On June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Center, the two men at the pinnacle of the light heavyweight division collide once more in a legacy defining fight. Andre Ward defeated Sergey Kovalev in a narrow decision on November 12 and in the process became the new WBA,IBF and WBO light heavyweight champion. Kovalev will feel that he done enough to win having knocked Ward down. Irrespective of the result, this rematch will give both men an opportunity to place a definitive stamp on this rivalry and to the winner will go the bragging rights and the crown of best light heavyweight on the planet.
I think this is once again a 50/50 contest and I feel that these two could go head to head a 100 times and we would see a 100 close fights. At this level it's fine margins and I see this rematch being a similar fight to the first. Kovalev likes to work at long to mid range and his jab will cause Ward issues early on but I think Ward will make it a dirty and close quarters affair from the beginning and essentially out work his opponent. Kovalev will hurt Ward at some point but I do not think it will be enough to knock him down and Ward will spoil when needed. This fight ends again in a close decision but I think Ward's activity and industry on the inside will earn him a split decision win.
Andre Ward win via split decision
Thoughts and predictions:
Final Press conference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4WmsO4ASps
Andre Ward vs Sergey Kovalev 2 Fight Thread
posted on 18/6/17
Don't actually think the blows where that low, the ref said before the fight started where was ok!
posted on 18/6/17
comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 3 hours, 12 minutes ago
The first fight could have gone either way but it went to Ward and combine that with Ward getting preferential refereeing decisions in the second fight and it just doesn't look good at all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferential?
The first low blow he got away with was blocked by Kovalev being between him/his shot and the ref.. the ref was unsighted.
Of the final three blows, only one of them could definitely be said to have landed low. The first was on the belt and the third was inconclusive.
That said, he had his back to the ref/his body in the way of him and Kovalev and the shots would've been hard for the ref to see.. the cameras couldn't pick it up conclusively so ask yourself how the ref could definitely say he saw a low blow.
End of the day, Kovalev was finished and wanted out. The ref would have picked up on that and gave him the option out without him being KO'd.. hence Kovalev not protesting the stoppage.
posted on 18/6/17
comment by KLS- "Wellcome to Hell My Ar5è if you think this is hell, try the Grafton on a Friday Night" (U1695)
posted 9 minutes ago
Don't actually think the blows where that low, the ref said before the fight started where was ok!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This
It's often hard to tell what's low and not nowadays with the variations of shorts etc.
Kovalev had no answers to the problems that a very awkward and elusive Ward posed. He was getting progressively more and more gassed and was done mentally, and was on the brink physically.
It's still a crying shame though, that we weren't allowed a proper finish. I'm not advocating or calling for one guy to be beat up beyond what is right, it we should always have a conclusive end to a fight when it doesn't go to the cards.
All this has done is fuel the fire for conspiracy nuts, of which there are many in boxing. An early call even if it was probably right with Kovalev not defending himself.
posted on 18/6/17
hence Kovalev not protesting the stoppage
--------------------------------------
Kovalev was busy checking his boll0cks were still there.
posted on 18/6/17
He was busy thinking, thank Fvck that's over and I'm still conscious.
He also had a ready made excuse.
posted on 18/6/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 18/6/17
comment by The Guvnor IV -Iron sharpens Iron- (U12889)
posted 36 minutes ago
comment by Superb (U6486)
posted about an hour ago
hence Kovalev not protesting the stoppage
--------------------------------------
Kovalev was busy checking his boll0cks were still there.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No he wasn't. He stood up and looked very accepting of the stoppage.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because I was being totally serious when I said that.
posted on 18/6/17
Anthony Fowler is getting ripped for this tweet and rightly so
@afowler06: Gutted for @PaulSmithJnr people will slag him off, but hes showed hes world class, always gives a good account of himself at world level
posted on 18/6/17
So do Arsenal every time they're shafted out of any decent competition
Good account of themselves
posted on 18/6/17