Should there be neutral officials for Kovalev-Ward II?

[Scipio2009]

trap question

The Kovalev team has requested neutral-country judges for Kovalev-Ward II.

The Ward team insists that all the judges are from the USA, like for the last fight.

What do you think?

https://twitter.com/boxingscene/status/800288723690627072/photo/1

the scores were fair the first time; all three judges scored rounds 1,2, and 4 for Kovalev, and all three judges scored 7, 8,9,10,11 for Andre Ward. 3,5,6,12 had disagreement, but that's the sport.

There was no CJ Ross-type score, so it's clear that the Nevada commission picked fair judges for the first fight.

See nothing wrong with having Nevada pick the slate of judges for the rematch; if they end up picking a judge like Stanley Christodulu (South African, but a deeply respected boxing figure in the US, particularly in Nevada), so be it.

To limit things by arbitrary national barriers is silly.

[THEFRESHBRAWLER]

**** he must be old as hell to live threw Reagan might be why his eye sight is so bad he couldn't score the ward loss.

Lmao that's mean

[boliodogs]

Kov's whining needs to be put to a stop, it's childish. Controversial decisions happen all the time in boxing, and they don't justify a wholesale ban on judges from a country. Kov and his supports need to get over themselves. Kov needs to come with the mindset of taking it out of the judges hands, like Indongo did yesterday in Scotland.

You should get over yourself and quit telling Kovalev supporters how to think and what to do. I am sure Kovalev will come with a mindset of KOing Ward but that isn't easy and the fight could go to the judges. Indongo won every round and yet one judge scored the fight 116 to 112 giving Burns 4 rounds he lost. That's a good argument for neutral judges in world title fights involving a visiting fighter fighting a guy who lives there. Refs should be neutral too. I watched English referees let Hatton break the rules the whole fight and never even give him a warning. I watch him deliberately hit Tysu with a Sunday punch to the balls and not ever receive a warning. My vote is for neutral refs and judges. Why the hell not? It can do no harm and a lot of good.

[Scipio2009]

I see no reason they shouldn't be neutral.

...because the judges picked by the commission (from Las Vegas, Reno, and New York) fairly scored the first fight, which was clearly close.

Since the process worked, there's no need to change things; with the entire US and Russia excluded, you're looking at plucking judges from Mexico/Germany (not known for having the best scores on fights), the UK (though better and fairer judging is becoming more of the norm), Canada (which you had Montreal judges simply give the fight wide to the Montreal fighter), or judges from nations who have little, if any, experience accurately scoring hotly contested fights.

The Nevada State Athletic Commision is arguably the top boxing commission on the planet; why handcuff them when everyone was fine with the judges in the first fight?

[The Big Dunn]

Why are kov fans making preemptive excuse threads?

The officials are already neutral. Duva or anyone suggesting otherwise should not be taken seriously. I had kov winning but the judges didn't. Ok let's move on and see if Ward can win again or if kov can win. Kov has gotten decision wins in the US before so he will be fine.

He can always go back to Russia and fight. He isn't being forced to stay. Trump needs to check this guy out.

[Scipio2009]

... except that that's not what's been said

The Kovalev team has requested neutral-country judges for Kovalev-Ward II.

The Ward team insists that all the judges are from the USA, like for the last fight.

What do you think?

The Nevada Commission picks the judges and, as was the case in the first fight, Andre Ward and his camp wants the commission to pick the judges

[A.K]

Why are kov fans making preemptive excuse threads?

The officials are already neutral. Duva or anyone suggesting otherwise should not be taken seriously. I had kov winning but the judges didn't. Ok let's move on and see if Ward can win again or if kov can win. Kov has gotten decision wins in the US before so he will be fine.

He can always go back to Russia and fight. He isn't being forced to stay. Trump needs to check this guy out.

Trumps trying to make a American Russian tea party kov isn't going no where, and kov fans don't give af wards going to sleep

[Cheek busting]

For anyone that actually reads threads...this OP is lying.

Ward has ZERO SAY over who officiates or refs his fights in Nevada. The NSAC makes the rules and in the state of Nevada they select their refs.

If Kovy or Ward weren't happy with that they should've demanded so in the contract and fought elsewhere.

OP just trying to flame SOG. Ward has nothing to do with refs or judges IN NEVADA

Actually, if both sides agree, they can make an official request to the commission to ensure that judges from outside USA, and Russia are appointed.

Kovalev's team requested Ward's team do this. I mean, why not? Who would want to win like that?

Ward's team REFUSED. Please know what you're talking about before posting rubbish.

[Dean_Razorback]

yes, i love how wart's fans are trying to defend this.

[Scipio2009]

His team has refused to agree to neutral officials, as reported by boxingscene.

Team Ward also demanded home advantage for all his Super Six fights, while all the others (Froch, Kessler, Abraham, Taylor) had to fight in foreign countries.

... Showtime was putting up the TV money for the fight, lol. Where in the hell are you getting that Ward "demanded home advantage" when his first fight of the friggin tournament was against tournament favorite Mikkel Kessler?

That's an ass-backwarad way of handling business.