By Lyle Fitzsimmons

It’s a big fight week. The biggest, for me at least, in a while.

And if you can make a clear selection – and feel sure about it – you’re a better man than I.

Because the more I look at Andre Ward’s challenge of light heavyweight monster Sergey Kovalev, the less positive I feel about the pick I’ve made since the day the fight was announced.

I like Ward by decision, because not only do I think he’s better than anything Kovalev has seen, I believe a victory will probably lock him in as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

But it wouldn’t stun me in the least if Kovalev were to win. Either by KO or decision.

And the funny thing is, Ward isn’t making a win sound so much like a slam dunk either.

“I feel that this fight with Kovalev is 50-50,” he said. “That’s how I approach all of my big fights. I don’t go into the fight thinking, ‘I’ve got a clear-cut advantage here’ or ‘I’ve got to run through this guy.’ Personally, for me, I can’t roll like that. I’ve got to keep myself honest, stay on my grind, keep my head down and force myself to keep working. I truly believe Kovalev is everything they say he is, and I’m everything that I’ve shown over the years.

“There are always different game plans, nuances, different things you’re working on, but I respect every fight that I fight. I don’t get caught up in the whole puncher thing, anybody can get you out of there if you get hit right. We’ve got to find a way to get it done, and we’re going to find a way to get it done. I don’t care what he’s got in his gloves, who he’s knocked out or what he’s done. My job is to get my hand raised, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

I appreciate a guy with full-throated confidence.

And I’ll concede that I’ve often been entertained by guys with trash-talking bravado.

But there’s something about Ward’s realistic, mature approach that I can’t help but admire.

I’ve happily been on the “S.O.G.” bandwagon since the early days and I still recall how accessible, polite and interesting he was when I traipsed down to the Cayman Islands to see him dismantle Jerson Ravelo back in 2008. My wife stayed home with our then-3-month-old boy for that trip, and it took a pretty substantial sell job back then to assure her that the weekend adventure was worthwhile.

Fortunately, over the subsequent eight years he’s never taken a step that made me regret the airfare.

Not only has he maintained a perfect record while meeting the best of one division and dipping his toe into the next, but he’s conducted himself in a way that it’s about impossible not to root for.

A quick weekend watch of HBO’s “My Fight” documentary has officially made the wife a retroactive fan (even though she’s picking Kovalev), and it’s undeniably good to see such a decent man finally getting his turn in a spotlight that’s too often hogged by guys who couldn’t carry his civilized jock.

Amazingly, in fact, it’s Ward’s first appearance in boxing’s desert capital city and the first time he’ll share the marquee atop a pay-per-view show that’s certain to attract the genuine fan, if not the pruriently interested.

“It’s a beautiful thing to be fighting in Vegas. I’m excited,” he said. “What better time than now in this stage in my career. I’m just excited to continue to prepare so I can do my part to give the fans their money’s worth, those that pay to be there and those paying to watch it. That’s what I’m focused on, and I’m extremely happy to be a part of it. T-Mobile is a new arena, and a new chapter, and to be a part of it is a beautiful thing.”

* * * * * * * * * *

This week’s title-fight schedule:

SATURDAY
IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight titles – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sergey Kovalev (champion/No. 2 IWBR) vs. Andre Ward (No. 1 WBO/No. 3 IWBR)
Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KO):  Ninth WBO title defense; Third fight in Las Vegas (2-0, 2 KO) 
Ward (30-0, 15 KO): Eighth title fight (7-0); First fight in Las Vegas
Fitzbitz says: Kovalev is a beast. And an underrated one at that. But Ward is more gifted than anyone he’s ever encountered. And I won’t believe he can lose until I see it happen. Ward by decision

IBO cruiserweight title – Hannover, Germany
Marco Huck (champion/No. 3 IWBR) vs. Dmytro Kucher (No. 13 IBO/No. 18 IWBR)
Huck (39-3-1, 27 KO): First title defense; Held WBO cruiserweight title (2009-15, 13 defenses)
Kucher (24-1-1, 18 KO): First title fight; Seventh fight outside Ukraine (4-1-1, 2 KO)
Fitzbitz says: In 26 pro fights, the challenger has met precisely two foes without a loss in their previous five outings. For what it’s worth, he’s 0-1-1 in those two fights. Well, make that 0-2-1. Huck in 9

SUNDAY
IBO minimumweight title – East London, South Africa
Simphiwe Khonco (champion/No. 14 IWBR) vs. Nkosinathi Joyi (Unranked IBO/Unranked IWBR)
Khonco (16-5, 7 KO): First title fight; Won 10 of 11 fight since starting career at 6-4
Joyi (26-4, 18 KO): Eleventh title fight; Lost four of eight fights since starting career at 22-0 
Fitzbitz says: Now 33, there was a time Joyi was considered the top man at 105 pounds. These days, he tends to fall down in a stiff wind. However, there’s enough skill here for a win. Joyi by decision

Last week’s picks: 1-0 (WIN: Argumedo)
2016 picks record: 77-20 (79.3 percent)
Overall picks record: 810-268 (75.1 percent)

NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full-fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA "world championships" are only included if no "super champion" exists in the weight class.

Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. He is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.