While I got the prediction right on paper regarding last week’s light heavyweight title showdown between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward, I don’t believe I got it right in reality.
Ward scored a razor-thin unanimous decision victory to lift 3 of the 4 alphabet titles from the champ (114-113 on all three scorecards). But Ward looked as surprised as myself and the room full of friends I had over watching as the decision was announced.
Kovalev came out aggressive and dropped the American in the second round with a short right that may have ended the night had the Russian gotten full extension on the punch. He later had Ward’s equilibrium slightly off with a couple hard shots that landed flush on the ear.
The most impressive thing I saw early was Kovalev’s ability to ragdoll the challenger around the ring with a heavy and accurate jab. The first half of the fight clearly belonged to the champ.
To his credit, Ward really showed his championship medal. He got off the deck, withstood real punishment, and kept at it. He got himself back into the fight.
At times, he was able to do so with some dirty tactics; that is not a knock. Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather, and even Evander Holyfield made a living the same way.
Ward won a couple of rounds clearly in the second half of the fight. But most rounds in the second half were close as opposed to the early rounds that Kovalev clearly won.
I did not score the fight. I will during the replay, but the fight had the feeling that the early rounds and knockdown that Kovalev had in the bank created a scenario where Ward had to win every round to even be in the fight, and needed something spectacular to win.
The only spectacular things Ward showed me were his courage, will, and ring IQ. He slowed the Russian’s attack with body work, and landed clearly at times. But he never had him badly hurt.
I am also not sure how you can give every close round to Ward, which the judges obviously did. There were some nip and tuck rounds; traditionally those rounds go to the champion. The punch stats aside from the knockdown were also in Kovalev’s favor.
Hardcore boxing fans (yes, there are still many despite what the sports media would have you believe) often talk about the dangers American fighters face going over to Europe and getting robbed.
Robbery is a term too loosely applied in the fight game for my taste. It applied to Pacquiao-Bradley I. This one became a competitive fight.
Some of that is Kovalev’s fault. His foot came off the gas a bit. Had he doubled up on his jab and continued walking the challenger down with it, he keeps his belts. However, he got a tad lazy with it as the fight wore on. He lunged with his jab and began pot shooting rather than walking forward with it.
So, this may not have been a blatant robbery, but it was a bad decision at first glance. The Russian and his fans have every right to feel they were the victim of some home cooking here in the States.
They will most likely do it again, but we should be celebrating Kovalev’s victory and Ward’s guile. Instead, we are talking about a controversial decision.
Had the judges gotten it right, a rematch could still be justified due to Ward making adjustments as the fight went on. Aside from some sloppy moments created my the mesh of their styles, it was plain to see that we were watching two of the very best at their craft.
I may very well pick Ward again in a rematch based on what I saw in this fight. However, Kovalev should be up 1-0 in the series in my opinion. Talk soon.
-Marksman
PS: The last thing I want is to turn this into a betting blog, but piggybacking on Saturday night (HBO) with the replay of last week’s fight will be a showdown of the two best 130 lb fighters in the world as Vasyl Lomachenko takes on Nicholas Walters.
Lomachenko is the rightful favorite, but if your Thanksgiving football bets are not going your way, Walters punches like a bastard and is a LIVE underdog!