Ward vs. Kovalev: Who's watching?

[youngrell]

Ridiculous end to the fight. What was the ref thinking?

I'm not sure I've ever seen a highly competitive, world title fight being stopped on body shots without a count.

That's without the controversy of the low blows. Bizarre stoppage all round.

[Boxerbeetle]

Kovalev has always looked very vulnerable to the body, and his stamina has long been suspected to be poor. I certainly never thought he was the unstoppable monster that some depicted him as. Ward had him figured out halfway through the first fight and I said so at the time.

[TheLeprechaun]

Don Turner is old school as f*ck




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si67iOXZzHA

[Tuan_Jim]

Kovalev had everything his own way his whole career and thus cannot cope with the resistance he meets when he fights Ward. The body language last night, Ward will have no doubt noticed, was all negative, a man thrashed mentally and physically. We see it again and again. GGG suddenly had his hands full when Daniel Jacobs introduced him to a proper boxing contest, and I think the Kazakh will have an even worse night against Canelo. Someone will capitalise on Joshua's appalling stamina soon, covering up under the attack then taking him out with some well-placed shots when he's gassed. We need to stop being so surprised when these punchers come unstuck.

God only knows how Kovalev would have coped with Michael Spinks. A physically bigger man than Ward, and Kov for that matter, every bit as awkward, but with humongous power in either hand and frightening accuracy.

[samwbr]

Kovalev had everything his own way his whole career and thus cannot cope with the resistance he meets when he fights Ward. The body language last night, Ward will have no doubt noticed, was all negative, a man thrashed mentally and physically. We see it again and again. GGG suddenly had his hands full when Daniel Jacobs introduced him to a proper boxing contest, and I think the Kazakh will have an even worse night against Canelo. Someone will capitalise on Joshua's appalling stamina soon, covering up under the attack then taking him out with some well-placed shots when he's gassed. We need to stop being so surprised when these punchers come unstuck.

God only knows how Kovalev would have coped with Michael Spinks. A physically bigger man than Ward, and Kov for that matter, every bit as awkward, but with humongous power in either hand and frightening accuracy.

Don't entirely disagree but it was Jacobs who hit the deck, and still lost despite going for broke in size and coming in as a lhw.
Your point about canelo, what about him v Floyd?

[Realistic]

Serious question Is the B on the Hublot Below the waistline? If you think it is then Ward 100% hit SK with a LOW BLOW and should have been warned and sk given 5 minutes to recover.

[Tuan_Jim]

Kovalev had everything his own way his whole career and thus cannot cope with the resistance he meets when he fights Ward. The body language last night, Ward will have no doubt noticed, was all negative, a man thrashed mentally and physically. We see it again and again. GGG suddenly had his hands full when Daniel Jacobs introduced him to a proper boxing contest, and I think the Kazakh will have an even worse night against Canelo. Someone will capitalise on Joshua's appalling stamina soon, covering up under the attack then taking him out with some well-placed shots when he's gassed. We need to stop being so surprised when these punchers come unstuck.

God only knows how Kovalev would have coped with Michael Spinks. A physically bigger man than Ward, and Kov for that matter, every bit as awkward, but with humongous power in either hand and frightening accuracy.

Don't entirely disagree but it was Jacobs who hit the deck, and still lost despite going for broke in size and coming in as a lhw.
Your point about canelo, what about him v Floyd?

I think GGG coming right at him will suit him down to the ground, although this opinion has been long lampooned on Boxrec. Tuan Jim will have the last laugh!

[TheLeprechaun]

Kovalev had everything his own way his whole career and thus cannot cope with the resistance he meets when he fights Ward. The body language last night, Ward will have no doubt noticed, was all negative, a man thrashed mentally and physically. We see it again and again. GGG suddenly had his hands full when Daniel Jacobs introduced him to a proper boxing contest, and I think the Kazakh will have an even worse night against Canelo. Someone will capitalise on Joshua's appalling stamina soon, covering up under the attack then taking him out with some well-placed shots when he's gassed. We need to stop being so surprised when these punchers come unstuck.

God only knows how Kovalev would have coped with Michael Spinks. A physically bigger man than Ward, and Kov for that matter, every bit as awkward, but with humongous power in either hand and frightening accuracy.

Don't entirely disagree but it was Jacobs who hit the deck, and still lost despite going for broke in size and coming in as a lhw.
Your point about canelo, what about him v Floyd?

I think GGG coming right at him will suit him down to the ground, although this opinion has been long lampooned on Boxrec. Tuan Jim will have the last laugh!

It's much easier to pick against GGG after seeing him being so tentative against a puncher in Jacobs.

Canelo hits hard and if he is able to buzz GGG early he might keep GGG honest for the 12 rounds. Canelo will know that he will have to land something solid on GGG early that gets his respect so that GGG doesn't just walk through him like he did with Brook. Brook did land to be fair but the punches weren't hard enough to deter GGG's relentless assault. If Canelo can make GGG as tentative as Jacobs did, then he will be able to outbox him easily.

[Tuan_Jim]

Don't entirely disagree but it was Jacobs who hit the deck, and still lost despite going for broke in size and coming in as a lhw.
Your point about canelo, what about him v Floyd?

I think GGG coming right at him will suit him down to the ground, although this opinion has been long lampooned on Boxrec. Tuan Jim will have the last laugh!

It's much easier to pick against GGG after seeing him being so tentative against a puncher in Jacobs.

Canelo hits hard and if he is able to buzz GGG early he might keep GGG honest for the 12 rounds. Canelo will know that he will have to land something solid on GGG early that gets his respect so that GGG doesn't just walk through him like he did with Brook. Brook did land to be fair but the punches weren't hard enough to deter GGG's relentless assault. If Canelo can make GGG as tentative as Jacobs did, then he will be able to outbox him easily.

Luckily for me I was saying it long before the Jacobs fight!

[samwbr]

Don't entirely disagree but it was Jacobs who hit the deck, and still lost despite going for broke in size and coming in as a lhw.
Your point about canelo, what about him v Floyd?

I think GGG coming right at him will suit him down to the ground, although this opinion has been long lampooned on Boxrec. Tuan Jim will have the last laugh!

It's much easier to pick against GGG after seeing him being so tentative against a puncher in Jacobs.

Canelo hits hard and if he is able to buzz GGG early he might keep GGG honest for the 12 rounds. Canelo will know that he will have to land something solid on GGG early that gets his respect so that GGG doesn't just walk through him like he did with Brook. Brook did land to be fair but the punches weren't hard enough to deter GGG's relentless assault. If Canelo can make GGG as tentative as Jacobs did, then he will be able to outbox him easily.

Canelo isn't as good a boxer as Golovkin.

[handsofstone]

BS stoppage, still hard to tell where the punches landed but they looked OK to me but even if they were legal, the ref should've gave a count, he fvcked up big style IMO, no doubt Kovalev was feeling the body shots on the beltline and Ward did wobble him with the right hand just before the end but the ref was too quick to jump in, I had it even at the end, have HBO got a massive hard on for Kovalev?, it was a another close affair but Lederman had Kovalev about 13 rounds up, maybe they just hate Ward

[Realistic]

BS stoppage, still hard to tell where the punches landed but they looked OK to me but even if they were legal, the ref should've gave a count, he fvcked up big style IMO, no doubt Kovalev was feeling the body shots on the beltline and Ward did wobble him with the right hand just before the end but the ref was too quick to jump in, I had it even at the end, have HBO got a massive hard on for Kovalev?, it was a another close affair but Lederman had Kovalev about 13 rounds up, maybe they just hate Ward

That were low; the grey of the shorts are the level and the HUBLOT wording is below the level. He is hit on the B of the HUBLOT



https://twitter.com/boxingcorner247/sta ... 6423444480

[mickey1975]

Poor Riddick is getting worse!

[handsofstone]

BS stoppage, still hard to tell where the punches landed but they looked OK to me but even if they were legal, the ref should've gave a count, he fvcked up big style IMO, no doubt Kovalev was feeling the body shots on the beltline and Ward did wobble him with the right hand just before the end but the ref was too quick to jump in, I had it even at the end, have HBO got a massive hard on for Kovalev?, it was a another close affair but Lederman had Kovalev about 13 rounds up, maybe they just hate Ward

That were low; the grey of the shorts are the level and the HUBLOT wording is below the level. He is hit on the B of the HUBLOT



https://twitter.com/boxingcorner247/sta ... 6423444480

Yeah I stand corrected, at least one was low, Kovalev was wilting from shots that weren't in the sack before though, he struggled last night and the ending was pants because I reckon Ward was gonna stop him legit, either way his aura is destroyed

[Realistic]

100% Agree mate; the writing was on the wall and I think SK quit to be honest. That said the rules are the rules and they should have been followed. Another contest that has ended with a bit of controversy when there was no need. AW was going to stop him last night IMHO

[Tuan_Jim]

I wonder if Adonis Stevenson is kicking himself now for not taking on the Krusher. Good defensively and hits a hell of a lot harder than Ward. Nowhere near the natural high ring IQ of Ward, admittedly. But still an interesting toss up it turns out, not the mismatch we all previously thought.

[samwbr]

Still love to see Adonis v Kov. Could be a fantastic shootout.

[TheLeprechaun]

Wonder if Cleverly will fancy a rematch with Kovalev now?

Hire Joe Gallagher and use the Gallagher tactics to shell up and come on strong in the second half?

[leejonesjnr]

Hmmmm.
There is certainly room to criticise the ref for not taking action on the low blows, however when people say low blow they really mean a punch to the groin, which I don't believe happened. It appeared to me that the questionable punches were lower abdomen between the groin and the naval.
Kovalevs shorts were not high so Ward probably should have been pulled up on it.
Weeks is a great third man IMO, so I can only assume he saw the punches and judged them to be legal. If that is the case then the stoppage was absolutely fine. A count wouldn't have been appropriate as Kovalev was on his feet and not held up by the ropes, the referee stepped in as Sergei was not defending himself and was at risk of serious damage.
It did appear to me that SK was wilting and perhaps used the opportunity to end the contest.

[Ricky_]

Wonder if Cleverly will fancy a rematch with Kovalev now?

Hire Joe Gallagher and use the Gallagher tactics to shell up and come on strong in the second half?

Just get Weeks as the ref and kick him right the fuckin nads.

[Tuan_Jim]

I know it won't tickle, getting hit in the jewels by a professional boxer, but remember when David Tua got hit square on the sausage by Lennox Lewis? Larry Holmes by Gerry Cooney? They looked mildly miffed then got on with the job. And I wouldn't think it was humanly possible to get hit any harder than by Lewis and Cooney, yet the recipients shrugged it off.

Have groin cups declined as badly as fighters!? Or was Kovalev looking for an out?

[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.

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.

That could've been the type of win he could retire on the back of. I was impressed with Ward. I was also impressed with Kovalev. It was a top fight between two top guys and that's exactly the way it was taking shape. The later rounds could've been something very special and we'll never know! It's frustrating as fukk!

Kov wasn't anymore hurt than Ward was in the first fight.

[Stuarty]

Hmmmm.
There is certainly room to criticise the ref for not taking action on the low blows, however when people say low blow they really mean a punch to the groin, which I don't believe happened. It appeared to me that the questionable punches were lower abdomen between the groin and the naval.
Kovalevs shorts were not high so Ward probably should have been pulled up on it.
Weeks is a great third man IMO, so I can only assume he saw the punches and judged them to be legal. If that is the case then the stoppage was absolutely fine. A count wouldn't have been appropriate as Kovalev was on his feet and not held up by the ropes, the referee stepped in as Sergei was not defending himself and was at risk of serious damage.
It did appear to me that SK was wilting and perhaps used the opportunity to end the contest.

Disagree mate. The shots looked low to me. Especially the last. Maybe Kov was looking for a little break and should've taken a knee but even if the shots weren't low it would've been a premature stoppage IMO.

Weeks is usually a good Ref though I agree there. I was actually not long after singing his praises when the KO happened

[Deno1986]

BS stoppage, still hard to tell where the punches landed but they looked OK to me but even if they were legal, the ref should've gave a count, he fvcked up big style IMO, no doubt Kovalev was feeling the body shots on the beltline and Ward did wobble him with the right hand just before the end but the ref was too quick to jump in, I had it even at the end, have HBO got a massive hard on for Kovalev?, it was a another close affair but Lederman had Kovalev about 13 rounds up, maybe they just hate Ward

How could he have given him a count? There was no standing 8 count option. Kovalev stopped fighting, didn't hit the canvas or take a knee. What exactly was the ref supposed to do? I thought the punches at the end were borderline but legal.

[samwbr]

If he took a knee he's gone to a 10-8 round and the psychological effects of that are immeasurable in a tight contest. Ward had him hurt and was in for the stoppage, he would have got it inside the next round if not in the 8th.