Honest opinions about ward & kovalev...fanboys welcome too.

[TheUptownKid]

A boxer doesnt need to have superstar/cross over appeal to be the best. Jones jr was the best and he wasnt a boxing superstar. Kovalev and ward are in a strong division and if either of them dominates that division they deserve to be called the best.

correction jones was a boxing superstar

[-PBP-]

Does either ward or kovalev have the feel of the best p4p fighter in the sport? I know one of them will have earned it, but they both lack something for me. I know p4p doesn't really even mean much, but compared to p4p#1 fighters of the past...neither of these guys are very captivating. Ward is basically past his prime, he's a bit boring, has no personality, uses smothering tactics and doesn't even seem that interested in the sport. Kovalev is a bit raw, is a little reliant on power, struggled with a good mover/jabber and lacks personality himself. Kovalev is the kind of fighter i could picture losing or having bad performances against many fighters...ward is the kind of guy i could picture holding the p4p#1 spot hostage and not fighting the fights everyone wants to see. I know it's not possible to win them all in spectacular fashion, but it's nice for a p4p#1 fighter to really have something special that sets them apart from the rest, and both of these guys seem a bit ordinary to me. It might be down to me being negative on boxing in general lately. End rant.

The pound for pound fighters are usually welterweights or below which are more agile, fleet footed, fast and aesthetically pleasing. Every once in a while you get a Roy Jones or an Ali but 168 and above, the fighters are just bigger and less mobile in general.

That's kind of my thinking. They are skilled light heavyweights but they are bigger, more stationary dudes.

[Scipio2009]

Does either ward or kovalev have the feel of the best p4p fighter in the sport? I know one of them will have earned it, but they both lack something for me. I know p4p doesn't really even mean much, but compared to p4p#1 fighters of the past...neither of these guys are very captivating. Ward is basically past his prime, he's a bit boring, has no personality, uses smothering tactics and doesn't even seem that interested in the sport. Kovalev is a bit raw, is a little reliant on power, struggled with a good mover/jabber and lacks personality himself. Kovalev is the kind of fighter i could picture losing or having bad performances against many fighters...ward is the kind of guy i could picture holding the p4p#1 spot hostage and not fighting the fights everyone wants to see. I know it's not possible to win them all in spectacular fashion, but it's nice for a p4p#1 fighter to really have something special that sets them apart from the rest, and both of these guys seem a bit ordinary to me. It might be down to me being negative on boxing in general lately. End rant.

Andre Ward has never been a pro fight, in my opinion, where the final bell rang and there was any doubt what the outcome was, while doing so with facing a run of legit fighters (from the Edison Miranda fight on).

Kovalev was looking like something similar to that, until old-man Hopkins was able to go 12 rounds, with Isaac Chilemba (another good fighter) being able to go 12 rounds with him as well.