By Edward Chaykovsky
In the lead-up to last month's fight between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev - many observers felt the winner would have an argument to claim the title of being the best pound for pound fighter in the world.
Ward (31-0, 15KOs) won a close twelve round unanimous decision over Kovalev (30-1-1, 26KOs) to capture the IBF, WBA, WBO light heavyweight belts.
Because of the close and controversial nature, the outcome did not leave a clear picture of Ward being the best pound for pound fighter in the sport.
According to WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (28-1, 23KOs), Ward has no right to call himself the pound for pound king or even the best fighter at 175 - until the two of them meet in the ring.
"I beat the man and I’m the man, so people can talk about the pound-for-pound bulls**t like that, but I’m the lineal champion and you can’t be pound-for-pound if you don’t beat the lineal champion. Basically, you have to come through me. You can’t say you’re pound-for-pound but you don’t beat the king. And you already have one king in this division," Stevenson told Boxing News.
Stevenson will have to wait for a unification. Kovalev has exercised an immediate rematch clause to face Ward once again in the first half of 2017. And Stevenson also has a mandatory obligation that he's ordered to carry out by the end of April.
Stevenson had no doubt that Ward would be willing to face him in the ring and hopes the fight can happen at some point in the next twelve months.
“I want to unify the title,” Stevenson declared. “If he [Ward] wants to unify the title, and I don’t think Andre Ward is scared about that, then we’re going to do that. But whoever comes, I’m ready.”
