Sergey Kovalev vs. Isaac Chilemba July 11

[boxing_rocks]

Fair play to Chilemba, showed a great chin and has improved technically from what i seen in his bouts with Bellew.

On that performance I'm not sure i'm so confident with my pick of Kovalev to beat Ward.

its a distance fight. I'd favor Kovalev. More active than Ward. I don't think there is anyone at 175 out boxing Kovalev in a distance fight. For the time being anyways.

... and Ward is not stopping Kovalev using his gloves. Maybe head or elbows?

[hulkmaniac]

Why do I see some people saying the fight was competitive? Chilemba didn't win a round. If going the distance is competitive with Kovalev then that says a lot about Kovalev.

[Ricky_]

Why do I see some people saying the fight was competitive? Chilemba didn't win a round. If going the distance is competitive with Kovalev then that says a lot about Kovalev.

I thought Chilemba made a case for a couple of mid rounds. Kovalev's timing was off, his footwork was poor, not enough lateral movement, got tagged a lot by Chilemba's counter punches. It was by far the worst Kovalev performance i've seen.

[Freedom2013]

[handsofstone]

https://twitter.com/UkraineAtamans/stat ... 6720633857

That's a nice gesture

x2

[PsychoGamerTwo]

Beterbiev would've KO'd Kovalev today.

https://twitter.com/UkraineAtamans/stat ... 1860983808

[keithmoonhangover]

Kovalev looked awful tonight. He walks in in straight lines with his hands down. He is easily counter and has no inside game what so ever.

Ward will completely dominate him. No question.

[DrunkenBoxer]

Kovalev didn't look his sharpest tonight that's for sure.

[lazboy]

Kovalev didn't look his sharpest tonight that's for sure.

Looked like he was trying to hard to load up his right in the first half. Walked onto a lot of punches. I don't think Chilemba came to fight though. Was very frustrating.

[lazboy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUjBGlCH-ww

Heres the full fight on youtube in good quality.

[diddy]

Ward is going to beat Kovalev. Will dominate him on the inside. Fight probably wont be terribly close.

[gilgamesh]

Ward is going to beat Kovalev. Will dominate him on the inside. Fight probably wont be terribly close.

I don't expect it'll be easy regardless of who wins. Ward's a great fighter, but he's never shown so much more skill than Kovalev as to suggest to me that he can win easily. Same goes for Kovalev.

[diddy]

Styles make fights. Kovalev cant fight on the inside at all. Which means he MUST keep Ward on the far outside. Problem with that is Ward is so clever and shifty from distance that he's really hard to hit. Ward will just tie Sergey up coming in if Kovalev keeps fighting in straight lines like he did in this fight.

[boxing_rocks]

Ward is going to beat Kovalev. Will dominate him on the inside.

No, he won't. I am happy that some people thought that Kovalev looked beatable. Hope that Ward is one of them, so his knee won't suddenly swell before the fight.

[Pureist]

Hopkins thought he'd slide in , land and tie kovalev up, how'd that work for hopkins

[gilgamesh]

Hopkins thought he'd slide in , land and tie kovalev up, how'd that work for hopkins

Hopkins isn't the greatest example to use. He was 49 years old. Andre Ward is in his prime.

[diddy]

Hopkins is just like Ward now. Minus the hand speed, foot speed, movement and actually throwing punches - they're totally the same guy.

[Pureist]

Yeah I saw that against Barrera, barreras gloves didn't even touch ward he was soooo faassssttttt

[boxing_rocks]

Kovalev will ignore Ward's slapping and will Krush him.

[Pureist]

Just read kovalev donated last nights purse to the family of the boxer who died 5 years ago fighting kovalev at the same venue, not too many would do that

[Freedom2013]

I just watched the HBO version of Kovalev-Chilemba.

Earlier today, I watched it live on Match TV. I tried allegedly for awhile, but I was sickened by the ridiculous and misleading commentary by John Rawling and Barry Jones, so I went back to Match TV, even though my understanding of the Russian language is poor.

However, the team of Jim Lampley, Roy Jones and Harold Lederman tonight did an excellent job - they called the fight exactly the way it happened.

Tonight, listening to Roy Jones' insights and analytical commentary was very refreshing after the repetitive, boring, biased commentary of Rawling and Barry Jones.

Can't allegedly find someone better than those two? There must be an ex-boxer who could replace Barry Jones as analyst, and a younger brighter blow-by-blow commentator to replace Rawling.

[Ian1973]

I just watched the HBO version of Kovalev-Chilemba.

Earlier today, I watched it live on Match TV. I tried allegedly for awhile, but I was sickened by the ridiculous and misleading commentary by John Rawling and Barry Jones, so I went back to Match TV, even though my understanding of the Russian language is poor.

However, the team of Jim Lampley, Roy Jones and Harold Lederman tonight did an excellent job - they called the fight exactly the way it happened.

Tonight, listening to Roy Jones' insights and analytical commentary was very refreshing after the repetitive, boring, biased commentary of Rawling and Barry Jones.

Can't allegedly find someone better than those two? There must be an ex-boxer who could replace Barry Jones as analyst, and a younger brighter blow-by-blow commentator to replace Rawling.

I have to admit I thought Rawling and Jones were drunk listening to their commentary on this fight. It's the same on Sky though especially Jim Watt, you just roll your face up in puzzlement when they start talking absolute nonsense.

On the fight - Chilemba is Chilemba and he did what Chilemba does.

Kovalev was below his best but that's hardly surprising with Ward upcoming and this was a perfect tune up fight. Kovalev was never going to be up for this fight.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Haven't seen the fight but I'm please Kovalev didn't look good. Maybe he deliberately looked sloppy so as not to jeopardise the Ward fight.

The Krushing is still on.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Styles make fights. Kovalev cant fight on the inside at all. Which means he MUST keep Ward on the far outside. Problem with that is Ward is so clever and shifty from distance that he's really hard to hit. Ward will just tie Sergey up coming in if Kovalev keeps fighting in straight lines like he did in this fight.

Ward has to throw punches to win this fight. Ward might reduce Kova's output, but his own output is still never going to exceed Sergey's. And if he raises it to match Kovalev's output, he gets tagged, because Kovalev lands against everyone, and I don't think Ward can take it. The idea of Ward, or anyone, staying out of trouble for 12 rounds against Kovalev is silly to me. Whoever you are, you will have to go to war with him at some point in the fight if you want a chance to win.

According to your analysis Ward has to turn it into an inside brawl. Kovalev will know that's his plan and will be sticking that ramrod jab from distance to stop him coming in. I personally don't think Ward will find it too easy to plow his way into an inside fight faced with that weapon, and Kovalev isn't going to make it easy for Ward by being 'on his way in' all the time, he'll be throwing his shots and moving away subtly like he did vs Hopkins. Hopkins said stuff like 'I tried to time him but he would throw his shots and move away and it affected my rhythm'. I know Hopkins is ancient but he knows a good opponent when he sees it and you could tell he knew Kovalev was way more special than just a slugger.

Once he gets on the inside Ward likes to hold and tire the other guy out but I don't see him being effective vs Kovalev doing that because he has to land enough on the inside to win him rounds and Kovalev won't let him stay there. I hardly even think Ward works much on the inside anyway in terms of actual punches. He's not winning the fight with the clamp and hit tactic.

[Tanzio]

People never give Chilemba the credit he deserves. He is tough, awkward and crafty. Krusher completely dominated him. Sure, Chilemba landed some leather and revealed some vulnerability but what happened in there that was mind changing?

This was an excellent prep for Ward and Chilemba's chin is far superior to his. Ward was always going to be a tough fight for Krusher.

I think that people are also not giving Ward credit for his ability to sting his opponents (a la FMJ). Krusher's chin is not 3G material.

It is going to be a great fight.