BoxRec

jamesmcdonnell wrote:My concern for Ward, is that he's done little to prepare him for fighting Kovalev, this level of competition can give a fighter a false sense of security, I know Ward is a class act, and he can raise his game, but will he be able to raise if far enough.

I'm still picking Ward to win a close and tough fight at times, but this certainly isn't the right preparation.

Agreed.

Ward would probably be better off just preparing behind closed doors with some heavy sparring, rather than fighting no-marks who can't ask any questions of him.

Team Ward could have used to the money they paid to Brand to stand there & be outclassed to bring in some good quality & tough sparring partners to put Andre through his paces.

Oiky wrote:

lazboy wrote:No ones been talking bout this fight. It popped out of nowhere. The HBO analyst Harold Lederman predicts an early stoppage by Ward.

was always going to be a boring, drawn out 12 rounder

war kovalev

Yea I heard it was shite. He doesn't have that killer instinct. Kov has it.

lazboy wrote:

Oiky wrote:

lazboy wrote:No ones been talking bout this fight. It popped out of nowhere. The HBO analyst Harold Lederman predicts an early stoppage by Ward.

was always going to be a boring, drawn out 12 rounder

war kovalev

Yea I heard it was shite. He doesn't have that killer instinct. Kov has it.

it was shite mate. no he doesn't. brand approchaed kovalev after the bout and said ward was "powerless", he didn't look it at all and kovalev noticed it as well.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:My concern for Ward, is that he's done little to prepare him for fighting Kovalev, this level of competition can give a fighter a false sense of security, I know Ward is a class act, and he can raise his game, but will he be able to raise if far enough.

I'm still picking Ward to win a close and tough fight at times, but this certainly isn't the right preparation.

Still undecided myself, too many side issues unresolved and won't know until the night more than likely.

Evander wrote:

jamesmcdonnell wrote:My concern for Ward, is that he's done little to prepare him for fighting Kovalev, this level of competition can give a fighter a false sense of security, I know Ward is a class act, and he can raise his game, but will he be able to raise if far enough.

I'm still picking Ward to win a close and tough fight at times, but this certainly isn't the right preparation.

Still undecided myself, too many side issues unresolved and won't know until the night more than likely.

I read a book years ago, called a fighters' heart, and there was a section about Ward in there, and I knew by the way the author described him, he was something special, Ward is dedicated and disciplined, and above all smart, but, in the heat of battle, when you come up against it, you need to have been stepping in the fire. It may be that Ward is so much smarter than Kovalev, that it won't really matter, but if that is not the case, then it's going to be a rough night. People who say Ward can't punch are foolish, nobody gets to the level Ward has operated at, without being able to keep their opponent respectful, even Sven Ottke could hit, but, and it's a big but, if Kovalev is able to get to Ward early, and make him work, and make him fight, potentially, we could have a fight for the ages, Ward is no pussy. The main thing is, I'm glad we will get to see it.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

Evander wrote:

jamesmcdonnell wrote:My concern for Ward, is that he's done little to prepare him for fighting Kovalev, this level of competition can give a fighter a false sense of security, I know Ward is a class act, and he can raise his game, but will he be able to raise if far enough.

I'm still picking Ward to win a close and tough fight at times, but this certainly isn't the right preparation.

Still undecided myself, too many side issues unresolved and won't know until the night more than likely.

I read a book years ago, called a fighters' heart, and there was a section about Ward in there, and I knew by the way the author described him, he was something special, Ward is dedicated and disciplined, and above all smart, but, in the heat of battle, when you come up against it, you need to have been stepping in the fire. It may be that Ward is so much smarter than Kovalev, that it won't really matter, but if that is not the case, then it's going to be a rough night. People who say Ward can't punch are foolish, nobody gets to the level Ward has operated at, without being able to keep their opponent respectful, even Sven Ottke could hit, but, and it's a big but, if Kovalev is able to get to Ward early, and make him work, and make him fight, potentially, we could have a fight for the ages, Ward is no pussy. The main thing is, I'm glad we will get to see it.

Good book, that