BoxRec

First I thought the first fight was super close. Kovalev looked like he was going to have a easy night through the first two rounds, but Ward showed he's a great champion and ended the fight as the stronger fighter. I personally thought Ward did enough to win, but also felt Kovalev could have gotten the nod as well. Not a robbery at all, a very close fight.

I personally would love to see a rematch. With that being said, Ward wins a rematch clearly with no controversy. Ward now knows Kovalev is soft to the body and can ZAP his energy by focusing more to the body early and taking away Kovalevs power late.

In the first fight, I keep hearing Kovalev was landing the bigger punches, although I agree that was the case for about the first 4 rounds, but Kovalev lost alot his power mid fight and wasn't troubling Ward that much, due to Ward breaking him down both body shots (the most over looked aspect of that fight).. Ward being the smarter fighter will start where he left off and win the rematch more convincing.

Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

He legitimately beat him the first time around and if Kovalev was the bigger puncher, faster and more skilled, how did Ward win more than 6 rounds? Ward will beat Kovalev more than legitimately in a rematch.

NateJR wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

how did Ward win more than 6 rounds?

He did not.

NateJR wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

He legitimately beat him the first time around and if Kovalev was the bigger puncher, faster and more skilled, how did Ward win more than 6 rounds? Ward will beat Kovalev more than legitimately in a rematch.

Ward didn't win 6 rounds.

You're right. He won 7.

The American boxing mobs like to hold their fights in their city, Las Vegas, so I want the next fight To be held in Grozny! Ward can try to avenge his loss in Grozny, in Chechnya!

I don't know if Ward will even be able to fight again. Where is he? Has anyone heard from him after the fight? Does anyone have a photo of his face after the fight?

Rematch will be more of the same as they're both skilled elite. The only question is how many KDs Kovalev can muster. If it's less then two then it's another "L" in LV.

One thing I wonder, if it were actually Ward's body work that broke Kovalev down, then why did he have such a good 10th and also pretty good 12th round showing? Usually when someone's been broken to the body, that's it, no second wind, it's over. More likely the case, this "broken down" was due to standard stamina dump combined with clinch battle.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

He should have no trouble knocking out Ward then.




But man, why didn't he overrun him like Pascal? Where have the rib cracking bodyshots, that Agnew took, been? Why didn't he put him in the ropes like he did with Caparello?

To my eyes, Ward won 5 of the last 6 rounds against Kovalev, so I would expect him to do better in a rematch and win a clear, 116-112 type decision. That or Kovalev knocks him out, but I think Sergei would be very hard pressed to win a decision in a rematch, although after the (undeserved) public outcry, it's possible the judges may be a little generous to him next time, as they were to Lennox Lewis in the Holyfield rematch.

ldlamb wrote:You're right. He won 7.

Ricky_ wrote:

ldlamb wrote:You're right. He won 7.

Make that 8. He won round 1 too

Tanzio wrote:

Ricky_ wrote:

ldlamb wrote:You're right. He won 7.

Make that 8. He won round 1 too

You're just obviously taking the piss.

boxing_rocks wrote:

NateJR wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

how did Ward win more than 6 rounds?

He did not.

He didn't win more than 5.

Ian1973 wrote:

Tanzio wrote:

Ricky_ wrote:

Make that 8. He won round 1 too

You're just obviously taking the piss.

Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.

Tanzio wrote:

Ian1973 wrote:

Tanzio wrote: Make that 8. He won round 1 too

You're just obviously taking the piss.

Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.

I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.

Ian1973 wrote:

Tanzio wrote:

Ian1973 wrote:

You're just obviously taking the piss.

Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.

I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.

Neither you should.

Ian1973 wrote:

Tanzio wrote:

Ian1973 wrote:

You're just obviously taking the piss.

Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.

I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.

Since you don't take my words seriously, try watching round one without the ridiculous commentary. Ward won it close.

Ward won more rounds than Kovalev.

The rounds Kovalev won, he won more convincingly....but unfortunately for him, boxing scoring doesn't really take that into account. (Except for the KD)

Tanzio wrote:

Ian1973 wrote:

Tanzio wrote: Ward outlanded Krusher in round 1, significantly. One head snapping jab exponentialized by the commentators does not change that.

I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.

Since you don't take my words seriously, try watching round one without the ridiculous commentary. Ward won it close.

I have four times. Kovalev round.

Ian1973 wrote:

Tanzio wrote:

Ian1973 wrote:

I'm sorry I just don't take you seriously.

Since you don't take my words seriously, try watching round one without the ridiculous commentary. Ward won it close.

I have four times. Kovalev round.

Fair enough. We disagree.

Krusher will get his chance to make things right for us (I was rooting for him with my house full of Russians). But, sadly, he lost a close decision that I happen to agree with.

Maybe he will finish what he started in round 2 next time and return the favor of giving his opponent his first L.

I don't know whether to find the ever growing revisionism of the Ward fans annoying or funny - I think more the latter. If all anyone did was read those comments you'd think Kovalev was out on his feet for the last 3 rounds and Ward was robbed of a deserved bigger victory and apparently only Ward can improve in the next fight, because apparently he won every round after the second and will destroy Kovalev just like he did in the first.....oh hang on back to reality. Second fight is 50-50 like the first just now Kovalev knows he has to bounce Ward off the canvas most rounds to get a draw so maybe he'll approach the fight different.

x2x wrote:I don't know if Ward will even be able to fight again. Where is he? Has anyone heard from him after the fight? Does anyone have a photo of his face after the fight?

He's relaxing. You think after a long training camp, putting your body through a lot, agter the fight he's gonna wanna be seen? He's having some time off that he deserves.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Hard to envision a scenario where ward legitimately beats kovalev. Sergey is obviously the bigger puncher, he's also faster and the more skilled boxer.

Said before the fight that Sergey has the better skills and that there was little or no difference in speed. In fact when you think of it Sergey's straight shots probably find their target quicker than Ward's.

A rematch wouldn't be much different, another close but clear win for Kova.