Andre Ward: record, next fight and profile →
Dmitry Bivol’s allegiance lies with Sergey Kovalev. They’re both from the former Soviet Union – Bivol from Kyrgyzstan, Kovalev from Russia. Though they don’t know each other well, Bivol and Kovalev also have several mutual friends.
Less than a week remains, before Andre "SOG" Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) and Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) collide for a second time to set the record straight. Last November at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Ward got off the floor in the second round to box his way to a very close twelve round unanimous decision over Kovalev to capture the WBA, IBF, WBO light heavyweight titles. All three judges scored it 114-113 in Ward's favor.
It would be very easy, considering the current political climate in the United States, to promote the Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev rematch as the United States versus Russia. The 33-year-old Ward won a gold medal for the U.S. at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and the Hayward, California, native is widely viewed as the best active American boxer in the sport. The 34-year-old Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs), the ruthless Russian knockout artist who has promised to end Ward’s career, clearly is comfortable playing the role of villain.
It’s not just what the judges wrote on their scorecards November 19 that has motivated Sergey Kovalev. The former light heavyweight champion has drawn inspiration from boxing fans who were happy that he lost to Andre Ward in their title fight. Russia’s Kovalev is determined to disappoint them and members of Ward’s team that have talked trash about him during the promotion of their June 17 rematch at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas (HBO Pay-Per-View).
By Andreas Hale - When Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev met in November. The tension and animosity between the two certainly wasn’t like it is now. Seven months ago there were two top five pound for pound fighters competing to be recognized as the best in the world. But something changed that night an ex...
Andre Ward won’t say much about it, but Sergey Kovalev’s constant jabs at him have motivated the light heavyweight champion. The controversial conclusion to their first fight was more than enough to make Ward want to win their rematch more decisively next week. But Kovalev’s attacks on social media and threats to end Ward’s career have provided some more fuel during another long, grueling training camp.
Sergey Kovalev feels much different while winding down training camp for his rematch with Andre Ward than he did seven months ago. As Kovalev concluded camp for their first fight November 19, the former light heavyweight champion lacked energy. The Russian knockout artist and his team are certain that he over-trained for each of his last two fights – a debatable 12-round unanimous-decision defeat to Ward and a convincing, 12-round unanimous-decision victory over South Africa’s Isaac Chilemba last July 11 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The first fight between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev was extremely competitive and had its fair share of dramatic moments. The second round was the most memorable of the 12 because Kovalev dropped Ward with 42 seconds left in it and Ward showed tremendous resolve as he fended off the Russian knockout artist to get back in the fight. The controversial conclusion – a Ward win by the same score, 114-113, on all three cards – made the outcome one of the most debated decisions in recent boxing history.
Andre Ward is inarguably one of the best boxers in the world. The 2004 Olympic gold medalist is 31-0, has won world titles in two weight classes and hasn’t lost a boxing match since he was a 13-year-old amateur in February 1998. The Hayward, California, native cleaned out the super middleweight division before he moved up to light heavyweight and out-pointed previously undefeated knockout artist Sergey Kovalev on November 19 in Las Vegas.
Andre Ward has heard it all during the buildup toward his rematch against Sergey Kovalev. His ruthless Russian opponent promised to “beat his ass,” to “punish him” and to “end his career.” Kovalev also has taunted Ward on Twitter, relentlessly questioned the judges’ decision in their first fight, blamed his close loss on over-training and dismissed Ward as an arrogant, delusional, undeserving champion who doesn’t realize just how lucky he was to leave the ring November 19 with three light heavyweight titles.