Shortly after the fight- which was very close according to most ringside observers- I postulated that Kovalev's reverse headlock tactic may have played a huge role in the decision.
It almost had to be a factor in how the judges scored the fight.
Think about it:
Say you are watching 2 guys go at it in the street. Early on, one of them rocks the other guy and puts him on his arse. But, as the fight progresses, the same guy who threw that big punch is now reaching out and holding the guy he hurt pretty much everytime they start to get close.
What would you then conclude is going on?
Me? I'd say the guy that threw the big punch is now shying away from mixing it up inside. Every time.
And that in turn would have a definite effect on how I saw the whole fight.
Sergei has only himself to blame for the loss. He is the one that stopped jabbing. He is the one that followed Ward around, never cutting off the ring, eating counters to his head and body. He is the one who visibly slowed down and was outboxed from the middle of round 3 on.
And if he doesn't internalize that and grow from it, Ward will beat him again most likely.
It almost had to be a factor in how the judges scored the fight.
Think about it:
Say you are watching 2 guys go at it in the street. Early on, one of them rocks the other guy and puts him on his arse. But, as the fight progresses, the same guy who threw that big punch is now reaching out and holding the guy he hurt pretty much everytime they start to get close.
What would you then conclude is going on?
Me? I'd say the guy that threw the big punch is now shying away from mixing it up inside. Every time.
And that in turn would have a definite effect on how I saw the whole fight.
Sergei has only himself to blame for the loss. He is the one that stopped jabbing. He is the one that followed Ward around, never cutting off the ring, eating counters to his head and body. He is the one who visibly slowed down and was outboxed from the middle of round 3 on.
And if he doesn't internalize that and grow from it, Ward will beat him again most likely.
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