I'm going with Krusher via KO. I think he knows now what worked for him in the first fight and anytime he has had a rematch he improved tenfold. He's smart and a much better boxer than he has been given credit for.
I'm predicting that domination we saw in the first part of the fight is gonna be the full story of the rematch. Sergey's reach and jab was giving Ward a lot of problems, if he stuck with it instead of playing the grappling game with Ward he would've stopped him well before the final bell.
That's what he'll use to probe throughout the fight and then follow it up with some devastating combos until Ward can't take anymore.
Kovalev via T/KO by 8.
I see it pretty 50/ 50 again.
I bet on Kov but I had Ward winning.
I do wonder if like others have alluded to that maybe Ward has figured Kov out now.
That said I could easily see Kov going more gun ho and getting an early stoppage.
It'd be nice if we could talk more about how good and interesting the match up was.
Rather than cries of robbery.
I'm putting my eggs in the Ward UD basket again. Kov is a beast though and has demonstrated that he could definitely win the rematch, by decision or stoppage.
I would put my money on Ward. The fact that he took control of the latter rounds suggests he found a way to neutralize Kovalev.
I don't buy the "Kov got too comfortable" line of reasoning.
Anyway, I see it as a Mayweather vs Castillo type deal. More accustomed to the weight and greater experience going forward. I don't think Ward is given enough credit for adapting in a crisis situation.
I would favour Kovalev in a rematch, big time.
He's going to come out smoking, he's got the boxing ability to set up his power punches and run right through Ward. Kovalev can be nasty in there.
I'm not even gonna vote because the fight will be in the US and I assume there will be all American officials again but we've already seen Kovalev has the superior jab, superior right hand, better at long and mid range and hits harder. He can also handle ward on the inside.
If Kovalev turns up the activity in the middle rounds, he can stop ward but tbh, we don't know how he'll get screwed a second time lol
Let's have it in Moscow, Russia, three Russian judges, one Russian ref, Russian commentary team, Russian broadcaster and all the rest.
Ward is good at having the advantage on his side as a challenger will he be man enough to do what Kovalev did?
i honestly had ward winning by one point but it easily could of gone kovalevs way. both were evenly matched in my opinion. so many close rounds. in the rematch i see the fight being close again.. kovalev may get the knockout or ward might be more flawless
It is impossible for Kov to win a decision in the US so Ward just has to survive to get the W
Ward UD
Is it confirmed to be taking place in the US? I'd imagine there will be some serious talks about location and staff after all the controversy from multiple fights on Saturday night.