Andre Ward has to make more of a statement this go around.

[-PBP-]

Fighters as quality as Kovalev don't get blown out of the water. If Kovalev doesn't get an early stoppage the fight will be within a point or 2

[PRINCEKOOL]

Andre Ward's fitness seemed under par in their first fight! and his body looked really soft! He needs to improve his conditioning, and even from a technical perspective? he was not capitalizing on the inside! Kovalev looked like the better conditioned boxer, but he made the classic mistake of coasting up against a stylists like Andre Ward! when you face a fighter like Andre Ward, due to his style? close rounds will always seem to be won by these fighters! its almost as if fighters like Andre Ward, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather create an illusion! Slick fighters have the ability to almost manipulate matter & time inside of the ring, like some kind of marvel or DC superhero!

I don't think Kovalev will make this mistake during the rematch, and he will pressure the fight hard from the opening bell!

[Hype job]

Andre Ward's fitness seemed under par in their first fight! and his body looked really soft! He needs to improve his conditioning, and even from a technical perspective? he was not capitalizing on the inside! Kovalev looked like the better conditioned boxer, but he made the classic mistake of coasting up against a stylists like Andre Ward! when you face a fighter like Andre Ward, due to his style? close rounds will always seem to be won by these fighters! its almost as if fighters like Andre Ward, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather create an illusion! Slick fighters have the ability to almost manipulate matter & time inside of the ring, like some kind of marvel or DC superhero!

I don't think Kovalev will make this mistake during the rematch, and he will pressure the fight hard from the opening bell!

????????

Ward's conditioning was superb.

[boxinghead530]

I mean, if he's awarded another gift decision he's gotta plummet on the P4P list.

He lost by my a cord(I was rooting for him), as well as alot of other peoples as well and if he doesn't step it up then hes undeserving of the P4P1 spot...

Thots?

I agree. He really needs to win this one undoubtedly and put a lot of space between him and Kova. If he gets another win in controversial fashion against Kova. Then it could hurt him.

[Scipio2009]

Andre Ward simply needs to be Andre Ward

I mean, if he's awarded another gift decision he's gotta plummet on the P4P list.

He lost by my a cord(I was rooting for him), as well as alot of other peoples as well and if he doesn't step it up then hes undeserving of the P4P1 spot...

Thots?

Box smart, fight when he wants to fight, fight when he needs to fight, dictate the pace behind his defense and that jab, and stay on his ps and qs.

If he beats Kovalev close again, he beats Kovalev close (personally, I don't see the rematch as being all that close, tbh)

After being the #2 fighter p4p up until his hiatus, he would've knocked off a consensus top-5 p4p fighter, two fights in a row. Deny him all you want; you'd just be embarrassing yourself.

Ward would be king at 175lbs, with the Stevenson fight as the only lingering question to his claim of a second weight class.

[SeekDaGreat]

Box smart, fight when he wants to fight, fight when he needs to fight, dictate the pace behind his defense and that jab, and stay on his ps and qs.

If he beats Kovalev close again, he beats Kovalev close (personally, I don't see the rematch as being all that close, tbh)

After being the #2 fighter p4p up until his hiatus, he would've knocked off a consensus top-5 p4p fighter, two fights in a row. Deny him all you want; you'd just be embarrassing yourself.

Ward would be king at 175lbs, with the Stevenson fight as the only lingering question to his claim of a second weight class.

He didn't win tho... He should have that L. I watched the fight. I can't see it.

[iamboxing]

It's all about smart boxing for Ward if he wants to win. Trying to placate his fans with too much aggression could see him flat on the canvas.

[Luilun]

Why he has the Judges and ref on his side it's Kovalevv who has to knock out Ward to win

[Jubei]

Boxing is full of corruption, when you have James Prince making sure his fighter wins, when a fight is held in the USA with US Ref and US Judges, the American Hero fights the Evil Russian Enemy, the opponent basically needs a knockout.

Kovalev vastly dominated the first fight. If the roles were reversed, Ward would have gotten almost a shutout on the cards and no one would have questioned that decision.

Seems like Ward again just has to survive and make a couple rounds close, every round that Kovalev doesnt totally dominate will go to Ward by default.

Ward will fight dirty, headbutt, throw single jabs and clinch, hold and wrestle and try to land punches while he is holding. He will not change, he is not able to outbox a fighter his own size with some skills.

[Scipio2009]

He didn't win tho... He should have that L. I watched the fight. I can't see it.

People can score the fight however they want, but it was an obviously close fight. imo, Kovalev took the first two, 3-5 were generally close rounds, and I had Andre Ward basically sweeping the final 6 rounds (behind his aggression and inside fighting, and Kovalev's not wanting to fight).

The rematch likely plays out the same way, but more decisively; Ward seeing what Kovalev has with him for the first 2-3 rounds, making the adjustments needed, and likely washing the back 8 rounds.