Advice for Kovalev fighting out of the clinch and dealing with Ward's veteran tactics

[Dip_Slide]

I watched it on a loop like 6 times. Duran is a brilliant tactician. People sadly overlook him these days.
As great as that was, I don't think that would be entirely effective against Ward because you'll notice that Ward goes upright and presses his body against guys who are trying to score inside. And, he ties up one arm. Really makes it near impossible to work a traditional inside game. Even if Ward does work in like that, he usually throws a hook and slips out.

As ugly as this sounds, I think Kovalev using his wrestling (choke hold, grabbing and tumbling, etc) to make the clinch dangerous and exhausting would be a good way to deter the clinch. Byrd is probably too experienced not to see through "accidents" like that but if you're a fighter and you almost blow your knee out because your opponent just forced you down, it's going to make you cautious.

I agree wholeheartedly, Kovalev can't let Ward make this an inside fight and he should therefore punish Ward on the inside by any means necessary to keep him thinking about fighting on the inside, Kovalev is the bigger man so this shouldn't be impossible for him to do. Crawford had a similar game plan against Postol and made clinching a painful experience for Postol which made Postol abandon his greatest defensive weapon and tried to fight on the outside and got picked apart as a result. Can't wait to see whose gameplan is going to prevail in the fight.

[daggum]

sleeper hold and put him to sleep. then all the ward fanboys would start complaining because it only matters when someone else cheats not when ward does it

[.:: JSFD26 ::.]

People (like me) often crap on fighters like Rios or even Ward for that matter and others who fight on the inside a lot but there's actually a lot involved in inside fighting.

[bojangles1987]

I think Kovalev will fall into the same trap most fighters do with Ward, which is thinking Ward clinches to avoid fighting. Ward embarrasses fighters inside because he understands the best benefit of clinching, which is to maneuver inside and continue the fight. He lures you into waiting for the ref and then pops you.

Kovalev cannot relax. He needs to get nasty, and Jackson needs to have him prepared for Ward's maneuvering inside.

[jmrf4435]

I think bernard is actually more nasty in term of clinching. kov had no toruble at al dealing with it.

I don't thnk clincing will be his problem. It will be Wards headbutts

[g27region]

That would be like trying to grapple with a JiuJitsu guy in MMA, you're not going to out-do him

Not when you practice Sambo

[-Hyperion-]

I think bernard is actually more nasty in term of clinching. kov had no toruble at al dealing with it.

I don't thnk clincing will be his problem. It will be Wards headbutts

Hopkins is a coward first though, he'll bully you like no one can if he has the advantage but if he senses threat his first thought is to survive and bitc# that he got robbed. Ward wants to win. I also don't think Ward's clinching will be that troublesome, it will be the headbutts...

[jmrf4435]

"Hopkins is a coward first though, he'll bully you like no one can if he has the advantage but if he senses threat his first thought is to survive and bitc# that he got robbed. Ward wants to win. I also don't think Ward's clinching will be that troublesome, it will be the headbutts... "

I personally don't have evidence to support it. Several people have said Kovalev has a MMA backround (russian sambo) which helps alot with clinching...Ward might be shocked by how crafty Kov is.

[Jewish-Reptile]

I think Kovalev will fall into the same trap most fighters do with Ward, which is thinking Ward clinches to avoid fighting. Ward embarrasses fighters inside because he understands the best benefit of clinching, which is to maneuver inside and continue the fight. He lures you into waiting for the ref and then pops you.

Kovalev cannot relax. He needs to get nasty, and Jackson needs to have him prepared for Ward's maneuvering inside.

This ^^^^ right here.

If Kovalev looks to the ref he will get hurt time and again, Krusher needs to be brave and rough when Ward is on his chest. Pay Ward back in kind, concentration is key.

One thing folk are overlooking is Kovalev's timing as his opponent comes in, which is why I do not rule out a Kovalev win.

[Madison Boxing]

veteran tactics, is that what cheating is called these days?