"You" Wanted Ward to Give Up!

[SweetPbfAli]

There really is a problem in combat sports at the minute. There's been an influx of "fans" flocking to fighters like Sergey Kovalev, Anthony Joshua, Conor McGregor, etc. It's fun to see somebody getting brutally knocked out. It's become a fashion thing. It's also fashionable to like the big names now. People don't know **** about boxing but they follow Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on all social media and will watch his fights.

The point is they don't know ****. They will have watched that fight last night, only seeing Kovalev plodding along trying to score a knockout. Whatever Andre Ward was doing is totally disregarded. He was obviously just being negative and trying not to get knocked out while the "better fighter" was coming forward and trying to punch him. The only reason Ward survived to the end is because he wouldn't stay still and let Kovalev punch him.

It's sad but this really is how people are analysing this fight.

Absolutely!. The subtleties and nuances are lost on them. It's pretty damn annoying lol.

[TripleGFightFan]

After the knockdown Kovalev fans expected to see Ward give up like most Kovalev opponents do when they feel his power. They are use to seeing guys like Jean Pascal fold when in the ring Kovalev.

The first two rounds went according to script, Ward looked small, was on the canvass, and seemingly didn't have the chin to endure Kovalev's power. But little by little Ward survived, adapted, and began to process an effective attack.

Ward never "ran" he stayed in the pocket, out muscled and hustled Kovalev, at one point I thought he broke Kovalev's nose due to the constant stream of blood. Unlike Kovalev however Ward landed body shots and was more active during clinches. Ward initially was the victim of the power jab but soon began to land his own repeatedly.

It was slow and methodical but Ward started putting rounds in the bank. No rounds were dominant but Kovalev's head was the one snapping back. When judges see that they score for the attacker. In the second half of the fight Ward began to make Kovalev miss, he became arm weary, his power faded, his footwork slowed, he began reacting to Ward's movements rather than dictating his own.

IMO this was a subtle but impressive comeback for Ward, it did not have the drama of Leonard-Hearns or emotion of Corales-Castillo but it was a return from the brink win for Ward! No it was not a robbery, it was not biased judging, it was actually something quite beautiful... it was boxing!

[soul_survivor]

Hey....Broner did show something in that fight, he made it competitive, clearly didn't win but didn't get wiped out like many suggest

He should have gotten the decision based on Ward fan logic

[Code Red]

Wouldn't it be nice if "fans" would stop arguing about the judges and realize it was a good fight, actually worthy of PPV

[Jsmooth9876]

Why do some people think Kovalev swept the first half of the fight? I would go back at you with that? Lots of people momentum score, which is not correct. Just because Ward was on the floor and in a bit of trouble in the 2nd round, doesn't mean rounds 3, 4, and 5 weren't extremely close. Ward outlanded Kovalev in 2 out of 3 of those rounds.

I never said he did win all the early rounds. I had it 4-3 through 7 for Kovalev. And had Ward up 6-5 through 11. But I can't see how the judges scored EVERY Round for Ward 6-12

[Jsmooth9876]

I hear you, a draw or Kovalev by a point probably would of been the best call but I think Ward's "comeback" was the story of the night...the fact he turned the tables on Kovalev was impressive we've never seen Kovalev get a guy hurt early and not be able to finish him. In the same way SRL captured the crowd and the judges against Hagler I think Ward to a lesser degree did the same.

In reality who won or loss is not as big an issue to me as we finally got a good PPV fight!

I agree, I'm not on board with people crying robbery because even though I had Kovalev by 1 point there were a few early to mid rounds that could have went either way and the 12th was close as well but I thought Kovalev took it. It was a great fight, maybe not to the Rock em sock em crowd but watching 2 ELITE guys go at it was fun.