How do you think Ward will fight Kovalev?

[Larry the boss]

49 year old Hopkins is more like a 39 year old boxer. Don't even try to compare Hopkins to the average 49 year old lmao

Ward isnt 39 either

[firstborn]

Ward doesnt lack a right hand. And he's definitely not a one handed fighter.

Ward seemed hesitant to throw the right in his last fight. He's favored his left hand for a large portion of his career and seems to only throw the right on a regular basis during close quarter exchanges.

We all know his right shoulder was surgically repaired about two years ago. Maybe he's yet to regain total trust in his abilities (right hand) since the surgery.....

[BattlingNelson]

I am pretty sure he will do like he did in the Kesslerfight. That is utliise his speed and get close enough to avoid the jab. He will absolutely try to smother and rough Kivalev up on the inside.

I think that people in general is underestimating Wards strenght. He is a very strong guy. But of course so is kovalev and Ward will probably be outweighed a bit in the fight which will be a first for him at this level.

Speed will be the key. Ward should prove to be so much faster with both hands and feet. Kovalev will have to slow him down. Can he? Thats one of the major questions.

Oh and I have to say this: Ward is a dirty fighter. That is not up for debate. A real issue will be whether the referee will enforce the rules or not. If he doesnt this could be a very ugly fight because I cannot see Kovalev taking unanswered lowblows and headbutts.

[-PBP-]

Ward seemed hesitant to throw the right in his last fight. He's favored his left hand for a large portion of his career and seems to only throw the right on a regular basis during close quarter exchanges.

We all know his right shoulder was surgically repaired about two years ago. Maybe he's yet to regain total trust in his abilities (right hand) since the surgery.....

That and maybe a matter of habit.

[-PBP-]

49 year old Hopkins is more like a 39 year old boxer. Don't even try to compare Hopkins to the average 49 year old lmao

Dude. Ward has more punch variety with his left hand than a 49 year old Hopkins has in his entire arsenal.

Hopkins was once a great, much more well rounded fighter but Ward is a different beast.

[TRTboy]

Ward doesnt lack a right hand. And he's definitely not a one handed fighter.

He is just like cotto. They are still better than most two handed fighters because of their high fivhts IQ's. Its not a knock on ward. But as a converted orthodox he just doesnt have anything on that rear hand.

Against a top elite level fighter in kovalev that will be very evident.

[Scipio2009]

We've seen a few different styles from Ward over the years, whether it's his aggressive smothering tactics like against Alan Green or more of his traditional hit and don't get hit fighting at range, among other variations. With Kovalev it's extremely intriguing since he's big and rangey with a hard jab and difficult to deal with from the outside, and yet trying to out muscle him by clinching and smothering can end up equally as bad since he's been known to hurt people with short shots. So with that said, what kind of gamelan do you think Ward would implement against Kovalev and how do you see it working out?

Stuff/cut Kovalev's jab (to throw his own jab), and use his own body jab (to get Kovalev to hesitate with his own, opening himself up for that lead hook to the head off of a body jab feint; a la Floyd and 'Chico' Coralles. Among other tactics.

For all of the talk of Kovalev being "big and strong and rangey", or whatever other descriptions you want to put on him, there's not really a lot of different dimensions that a fighter needs to worry about when facing Kovalev.

Kovalev throws his shots straight, he works to keep things at range, and he has a surreal meanness about him when he gets a guy hurt. Haven't seen much else, tbh.

[MrRolltide91]

It will be a chess match

[bojangles1987]

Strategy is what's so intriguing to me in this fight.

I think out the two Ward is the better strategist with the higher IQ, but, Kovalev has high IQ also, added to the fact his power is freakish.

I think Ward's gameplan will be to tie him up early every time Kovalev steps into range, not let him get anything off, hit him to the body inside. Then when the ref breaks them he will want to box on the outside, jab to the body, straight right hand, tie him up. Kovalev can box himself but I think Ward has the clear advantage there too.

What will be interesting in this fight is adjustments, Kovalev's going to have to adjust, take a half step back and try and prevent Ward from tieing him up, step in with the jab and blind him and then let body shots go, even if they all don't land some will. The jab is key.

Kovalev's the stronger of the two so he's got to use his strength when Ward trys to hold.

I can't wait for this one.

Kovalev has shown some solid instincts when it comes to timing. He is pretty good at knowing when to step back, when to bait guys into rushing forward so he can counter, and when to feint opponents into expecting an attack and follow up with the jab. So it's not going to be simple for Ward to bait him into counter opportunities.

Still, like you said Ward should have the advantage in a boxing match, unless Kovalev's power throws him off. You can't really know how his opponents will react to his punches until they start landing. He has that kind of fight changing power.

[Cinci Champ]

ya the interesting think about krusher is he fights well at range and obviously his power and he jabs well all that but he pretty slow honestly and it will be interesting to see if ward is able to avoid his punches