Ward vs. Kovalev: Who's watching?

[Ricky_]

There would be some justice to that but to be honest I just want to see an unbiased ref and judges.

Yup. I'm not pissed because i want to see Ward lose, i'm pissed because i had great anticipation for both those fights, stayed up until 4am on both occassions and well, the first one was just a good old fashioned robbery, nothing too much to cry about - happens all the time, but the re-run was a goddamn farce and a total waste of my time.

[Ezzard]

I never stay up. I know it's not the same as I fast forward between rounds etc... But I would have been sick to have stayed up for the first fight let alone the second.

[Ezzard]

Has there been any comment from the authorities on Weeks's weak performance?

[Ricky_]

Has there been any comment from the authorities on Weeks's weak performance?

Bob Bennett, chief of Nevada Athletic Comission said he thought the punches "were good". In the face of undeniable video evidence that can only possibly be corruption.

[TheLeprechaun]

Has there been any comment from the authorities on Weeks's weak performance?

Bob Bennett, chief of Nevada Athletic Comission said he thought the punches "were good". In the face of undeniable video evidence that can only possibly be corruption.

I don't know if you saw the HBO broadcast last week but Bennett looked completely clueless when the Rigo situation was going down and also when Lampley was grilling him afterwards.

The Nevada Commission is probably another old mans club like Sky and the BBBoC

[Jackson328]

I never stay up. I know it's not the same as I fast forward between rounds etc... But I would have been sick to have stayed up for the first fight let alone the second.

I don't stay up anymore but watched this in a seedy bar on holiday in Spain and my first (admittedly drunken) impressions were that Ward was cheating even more than usual but also that Kovalev looked gassed again after the midway point. I was also waiting for him to return the low blows in kind but he never did and that also puzzled the mostly local customers in the bar. Kov knew he wasn't getting any favours in the US again so I found it strange that he didn't just use the rough stuff himself. Maybe that would have forced the ref to speak or warn both camps about foul tactics?

I haven't rewatched the fight again without the beer goggles because most people I've spoken to seem to have viewed the fight similarly. Not even sure if I'd like to see a trilogy either because Ward just seems to tediously get away with murder time after time and I have a slight feeling that Kovalev is just a bully who can't take it back and squeals when the going gets tough and his opp doesn't fall at his feet.

[Ezzard]

Has there been any comment from the authorities on Weeks's weak performance?

Bob Bennett, chief of Nevada Athletic Comission said he thought the punches "were good". In the face of undeniable video evidence that can only possibly be corruption.

In football refs have to come clean about any teams they feel either positive or negative towards. Refs and judges should be neutral. It wouldn't stop a financial payment but it would stop unconscious bias.

The commission may be closing ranks. Who knows? But when Weeks stopped the fight I thought he was about to finally deduct a point. But it's the break that gives it away. Any ref can make an error. The break was no error. Pure inside job.

[Ezzard]

I never stay up. I know it's not the same as I fast forward between rounds etc... But I would have been sick to have stayed up for the first fight let alone the second.

I don't stay up anymore but watched this in a seedy bar on holiday in Spain and my first (admittedly drunken) impressions were that Ward was cheating even more than usual but also that Kovalev looked gassed again after the midway point. I was also waiting for him to return the low blows in kind but he never did and that also puzzled the mostly local customers in the bar. Kov knew he wasn't getting any favours in the US again so I found it strange that he didn't just use the rough stuff himself. Maybe that would have forced the ref to speak or warn both camps about foul tactics?

I haven't rewatched the fight again without the beer goggles because most people I've spoken to seem to have viewed the fight similarly. Not even sure if I'd like to see a trilogy either because Ward just seems to tediously get away with murder time after time and I have a slight feeling that Kovalev is just a bully who can't take it back and squeals when the going gets tough and his opp doesn't fall at his feet.

Agree. Kov should have gone low too. He's a fool.

[TheLeprechaun]

Kovalev was just outclassed. He doesn't have the stamina. What age is the chap anyway? Looks at least 40

[crusader]

Outclassed seems too strong to me. I thought he won the first fight and he was fighting on even terms until the last round of the second; if you add up the scored rounds from each fight, I think you could arguably give more to Kov.

The two fights showed me that Ward and Kov are closer in levels than I thought they'd be, as I expected Ward to get it done in the first with a clear 117-111/116-112 job. I actually think Kov was the better outside boxer in each match, but he doesn't have much of an inside game and lacks stamina.

[Ezzard]

I agree petty much with crusader.

I thought Ward would win 8-4 on points in the first fight. Riddick Blowe called the first fight right IMO. But the judges didn't agree.

I had Kov winning by 2 points but there no outclassing. Just a close fight.

I had it 4-3 Kov going into the 8th and it was basically even-Steven... Ward would have had the 8th 10-8 even without a KD.

[mickey1975]

I agree petty much with crusader.

I thought Ward would win 8-4 on points in the first fight. Riddick Blowe called the first fight right IMO. But the judges didn't agree.

I had Kov winning by 2 points but there no outclassing. Just a close fight.

I had it 4-3 Kov going into the 8th and it was basically even-Steven... Ward would have had the 8th 10-8 even without a KD.

Riddick got both fights completely wrong!

[Counter-puncher]

I agree petty much with crusader.

I thought Ward would win 8-4 on points in the first fight. Riddick Blowe called the first fight right IMO. But the judges didn't agree.

I had Kov winning by 2 points but there no outclassing. Just a close fight.

I had it 4-3 Kov going into the 8th and it was basically even-Steven... Ward would have had the 8th 10-8 even without a KD.

Riddick got both fights completely wrong!

Be fair, that's only predictions we all get them wrong!

[Bard of Boxrec]

Kovalev was just outclassed. He doesn't have the stamina. What age is the chap anyway? Looks at least 40

Outclassed is ridiculous, most viewers had him winning the first and the second was even at best for Ward before his triumphant rally on Kovalev's scrotum.

[Tuan_Jim]

Fight has had more than sufficient comments in this Forum & Current......Hence LOCKED
What's done is done.....therefore, do yourself a favour & forget it .
Cheers

Who is this clown? What was all this about? Can no name mods just swan in and arbitrarily close interesting threads now as part of some odious power trip? Glad this one was opened back up.

John Shep needs to give this buffoon Anton his marching orders.

[TheLeprechaun]

Fight has had more than sufficient comments in this Forum & Current......Hence LOCKED
What's done is done.....therefore, do yourself a favour & forget it .
Cheers

Who is this clown? What was all this about? Can no name mods just swan in and arbitrarily close interesting threads now as part of some odious power trip? Glad this one was opened back up.

John Shep needs to give this buffoon Anton his marching orders.

Very very poor modding indeed.

The regular posters here deserve better.

[Ezzard]

Fight has had more than sufficient comments in this Forum & Current......Hence LOCKED
What's done is done.....therefore, do yourself a favour & forget it .
Cheers

Who is this clown? What was all this about? Can no name mods just swan in and arbitrarily close interesting threads now as part of some odious power trip? Glad this one was opened back up.

John Shep needs to give this buffoon Anton his marching orders.

Think there was an agenda?

[lefty]

Fight has had more than sufficient comments in this Forum & Current......Hence LOCKED
What's done is done.....therefore, do yourself a favour & forget it .
Cheers

Who is this clown? What was all this about? Can no name mods just swan in and arbitrarily close interesting threads now as part of some odious power trip? Glad this one was opened back up.

John Shep needs to give this buffoon Anton his marching orders.

Think there was an agenda?

I think it was a little overkill but I'm just guessing that some of the excessive squabbling in the CS threads maybe influenced his decision to lock all the threads. That's just a guess though.

[mickey1975]

I agree petty much with crusader.

I thought Ward would win 8-4 on points in the first fight. Riddick Blowe called the first fight right IMO. But the judges didn't agree.

I had Kov winning by 2 points but there no outclassing. Just a close fight.

I had it 4-3 Kov going into the 8th and it was basically even-Steven... Ward would have had the 8th 10-8 even without a KD.

Riddick got both fights completely wrong!

Be fair, that's only predictions we all get them wrong!

It wasn't, it was an insistence it was an easy ko win for Kovalev. For about a year.

[crusader]

I saw at least as many going for an easy Ward win, and the first time around many knowledgeable fans were acting like Kov wasn't even going to be in the fight.

They fought 20 rounds and split them about evenly, with both fights being very competitive, so none of the 'easy work' predictions were correct.

[TheLeprechaun]

Ward controlled the second fight for the most part for me. Always got the feeling he was in command and Kovalev couldn't hit him. Kovalev was hitting fresh air all night and I had it wide for ward at the time of the stoppage. Ward would do him inside the distance in a rubber match too.

[crusader]

It was very close for me and I don't see how Ward was in command prior to the last round, though I'm not remotely surprised that you think he was. I have no problems with it being 4-3 either way (the judges were split at 67-66 Ward x2 and 68-65 Kov), and according to Graham Houston some books had Kov as the favourite in play going into the 8th.

Kov could've easily been given the first fight as well, so people were far off if they thought Ward was at a much higher level; same applies if they envisioned a Kov cakewalk.

[TheLeprechaun]

It was very close for me and I don't see how Ward was in command prior to the last round, though I'm not remotely surprised that you think he was. I have no problems with it being 4-3 either way (the judges were split at 67-66 Ward x2 and 68-65 Kov), and according to Graham Houston some books had Kov as the favourite in play going into the 8th.

Kov could've easily been given the first fight as well, so people were far off if they thought Ward was at a much higher level; same applies if they envisioned a Kov cakewalk.

I gave Kovalev the first two and ward the rest, some were close but he won those rounds on my card. 5-2 up and I thought Kovalev complained about some legit body shots along the way which hurt him. Kovalev still beats most in the division on pure power and his technique but ward has his number. Kovalevs best strength is throwing those power punches while he is moving forward and still staying balanced but ward could have his left hand down and still avoid the right hands easy.

I think Kovalev VS Stevenson would be a good fight. Shootout for a few rounds. Stevenson always seems to land that left hand though and after seeing Kovalev wilt to the body I have to take Stevenson to stop him. Kovalev should go for cleverly next but will HBO back him again after that loss?

Ward beats Parker and bellew for me and he should try to make a fight with either one. I think Kovalev beats them both too for what it's worth.