For all those who complained pre-fight about Ward's clinching...

[Biolink]

One thing that surprised me was how ineffective Ward was on the inside. Like completely ineffective apart from a few low blows he threw at Kovalev. I thought that's where Ward would have most of his success. Kovalev realized just how easy it was to stop him.

Ward isn't going to have success at CW or HW like he claims.

You need to watch it again.

It wasn't his usual domination from inside, but he was pounding in body shots when they were clinched up.

[_original_]

Ward controlled the fight after the 3rd/4th round

3rd/4th could've went either way

I can say with surety that I can't give Kovalev a round after the 4th. Ward did better work on the inside/outside. Ward landed crisp head snapping jabs and punished sergey to the body. And oh yeah, Kovalev hit a lot of air after the 2nd round knockdown

Ward won the fight hands down

You must be related to Ward then.

[Zaroku]

Worked very well for Kovalev but one would have to be as strong as him to pull it off, still it stopped working so well in the second half when Ward managed to create room on the inside and slow Kovalev down with solid body work.

Man, that was a great GREAT fight man.

Green k sent. Good stuff

[MOMENTO MORI]

Did anybody notice when ward went to clinch, at times he would wrap kovalev up at the thighs, knock him off balance and then work the body? That's the shyt I don't like.

[Chollo Vista]

You must be related to Ward then.

Kovalev wasn't landing schit after the 4th round

Instead, Ward landed head snapping power jabs, with powerful punches to the stomach and kidneys..

This was clear as day.. If people can look past the 2nd round knockdown, they'd realize that Ward owned Kovalev from 5-12

1 and 2 obviously went to Kov, but 3/4 could've went either way

Ward won 5-12

[TRTboy]

He handled himself well but it cost him his energy later in the fight. That's why Ward got back in. I still thought Kov won but he did fade because of trying to outwrestle the wrestler

He tried to prove to much that he could beat ward in the clinch and he did but it zapped him of his energy and Ward is used to that so he had more energy going into later rounds.

With a few adjustments on Kov's part he will win a rematch even clearer. Ward had nothing for Kov on the outside.

[Kigali]

He handled himself well but it cost him his energy later in the fight. That's why Ward got back in. I still thought Kov won but he did fade because of trying to outwrestle the wrestler

He tried to prove to much that he could beat ward in the clinch and he did but it zapped him of his energy and Ward is used to that so he had more energy going into later rounds.

With a few adjustments on Kov's part he will win a rematch even clearer. Ward had nothing for Kov on the outside.

Ward won the battle of the body jabs.

Ward took away kovalev's body jab.

Ward has the better stanima...that will be more of an issue in the rematch.

[Chollo Vista]

Ward won the battle of the body jabs.

Ward took away kovalev's body jab.

Ward has the better stanima...that will be more of an issue in the rematch.

The rematch will be worse. Ward has Kovalev figured out

He can tell when he's setting up the "2", "1" or the "1", "2", "1", which is Kovalev's bread and butter.

Once that's figured out, it's a wrap for Kovalev.

[Real King Kong]

For me, kovalev did too much clinching. He wore himself down with the wrestling and allowed ward to land some decent body shots while he waited for the ref to break them. He would have been better of punching his way out of some of those situations

[Kigali]

The rematch will be worse. Ward has Kovalev figured out

He can tell when he's setting up the "2", "1" or the "1", "2", "1", which is Kovalev's bread and butter.

Once that's figured out, it's a wrap for Kovalev.

Yep

He figured him out during the fight.

Ward's training and pedigree took over,


Kovalev has a small tank...there's no way to train around that.