The Bottom Line on Kovalev/Ward

[caldo2025]

Yes, the scoring was way off the mark again with judges having Ward leading the fight at the point of the stoppage. Yes, Tony Weeks butchered the end of the fight and should have never stopped the fight like that because he had other options available to him. Yes, Ward got away with some low punches. And even though I am a Kovalev fan and did not want to see Ward win...

THIS FIGHT WAS ALL OVER.

Whether you're a Kovalev or Ward fan, let's cut through all of the BS and conspiracy theories. There was NO WAY Kovalev was going to come back and finish this fight. Kovalev's legs were absolutely gone. The grappling and the high number of punches he expended had taken their toll on him. We've all seen boxers get buzzed and knocked down and recover to get back in the fight. But once a fighter loses their legs, those don't come back. The fight was all over at that point and perhaps this stoppage saved Kovalev's health because it could have gotten bad.

Though I feel that Kovalev's body let him down more than Ward doing the job, cutting through all the bull, this fight was over. There was no way Kovalev makes it another 4 rounds. As much as i hate to say it, Ward deserves the win 100%. Kovalev should have some pride and concede to that he had nothing left.

[Ricky_]

Ok everyone will just take your word for it that the fight would have been a foregone conclusion had it not ended in FARCE.

[greg]

..the whole fight should be looked into..no idea though who could do it in a fair and impartial way..Nevada State Commission? I don't think so...

[IKSRTFO]

Ok everyone will just take your word for it that the fight would have been a foregone conclusion had it not ended in FARCE.

Ok, so when they fight again, you're picking Kovalev then?

[Ricky_]

Ok everyone will just take your word for it that the fight would have been a foregone conclusion had it not ended in FARCE.

Ok, so when they fight again, you're picking Kovalev then?

50/50.

[Perseus]

[darkstar81]

Yes, the scoring was way off the mark again with judges having Ward leading the fight at the point of the stoppage. Yes, Tony Weeks butchered the end of the fight and should have never stopped the fight like that because he had other options available to him. Yes, Ward got away with some low punches. And even though I am a Kovalev fan and did not want to see Ward win...

THIS FIGHT WAS ALL OVER.

Whether you're a Kovalev or Ward fan, let's cut through all of the BS and conspiracy theories. There was NO WAY Kovalev was going to come back and finish this fight. Kovalev's legs were absolutely gone. The grappling and the high number of punches he expended had taken their toll on him. We've all seen boxers get buzzed and knocked down and recover to get back in the fight. But once a fighter loses their legs, those don't come back. The fight was all over at that point and perhaps this stoppage saved Kovalev's health because it could have gotten bad.

Though I feel that Kovalev's body let him down more than Ward doing the job, cutting through all the bull, this fight was over. There was no way Kovalev makes it another 4 rounds. As much as i hate to say it, Ward deserves the win 100%. Kovalev should have some pride and concede to that he had nothing left.

I agree with everything here except that the judges were off the mark having Ward ahead on the cards.

It was a BS stoppage but the result would have been the same - Ward rightful winner.

[Badhusker]

Ok everyone will just take your word for it that the fight would have been a foregone conclusion had it not ended in FARCE.

Ok, so when they fight again, you're picking Kovalev then?

They won't fight again. No need to when someone gets stopped. Just like the last fight between Pacquiao and JMM. Ward will move up and try for a title at cruiser next, or retire. I wish he would fight Stevenson before he does that though.

[boxing_rocks]

Yes, Kovalev wouldn't win that fight, because he was already damaged from Ward's groin work during 7 rounds.

[SFW]

Yes, Kovalev wouldn't win that fight, because he was already damaged from Ward's groin work during 7 rounds.

[armageto]

Yes, the scoring was way off the mark again with judges having Ward leading the fight at the point of the stoppage. Yes, Tony Weeks butchered the end of the fight and should have never stopped the fight like that because he had other options available to him. Yes, Ward got away with some low punches. And even though I am a Kovalev fan and did not want to see Ward win...

THIS FIGHT WAS ALL OVER.

Whether you're a Kovalev or Ward fan, let's cut through all of the BS and conspiracy theories. There was NO WAY Kovalev was going to come back and finish this fight. Kovalev's legs were absolutely gone. The grappling and the high number of punches he expended had taken their toll on him. We've all seen boxers get buzzed and knocked down and recover to get back in the fight. But once a fighter loses their legs, those don't come back. The fight was all over at that point and perhaps this stoppage saved Kovalev's health because it could have gotten bad.

Though I feel that Kovalev's body let him down more than Ward doing the job, cutting through all the bull, this fight was over. There was no way Kovalev makes it another 4 rounds. As much as i hate to say it, Ward deserves the win 100%. Kovalev should have some pride and concede to that he had nothing left.

I agree with everything here except that the judges were off the mark having Ward ahead on the cards.

It was a BS stoppage but the result would have been the same - Ward rightful winner.

I had Ward up by a point. I could easily see Kovalev up by a point. The Kovalev was up 7-0, 6-1 people were living in a fantasy land...

[armageto]

[gilgamesh]

The Bottom line on it as far as I'm concerned. As for the TKO finish, who's at fault?

It's 50/50. It's partly on Weeks, and partly on Kovalev. Kovalev should've known by then with the reaction Weeks had had with the previous low blow that he wasn't going to get any help. So the next time Ward low blowed him he should've low blowed him back. In a fight you have to look at it as if it's just YOU and YOUR opponent. The referee ain't even there. If the guy is hitting you in the balls, hit him back in the balls.

Kovalev kept looking for help, and what he got was a TKO loss. Protect YOURSELF at all times, don't look to the referee to protect you.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Another abysmal boxing ppv. I have to stop spending money on this garbage.

[gilgamesh]

Another abysmal boxing ppv. I have to stop spending money on this garbage.

I figured that out 5 years ago

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Another abysmal boxing ppv. I have to stop spending money on this garbage.

I figured that out 5 years ago

I didn't buy them 5 years ago. Really just this year because the UFC has had a down year, but they've never put out a ppv that bad.

[Ossyrules]

The line, ward was going to win anyway, really is the biggest load of bollocks ever.

It's not untrue in the literal meaning, but is that what we as boxing fans have come to accept as a conclusion to a fight. Why do people fight, except money, is it not to see whose the better man? Whose going to win the belt, or progress up the rankings. Kovalev was having a bad round, so we don't need to see how this'll end as we can work it out for ourselves, stop the fight ref... that's a bollocks way to sum things up.

As for the fight itself, Ward looked better than kovalev to me, who lacked intensity in his work. The shots were illegal and the stoppage was poor. The refs had a bad day at the office

[Impractical Poster]

If you look up controversy in the dictionary, do you see Wards face next to it yet?

This guy just attracts it.

[gilgamesh]

Another abysmal boxing ppv. I have to stop spending money on this garbage.

I figured that out 5 years ago

I didn't buy them 5 years ago. Really just this year because the UFC has had a down year, but they've never put out a ppv that bad.

Didn't you buy Pac vs Bradley 1? Seems like I recall you saying something once about you had stepped outside for a smoke and it blew your mind when you heard about the bad decision because naturally you assumed Pac via UD was a foregone conclusion...or am I mixing you up with someone else?

Pac vs Bradley 1 is the last major PPV I bought. I bought one of those early cheap ones with GGG vs Ishida too, but I haven't gotten any since, and probably never will again.

Costs too much money.

I could buy things that would give me days of enjoyment for the same amount of money as a Boxing PPV that will only give me 3 to 3 and half hours of enjoyment tops.

I'd buy PPV's again possibly if they'd ever come back down to Earth on their prices.

[BitPlayer]

The Bottom line on it as far as I'm concerned. As for the TKO finish, who's at fault?

It's 50/50. It's partly on Weeks, and partly on Kovalev. Kovalev should've known by then with the reaction Weeks had had with the previous low blow that he wasn't going to get any help. So the next time Ward low blowed him he should've low blowed him back. In a fight you have to look at it as if it's just YOU and YOUR opponent. The referee ain't even there. If the guy is hitting you in the balls, hit him back in the balls.

Kovalev kept looking for help, and what he got was a TKO loss. Protect YOURSELF at all times, don't look to the referee to protect you.

Weeks is a hopeless ref. Kovalev needed to come up with something more than bending over and looking at him for help.

They weren't as clear low blows as a lot of people are making out either. People seemed to forget, belt was okay.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I figured that out 5 years ago

I didn't buy them 5 years ago. Really just this year because the UFC has had a down year, but they've never put out a ppv that bad.

Didn't you buy Pac vs Bradley 1? Seems like I recall you saying something once about you had stepped outside for a smoke and it blew your mind when you heard about the bad decision because naturally you assumed Pac via UD was a foregone conclusion...or am I mixing you up with someone else?

Pac vs Bradley 1 is the last major PPV I bought. I bought one of those early cheap ones with GGG vs Ishida too, but I haven't gotten any since, and probably never will again.

Costs too much money.

I could buy things that would give me days of enjoyment for the same amount of money as a Boxing PPV that will only give me 3 to 3 and half hours of enjoyment tops.

I'd buy PPV's again possibly if they'd ever come back down to Earth on their prices.

No, I watched that on sopcast. I turned it off before the decision and blew my mind when someone sent me a text about the decision. I bought Morales/maidana. That was worth every penny.

[gilgamesh]

I'll bet. I wish I would've watched Morales vs Maidana live. Love both of those guys, and they both gave more reason to admire and respect them in that one.

[caldo2025]

The line, ward was going to win anyway, really is the biggest load of bollocks ever.

It's not untrue in the literal meaning, but is that what we as boxing fans have come to accept as a conclusion to a fight. Why do people fight, except money, is it not to see whose the better man? Whose going to win the belt, or progress up the rankings. Kovalev was having a bad round, so we don't need to see how this'll end as we can work it out for ourselves, stop the fight ref... that's a bollocks way to sum things up.

As for the fight itself, Ward looked better than kovalev to me, who lacked intensity in his work. The shots were illegal and the stoppage was poor. The refs had a bad day at the office

It certainly wasn't a great night for the referee's or for Boxing/HBO. The undercard was god awful. Could they have picked 3 worse fights? Then Rig's shot was clearly after the bell and then they showed on live TV how crooked Boxing really is that they can try to tell us fans that unequivocally the shot was before the bell? Max and Roy's performance on the night was also pathetic. I was pissed at first when Weeks made the error to end the fight like he did but I just think the error saved Kovalev's health for another fight. He was out.

I'm a Kovalev fan and even I think that he was faking the low blows to get time to recover. You can't just stop boxing in there, no matter what.