

[samwbr]

The last of the 3 was in the balls and the only one worthy of a foul. The shot in rnd 6 (?) was on the guard and Kovalev was looking for points off and turned away. Think Ward knew he had him from that point.
Why didn't Kovalev give him one back at any point?

[Andrew]

Whehsbdusfhequfwehfwe

What

I still don't know how to react.

[Andrew]

Was enjoying the fight up until that bullshít stoppage. Have to give Ward credit. I had him just ahead at the time of the stoppage but he was throwing low shots all night so points off for that. The ref conveniently turned a blind eye and favoured Ward. Bad night for the sport when this kind of thing happens.

The right hand Ward landed to get Kov going was as good a shot as I've seen Ward land his whole career.

I had him three down at the time. Did look like three low blows but the camera angles were not the best.

Thank god Zeuge won because last night was bad for the sport.

[Stuarty]

Was enjoying the fight up until that bullshít stoppage. Have to give Ward credit. I had him just ahead at the time of the stoppage but he was throwing low shots all night so points off for that. The ref conveniently turned a blind eye and favoured Ward. Bad night for the sport when this kind of thing happens.

The right hand Ward landed to get Kov going was as good a shot as I've seen Ward land his whole career.

I had him three down at the time. Did look like three low blows but the camera angles were not the best.

Thank god Zeuge won because last night was bad for the sport.

The first one looked borderline. The other two looked well low especially the last one. He was at it all night. Kov was bang in trouble after that right hand though but it was still a very poor stoppage. I think Ward would've went on to win it but unfortunately we'll never know for sure because of poor refereeing.

I'm glad Zeuge whipped Smith as well. Found it hard to give Smith more than a couple of rounds. His performance just underlined the fact he shouldn't be anywhere near world belt level. He'd struggle to win a British belt nowadays.

[Loftgroov]

I'm beginning to wonder if Ward is some kind of "establishment fighter" - I don't think he's allowed to lose, especially to a Russian.

There is no doubt if Kovalev kept hitting Ward low it would have been a warning, point deduction and then DQ. But for Ward they turn a blind eye.

And why the hell was the fight actually stopped? Why didn't Kovalev get a count for siting down on the rope, rather than have the ref just race over and instantly wave it off.

For all the skill on show the ending made it a joke of a contest.

[TheLeprechaun]

I skimmed it on youtube and initial feeling was that Ward clearly took the wind out of Kovalev with those low blows but although they were below the beltline, they were not in the nutsack but in his lower gut and abs which although by the rules were illegal, in the mano a mano of a fight were fine and nowhere near hitting him in the balls and that they drained Kovalev suggests he was getting broken down.

Generally I felt that Kovalev once again started well but again faded and then failed to find answers and was getting broken down. People seem to be forgetting that he got stunned with a head shot shortly before the stoppage and staggered back from that. A low blow came shortly before but as said, although below the belt it did still hit the actual body and not the bollocks of the man. Kov was not lasting much longer, he was drained and on the way out. He was sagging and close to spent as Ward chased him down at the end. I thought Weeks jumped in due to Kov becoming semi-defenceless

Ward was definitely going to win the fight but the stoppage was poor and the low blows should have been penalized

[Ricky_]

Was enjoying the fight up until that bullshít stoppage. Have to give Ward credit. I had him just ahead at the time of the stoppage but he was throwing low shots all night so points off for that. The ref conveniently turned a blind eye and favoured Ward. Bad night for the sport when this kind of thing happens.

The right hand Ward landed to get Kov going was as good a shot as I've seen Ward land his whole career.

It was a brilliant shot from a truly master boxer. I would be singing Ward's praises right now if he followed it up with a legit finish. Kovalev is made a tough stuff though. He woukd have seen out the round, especially had he went down and got the count, or if he was given the time to recover from the low shots.

It's bad news for Ward too. What could have been a great win is marred in controversy.

[CaptainSpacerod]

Got up and watched it live, high drama.

Yeah they were low blows but some were borderline and anyhow after the ref didn't deal with the first one Sergei should've smashed him down Mexico way. I kept expecting him to do it and thought he was being clever waiting for the right moment but it never happened. I had Sergei two rounds up going in to the 8th but as a Krusher fan I wasn't confident he would hold on. It was a fascinating contest, two immensely skilled fighters trying to solve puzzles the other one was setting. Ward to his immense credit stepped up his game and was getting to Sergei - low blows or not the end would've come.

Saddens me to say it cos I've loved watching his fights but there was a bit of quit in Sergei last night. After the fight he protested but with no real conviction. You could see it in his eyes that he knew Ward was the better man. I don't think this necessarily destroys his aura because I think Ward is clearly a special special talent and I can still see Sergei winning big fights at 175. Maybe Chickenson will fancy it a bit more now.

A fantastic occasion. The only downside to the fight was Paulie's manic, repetitive commentary and Max's fawning post fight interview.