Dan Rafael: Controversy nothing more than a manufactured excuse by Kovalev

[The Big Dunn]

People are acting as if Kov was getting beat from pillar to post for the majority of the fight. That fight was pretty even coming into the 8th. A strong argument can be made that Kov was actually up on going into the 8th. Ward had one strong round where he hurt Kov. Now it wasn't "stop the fight hurt". Not to mention, at the time of stoppage, Kov was rocked by some low blows that folded him.

Any unbiased person has to admit that it was an awful stoppage.

Not really. Ward landed a round and possibly fight changing punch. That shot took a lot out of Kov. Then the body shots. They may have been a bit low but Kov didn't act like he got a nut shot.

I agree the stoppage wasn't great but it gives Kov cover because he looked like he didn't want to go on anymore.

[bngsdad]

People are acting as if Kov was getting beat from pillar to post for the majority of the fight. That fight was pretty even coming into the 8th. A strong argument can be made that Kov was actually up on going into the 8th. Ward had one strong round where he hurt Kov. Now it wasn't "stop the fight hurt". Not to mention, at the time of stoppage, Kov was rocked by some low blows that folded him.

Any unbiased person has to admit that it was an awful stoppage.

good post

[Boxing Goat]

People are acting as if Kov was getting beat from pillar to post for the majority of the fight. That fight was pretty even coming into the 8th. A strong argument can be made that Kov was actually up on going into the 8th. Ward had one strong round where he hurt Kov. Now it wasn't "stop the fight hurt". Not to mention, at the time of stoppage, Kov was rocked by some low blows that folded him.

Any unbiased person has to admit that it was an awful stoppage.

It was one of the worst stoppages. I can't believe that Dan is even questioning it. Kovalev deserved better after the first fight, but like I said before, those racist remarks came back to bite him by way of an African American twice. (Weeks and Ward)

[Deevel916]

Not really. Ward landed a round and possibly fight changing punch. That shot took a lot out of Kov. Then the body shots. They may have been a bit low but Kov didn't act like he got a nut shot.

I agree the stoppage wasn't great but it gives Kov cover because he looked like he didn't want to go on anymore.

But it robs the fans, Andre and Kov of a clean and decisive outcome. Whether Kov could have gone on is something I think we all would have liked to see rather than having the ref wave it off very prematurely.

I'm sure Andre and his fans are just happy he got the win. Still leaves an asterisk just like the first fight.

Kov is a strong champion. Let it play out and give him his chance to recover or not.

[BucaRican]

People are acting as if Kov was getting beat from pillar to post for the majority of the fight. That fight was pretty even coming into the 8th. A strong argument can be made that Kov was actually up on going into the 8th. Ward had one strong round where he hurt Kov. Now it wasn't "stop the fight hurt". Not to mention, at the time of stoppage, Kov was rocked by some low blows that folded him.

Any unbiased person has to admit that it was an awful stoppage.

Wait what? Kovalev basically retreated in the 8th looking for air. The stoppage may have been a little premature. But please do not act as if Kovalev was not getting wrecked as he looked for air.


Tell me in a Championship fight who the heck turns away from a fighter ???? Weeks should not have stepped in here. But he did.

[The Big Dunn]

But it robs the fans, Andre and Kov of a clean and decisive outcome. Whether Kov could have gone on is something I think we all would have liked to see rather than having the ref wave it off very prematurely.

I'm sure Andre and his fans are just happy he got the win. Still leaves an asterisk just like the first fight.

Kov is a strong champion. Let it play out and give him his chance to recover or not.

True, but it also gives Kov a chance to fight another day. In this era of the sport its better to quit and make excuses then to get KTFO because you preserve a future payday.

I STRONGLY disagree with an asterisk. I think a lot of us are forgetting that we have a boxer in a coma and one that just died. Maybe Weeks over reacted and stopped early. I think we as fans need to understand the brutality we saw growing up in boxing is slowly going away. What we are calling "early" stoppages might become the norm.

I agree Kov deserved a chance to fight but sometimes refs judge things on how a guy looks. We may disagree about what caused kov to look that way but he didn't look like a man that wanted to keep fighting.

he looked relived it was stopped.

[Deevel916]

True, but it also gives Kov a chance to fight another day. In this era of the sport its better to quit and make excuses then to get KTFO because you preserve a future payday.

I STRONGLY disagree with an asterisk. I think a lot of us are forgetting that we have a boxer in a coma and one that just died. Maybe Weeks over reacted and stopped early. I think we as fans need to understand the brutality we saw growing up in boxing is slowly going away. What we are calling "early" stoppages might become the norm.

I agree Kov deserved a chance to fight but sometimes refs judge things on how a guy looks. We may disagree about what caused kov to look that way but he didn't look like a man that wanted to keep fighting.

he looked relived it was stopped.

If I got socked with a 3 punch combo below the belt, I'd probably be relieved it got stopped as well. LOL.

In all seriousness though, at least call it a KD as Kov sat on the rope and give him a 10 count in order to get an assessment on his condition. At that point if Weeks felt he was unable to continue, then call it off.

[satiev1]

The only mistake Weeks made was stopping it there, they were not low blows they were right on the cup and Kova was hurt but he should have let Ward get a clear cut TKO and put them thangs on Kovalev, Ward was deprived of a clean finish, Ward was going to finish him either way and its a shame Weeks did that.

Kovalev is a joke he wanted to quit because he was gassing. Kovalev should retire already nobody wants to watch that dude anymore.

Nope the one that stopped the fight was clearly low.

[Johnny2x2x]

Those are not the shots at the end of the fight and the ones you show there are even on the bottom of the beltline and are questionable. Imagine getting hit between your naval and d#ck. That's not legal.

Yes they are legal! The naval is not any kind of border line for low blows, the waist is, anything below the waist is low, several inches below the naval. The bottom of the belt line is totally legal when the belt is pulled up that high. Even that last blow was only border line.

Do people really think that anything below the belly button is an illegal blow? Your stomach keeps going well below the belly button. Anything above or at the pelvic region is fine and not a low blow.

And yeah, between the belly button and the bottom of the waist line is a painful legal place to get punched, that's why boxers target it.

[uppercut510]

Those are not the shots at the end of the fight and the ones you show there are even on the bottom of the beltline and are questionable. Imagine getting hit between your naval and d#ck. That's not legal.

the only shot u all can legitimately argue is the final shot in wich kov was in an illegal position once again due to legal body shots. he was already finished and ready to give up after the right hand and those LEGAL body shots following. if ward turned his back on kov and faked low blows it would be the talk of the town but for some reason the only thing u all want to bring up is the final shot, nothing else that happened in the 8th is worth discussion huh?