Kovalev lost because he was drinking vodka, clean Kovalev will dominate the division

[Motofan]

He arguably won the first fight and was soundly beaten in the second. I don't see how you argue otherwise. If he was a drunk that's on him. I like the guy a lot for the record but Ward just outfought him in the rematch.

[TonyGe]

if you can't get it together with a bonafide great in ward, you've already lost the war to the bottle, not that that had anything to do with his TKO loss.

maybe juliaslobberts should buy kovalev a copy of that book about the benefits of drinking

It could have had an effect on his stamina training etc. I thought the stoppage was premature but I also thought he was on his way to losing after he got hammered by that big right hand Ward landed. Thing is we won't know for sure. If the bottle led to his poor performance he's got no one else to blame but himself. He can't use that as an excuse.

[Damn Wicked]

That's the main reason why he had cardio issues. Ward team know about it, Kovalev admitted it. He used to be a HEAVY drinker and was drinking vodka during the camp. He had an addiction to alcohol and only cleaned up now.

Here Kovalev said that besides drinking vodka, he was eating garbage and drank few beers all the time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byExU2GlfZc

Ward only started winning after the hangover effects came into play.

Let's not forget that Kovalev never had a proper trainer either and his "trainer" actually sabotaged him and betrayed him.

The new version of Kovalev will be dominating the division for years.

Imagine how good he would have been if he had Lomachenko's work ethic and coaching. It's crazy to think that Kovalev beat an ATG Andre Ward in the first fight while being an alcoholic and without a trainer.

People underestimate how bad alcohol is for athletes. You can have prime Floyd fighting Cletus Seldin and if you'd give beers and vodka to Floyd every day he would lose the fight, he wouldn't make it past the 6th round just like Kovalev started to gas.

IF Kovalev goes totally clean..."IF". Most people revert back to their true selves and end up indulging in their vices. I do agree that alcohol will greatly reduce any athlete's ability to perform. I have no doubt about it. However, I have doubts that Kovalev will stay clean long enough to dominate the division....But, it is possible.

[Madison Boxing]

he lost cause of fouls and poor officiating but he should have been more prepared for it. when ward started throwing the low blows he should have started fouling back. not condoning the fight outcome but kovalev shouldnt have let ward get away with it. if i was in kovalevs shoes i'd have bitten ward in the clinches, if ward wanted a dirty fight then he could have had it.

[redmish]

If it makes you sleep better at night, then you keep telling yourself that. I don't know why people need to make excuses for fighters.

[McNulty]

The point is the boxing world thought Kovalev won the fight. You know it, but still play ****** whenever someone says Kovalev has a win over Ward (even if it's not official).

Look at the Lomo's out there, they're man can do no wrong. Lips wrapped around the base. Why would Kovatards be any different?

I despise Ward for being a dirty fighter, but he didn't lose that fight.

When a fighter wins all the time the audience has a very high expectation. RJJ for instance, first guy that gave him a decent fight (Tarver 1), a lot of morons said RJJ lost because the fight wasn't totally dominated by Roy. 8-4 Jones all day. Same thing here. Ward didn't completely dominate so the audience thinks he lost. These type of viewers have the brain of a goldfish.

How many elite boxers drink? Kovalev, Fury and Hatton. And Fury was in shape for many of his fights, Hatton was mostly drinking beer. Kovalev on the other hand was a HEAVY drinker. Most of boxers never drink anything. Can't compare with other sports, boxing needs superior conditioning.

Where is your proof Kovaquit is a heavy drinker? Jackson said he had a few beers in camp, now he's an alcoholic that needs to get clean? You lost your dang mind boy.

You Balkans are pathetic with your excuses.

He beat prime Ward

No he didn't. 8-4 Ward all day every day. Kovaquit got TK'd in the rematch.

Why don't you post your scorecard so I can shít on it?

[Szef]

Look at the Lomo's out there, they're man can do no wrong. Lips wrapped around the base. Why would Kovatards be any different?

I despise Ward for being a dirty fighter, but he didn't lose that fight.

When a fighter wins all the time the audience has a very high expectation. RJJ for instance, first guy that gave him a decent fight (Tarver 1), a lot of morons said RJJ lost because the fight wasn't totally dominated by Roy. 8-4 Jones all day. Same thing here. Ward didn't completely dominate so the audience thinks he lost. These type of viewers have the brain of a goldfish.

Not really.

The perception of Kovalev was that he's a KO artist and that if he was going to win that fight, it'd be by knockout.
The perception of Ward was that he's the better boxer of the two.

Yet Ward was getting outboxed in the first half and didn't have anything on Kovalev's control of the range until the second half (the mythical body work).

The fight was close, but nobody can't deny that Kovalev won his rounds much more clearly than Ward won his, plus he scored the KD.

It was Ward who got the benefit of the doubt because he's American and because he perception of him is that he's the more skilled fighter who wins most of his fights by UD so that close fight he won as well, only because people think he was the better and more skilled boxer based on his previous performances, not because of the one he actually gave that night.

[BrometheusBob.]

Man will ya'll ever stop making excuses??? Discipline is apart of a athletes skill set...

A fair point..

[baya]

It could have had an effect on his stamina training etc. I thought the stoppage was premature but I also thought he was on his way to losing after he got hammered by that big right hand Ward landed. Thing is we won't know for sure. If the bottle led to his poor performance he's got no one else to blame but himself. He can't use that as an excuse.

100% agreed.