Kovalev's Coach Hopes Ward Won't Panic After Getting Rocked

By Edward Chaykovsky

John David Jackson, the head trainer for Sergey Kovalev, is hoping tonight's fight with Andre Ward will live up to the hype.

Ward (30-0, 15KOs) will challenge Kovalev (30-0, 26KOs) for the IBF, WBO, WBA light heavyweight titles at the T-Mobile Arena.

The fight will headline a four fight card on HBO Pay-Per-View - which the promoters are calling "Pound For Pound" as most experts will regard the winner as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

Jackson fears than once Kovalev lands one of his big shots on Ward, the Olympic gold medal winner will go into panic mode and then fight the rest of the way in a very defensive manner - which is going to create a lackluster contest and likely a lot of boos in the arena.

"I honestly hope it can [live up to the hype]. The reason why I have doubts is because Ward, you have a guy that sometimes can be a very calculated defensive fighter who wins on survival tactics. I think once he gets hit by Sergey, all that talk of him going on the inside and fighting, it’s all going to change," Jackson told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.

"Once a fighter gets hurt, especially a guy like Ward who’s defensive minded, he tends to go back to what works best for him and that’s being defensive. I’m hoping that it’s a great fight, if Ward gets hit with a good shot, his instincts and those defensive mechanisms, they’re going to keep him right in place and he might get knocked out."