Jackson: If Kovalev Is In Better Shape, He'll KO Ward In Rematch

By Keith Idec

One of the main adjustments John David Jackson wants to make before Sergey Kovalev fights Andre Ward a second time is to get Kovalev in better condition.

Kovalev’s trainer thought his fighter was in very good shape for their November 19 fight in Las Vegas. He acknowledged Ward was better conditioned, however, and that it made a difference late in a 12-round light heavyweight title fight Ward won by unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena.

“I think all Sergey needs to do is be in better condition for the later rounds and go to Andre’s body a little bit more,” Jackson told BoxingScene.com. “In the early rounds he showed he was a superior fighter. Andre was able to survive and had a better second half of the fight. But I think that was more from his conditioning. So Sergey has to be in a little bit better condition, and I think this time he’ll dominate and knock him out.”

Russia’s Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) was ahead of Ward, who survived a second-round knockdown, on all three scorecards through the first six rounds of what developed into a very competitive fight (59-54, 59-54, 58-55). Ward was able to settle into a rhythm during the second half of their HBO Pay-Per-View main event, though, and emerged as the winner by the same score, 114-113, on the scorecards submitted by judges Burt Clements, John McKaie and Glenn Trowbridge.

Jackson credits conditioning for some of Ward’s comeback. The 32-year-old Ward worked with renowned fitness and nutrition expert Mackie Shilstone while preparing for the Kovalev fight.

“I could see that,” Jackson said. “It didn’t make him stronger as far as punches, but it did make a difference as far as the wind he had. That was the difference that saved him. He didn’t dominate, but he was able to hang in there and he stole a few rounds. The first half, I had it 5-1 for Sergey. The second half of the fight I had it maybe 3-3. So he was able to survive and win a few rounds. He didn’t sweep the last six [rounds], but he showed a champion’s heart, he came back, he was there and he made it interesting. That makes for an interesting rematch.”

Ward (31-0, 15 KOs), of Hayward, California, is contractually obligated to give Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) an immediate rematch. Their second fight could take place as early as April, according to what Kathy Duva, Kovalev’s promoter, told BoxingScene.com last week.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.