3. "I don't know who takes this, SOG hasn't fought much in the last couple" In response to Reply # 0
Of years but can not be underestimated and Kov has fought and destroyed some good fighters. This is one of the fights everyone wants to see, I can't call it
17. "I've swayed back and forth with who I think will win tonight..." In response to Reply # 0
Initially - I was thinking Kovalev just was going to have too much relentless firepower for a late-career Ward who I think has visibly slowed down and is there to be hit more - but the question to me is: Is Ward's defense still sharp enough to frustrate Kovalev and prevent him from landing his big shots with any regularity? If Kovalev lands leather - I think he stops Ward - but that's a big if. Nobody lands leather on Ward consistently.
At his best - Ward is as slippery and elusive as Mayweather is defensively - and is also a supremely accurate counter puncher who can flat-out outbox you for 12 straight rounds.
Listening and seeing both fighters during the pre-fight camps and coverage - I get the sense Ward is silently super motivated - and he looks to be in great shape. Conversely - Kovalev seems to have already felt like he's made it - almost surprised to be where he's at in the sport. He is a natural puncher with inherent power - but I'm not sure how hard he works in between camps at the moment. I do know Ward is supremely trained with one of the great minds of the sport in his corner. Cerebral advantage to Ward.
But then I remember - nothing really makes sense about Kovalev. He came out of nowhere as one of the last relics of the old USSR when they were producing some world-class boxers - tough as steel type of guy. He blitzed through his early career and finally got a shot when Kathy Duva recognized him and put him on an undercard - nobody knew anything about him but then just kept knocking people out - in concussive fashion. The way he dismantled Hopkins was crazy - nobody had ever figured out the Hopkins puzzle like that.
But then I also feel like this could be a Dawson moment for Ward. Everyone thought it was a dangerous fight and that Chad had a chance to do damage - and the complete opposite happened. Ward's style tends to confuse opponents who are used to guys being right there in front of him - but does he have enough of that defensive wizardry left to confound Kovalev, too?
19. "No idea who wins, I just hope it's not an ugly ass fight..." In response to Reply # 0
I think a lot will depend on what Ward can get away with inside. If Kovalev uses his jab and can keep Ward from mugging him all night (or if the ref does), then I think he has a good chance cause I don't see Ward knocking him out.
40. "Lol @ anyone who thought he dominated enough to deserve that W" In response to Reply # 0
He def came back and fought with dignity but he no where dominated enough in the rest of the fight to deserve the W. Even if u say he won half the rounds he didn't erase the knock down plus the rest of fight. Stop it. Kovalev got robbed just admit it and let's see the rematch. Stop ttryinf to convince people of that stupidity
44. "Exactly. It was a close fight and Ward did his thing in the..." In response to Reply # 40
second half, but he pissed away the first half of the fight and maybe the second half was 50/ 50. He in no way dominated enough to warrant taking the belts from the clear champ of the division, especially without knocking Kovalev down or at the very least getting him in serious trouble. Or maybe if he managed to totally outclassed him in the second half, but he did none of that.
Like, what Ward did was genuinely amazing and inspirational. I actually was feeling pumped up for this dude as he basically just thought his way back into this fight and visibly began to frustrate Kovalev.
But Kovalev won. Dude dominated the first three rounds, really, and never looked rattled or hurt in the way Ward did earlier in the fight. A very close fight, one of the better ones of recent memory, but a Kovalev victory.
48. "I mean, it does matter if he won the first three by four points" In response to Reply # 47
By scoring the knockdown. I had Ward up 6-3 for the rest of the rounds, but Kovalev's early lead and own resilience in picking up late rounds after Ward had come back left me with a Kovalev victory.
I think it was really close, so I discount the "robbery" talk. But if I was Kovalev, I'd want a rematch yesterday.
but it was close. Still, Kov did not get enough respect from the judges for his consistent jab. He did what very few thought he could do: actually stood in the pocket and boxed at-par w/ Ward for the better portion of the fight.
I thought Kovalev looked gassed after the 9th round and he got sloppy late, while Ward still looked sharp and in better condition - which could have made impressions on the judges late. Ward fought back w/ tremendous heart - but I just didn't see him doing enough to overcome the early knockdown and lost rounds.
Wouldn't go so far to call this a robbery - but the judges did get it wrong.
52. "Peace To Andre Ward" In response to Reply # 0
For even going up to 175 and facing one of the most feared punchers in the sport. He showed a lot of heart and determination after getting off the canvas. He definitely fought his way back into the fight but like a lot of you, I think he lost. The scoring was unanimous but all of the judges had it 114-113 so this was no robbery. A rematch is necessary.
I'm still not sure what this fight does for boxing. Many of us thought that once Floyd and Manny retired, fighters would be forced to fight each other and can no longer just hold out for a once in a lifetime payday. Many of us believed we would see matchups like this more often. That hasn't happened. 50/50 fights like Thurman/Porter and now Ward/Kovalev have been exactly that. Highly competitive fights where the outcomes are unclear. Fighters still don't seem to be willing to take risk against guys that are not necessarily pay per view attractions. Truly competitive fights are still few and far between and only happen like 3 or 4 times a year. Is Garcia really going to go through with fighting Thurman? Even with Floyd's 50-0 still lingering out there? Will we really see Spence and Brook? I'm just excited about Lomachenko/Walters and Charlo/Williams. Fights that have actual dates and have been signed off by both fighters. Not getting my hopes up about anything else.
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