It's too early to decide now.
He may now return and own the division thanks to Ward fights (gained experience, understood his own flaws in training and has resolved it).
Or he may now gradually decline.
So, basically, you're equating a foul in sporting event to a criminal act?
Well, things like PEDs or Margarito's loaded wraps are often compared (literally) to "attempted murder in the ring".
Ok, another example: speeding, if not caught then it's is not speeding?
Well, I can hardly expect someone to quickly (in a matter of seconds) adjust and retaliate with illegal actions. It must be trained in gym well in advance. Can't blame fighters for NOT training that.
Also, this logic will lead us to conclusion that fighters also need to use PEDs if they suspect their counterparts use it.
Overall, using PEDs enhances chance of winning just like using illegal tactics, isn't it?
I think we're mixing up the words "cheating" and "fouling". If Ward fouled and the ref didn't call it, it was up to Kovalev
So, basically, if someone's crime is unnoticed by police then it's not a crime?
That's not slight.
Cause someone's feeling Yarde has a puncher's chance in this fight..
I don't get why Rolls did not have a puncher's chance against GGG:)
GGG was a much heavier favorite against Rolls, and both Rolls and Yarde are nonames with no resume.
If it was Gassiev vs Usyk, then yes. Not so sure about Gassiev vs Tabiti doe.
Actually "Gassiev vs Tabiti in Moscow" indeed may be more profitable than "Gassiev vs Usyk in neutral country"
Everything depends on the contract signed between Usyk and WBSS.
I guess no one here has seen it.
Obviously WBSS will earn much more if the cruiserweight final will happen in Russia.
Usyk may have his opinion where fights should be happening, but professional boxing is a showbusiness.
BTW people were VERY upset last year when AIBA allowed pro-boxers to compete in Olympics.
They were sure that these professional killers will hurt & kill poor young ammys.
That did not happen in Rio.
Yeah not sure if you are being sarcastic but yes
I;m not sarcastic.
I'm russian and i notice that we use ")" a lot instead of ":)" and i was surprised that it's something that only russians do )
I did not find a translation of this interview to English - http://allboxing.ru/news/20161213-2240/sergey-kovalev-kak-ni-stranno-no-ya-rad-chto-prishlo-porazhenie
He says that he is glad that he has lost and that he would otherwise change nothing in his training. Now he is motivated to change the training approach etc.
Totally agree.
Kovalev had a ton of luck multiple times to be where he is now. Hundreds of other russians did not have that luck.
But this can be easily explained - professional boxing is not a sport but a show business.
If a boxer doesn't have a fanbase (russian boxers do not have that much fans - boxing is not that popular in Russia, but it's growing). And this small fanbase do not purchase PPV ;)