"Superman" Stevenson vs "SOG" Ward @ 175 lbs / 12 Stone 7: Who wins?

[LoadedWraps]

Maybe the age, the weight comes with it in my opinion.

In reality, he is a LHW now. He's not in his 20's anymore and he just can't get down to 168 in a healthy manner. He's a fighter in his 30's and at his natural weight as it stands.

If he doesn't seem like the fighter he was, then that's simply because he isn't anymore. He'll soon be mid 30's, like 99.9% of guys his age, he's not going to be getting any better, it's downhill from now.

He might not be faster but he can certainly become better. You can always improve and build.

And lol @ you talking about 35 like it's 65. You must be 21.

[Blue Heffner]

Ward by UD.

[LoadedWraps]

I'm confused. Is this addressed to me?

I was just wondering why every post of that guy, who is supposedly from Russia, are in some way to degrade and devalue Kovalev with names like "robotic bum". Literally every single post he calls him something derogatory. Seems really odd to get so upset and personal with a fighter especially for someone from the same country. Likewise for American fans about Ward.

Calling me cancer is a bit much, no?

Yes it's addressed to you and no, i'd say it's just about right.

What you're implying is obvious and pathetic.

[Clegg]

Whenever I watch Stevenson he looks predictable and the longer it goes on the more one-dimensional he seems. Especially against Fonfara, he hasn't had a real test since and that was 2 and a half years back now. Not that I'm writing him off, his straight left is a hell of a punch, he's faster than Ward or Kovalev, but I don't see as much variety in his game as they have. Ward is a smart fighter, he'd go in there with a strategy to avoid that punch early and from there he'd start to figure Stevenson out, read his attacks, time him. Maybe not win a 12-0 decision but wider than at the weekend.

[Shacklewell]

Yes it's addressed to you and no, i'd say it's just about right.

What you're implying is obvious and pathetic.

Oh my god you're actually really upset by that. Wow. I'll leave you be then.

[deathofaclown]

He might not be faster but he can certainly become better. You can always improve and build.

And lol @ you talking about 35 like it's 65. You must be 21.

Hmm well he's a smart fighter so his decline might not be as quick as others, but name me 5 or 10 fighters that got genuinely better as they reached their mid 30's onwards...

Hopkins maybe. Floyd didn't before anybody says he did, and i'm struggling to think of others that truly did improve.

The point is, i'm sure some exceptions can be made, but the majority of fighters will be fading by then and Ward might not be an exception.

[LoadedWraps]

Hmm well he's a smart fighter so his decline might not be as quick as others, but name me 5 or 10 fighters that got genuinely better as they reached their mid 30's onwards...

Hopkins maybe. Floyd didn't before anybody says he did, and i'm struggling to think of others that truly did improve.

The point is, i'm sure some exceptions can be made, but the majority of fighters will be fading by then and Ward might not be an exception.

That has nothing to do with age usually, as certain top fighters reach that age range they are at a level of success that allows them to relax and not all are as focused at that point in their careers either, and that affects fighters in the ring and training.

B-Hop isn't the exception for any other reason other than that he's a disciplined, dedicated fighter. Anyone who takes care of their body and doesn't sustain much punishment in the ring can be that effective well into their 40s.

[Canelo and GGG]

Stevenson reach and speed can give Ward problem ,but who knows.

Stevensons power is real ,look at expresion of Fonfara after jab to the body and Fonfara is probably hardest LHW now

[deathofaclown]

That has nothing to do with age usually, as certain top fighters reach that age range they are at a level of success that allows them to relax and not all are as focused at that point in their careers either, and that affects fighters in the ring and training.

B-Hop isn't the exception for any other reason other than that he's a disciplined, dedicated fighter. Anyone who takes care of their body and doesn't sustain much punishment in the ring can be that effective well into their 40s.

Well we should agree to disagree on that.

I have no doubt a fighter can still be effective into their 40's,it's been done, but i refuse to believe that many fighters can actually get better as they're approaching their 40's. It's a tough sport for a start, and nature dictates that most peoples physical prime is over by then. Some fighters remain very dedicated but "father time" catches up.

There isn't really many sports where the competitors are getting better in their mid 30's, especially not physically demanding sports like Boxing. We've seen sportsmen declining in their 30's in all sports for many many many years, and it's just not because they're complacent.

[LoadedWraps]

Well we should agree to disagree on that.

I have no doubt a fighter can still be effective into their 40's,it's been done, but i refuse to believe that many fighters can actually get better as they're approaching their 40's. It's a tough sport for a start, and nature dictates that most peoples physical prime is over by then. Some fighters remain very dedicated but "father time" catches up.

There isn't really many sports where the competitors are getting better in their mid 30's, especially not physically demanding sports like Boxing. We've seen sportsmen declining in their 30's in all sports for many many many years, and it's just not because they're complacent.

That's a very outdated perspective that really isn't true today thanks to education and modern medicine/nutrition.

In certain sports like football that will never change because of the toll it takes on your body but in sports like boxing when you have control of what you do to your body moreso, it really can't be expected, and another thing - "getting better" isn't just about what you can do physically, boxing is largely a mental game and getting better is often more the cerebral aspect than the physical one anyway unless you have flaws as a fighter you overcome or address.