Comments Thread For: Sergey Kovalev Feels That He's Finally Reaching His Full Potential

[Vadrigar.]

Ah yes, I see Sergey "Son of Ward" Kovalev is developing very well under parental guidance.

[jas]

showed much more variety in his last fight

[tokon]

It's called being humbled. Thank Ward for that Krusher.

Correct.

Ward showed who the real fighter was.

[Boxing Goat]

My view: he dominated the first five rounds of the first fight, then Ward's subtler work - in conjunction with Kovalev's increasing imprecision, both of these things never really acknowledged by the experts you mention - won him the fight, three points up on my card. Most people overrate aggression in today's boxing; aggression must be effective to be scored, and Kovalev's second half of the fight was largely ineffective, whereas Ward's work was systematic and intelligent.

The second fight was not good from the start; Kovalev looked to me as nervous and - again - less precise in his work to begin with. The stoppage was indeed premature, but it was a matter of time; he would have been knocked out just the same. His mind was gone. In another frame of mind, he would have replied to those borderline blows with a shellacking of Ward. He just decided that he had enough instead.

Ok, please explain how Ward won by '3 points up' after winning the first 5 rounds and scoring a KD

[j0zef]

In boxing why not.

You're still strong and in shape at 34, and boxing is a sport where experience and mental maturity are very important.

Especially in divisions over 160 pounds.

Give me a few examples of athletes from any major sport that reached their athletic peak at 34. There may be 1/1000 that will buck the odds, but it is against human physiology. There are millions of articles written on the subject, and anyone over the age of 30 will confirm it first hand.

This is not to say that you can't be successful at 34, or that you can't have your best wins or best performances at that age.

It's not like Kovalev was an out of shape bum who just picked up the boxing gloves. The man is/was a world class, P4P caliber boxer, with elite skills, experience and prep.

If all he's saying that is that he stopped drinking, then just say that.

[BillyBoxing]

Give me a few examples of athletes from any major sport that reached their athletic peak at 34. There may be 1/1000 that will buck the odds, but it is against human physiology. There are millions of articles written on the subject, and anyone over the age of 30 will confirm it first hand.

This is not to say that you can't be successful at 34, or that you can't have your best wins or best performances at that age.

It's not like Kovalev was an out of shape bum who just picked up the boxing gloves. The man is/was a world class, P4P caliber boxer, with elite skills, experience and prep.

If all he's saying that is that he stopped drinking, then just say that.

Yeah that's basically my point.

In pro boxing 34 isn't old (however for amateur fast crazy pace boxing it is old).

Boxing is more about the head than the body.

Kovalev might reach his best level right now, overall if he's in better mental state (I'm not saying he will).

Like I said to another mate, in boxing you can be shot at 25 ala Vargas, Tyson.

[Boxing Goat]

Give me a few examples of athletes from any major sport that reached their athletic peak at 34. There may be 1/1000 that will buck the odds, but it is against human physiology. There are millions of articles written on the subject, and anyone over the age of 30 will confirm it first hand.

This is not to say that you can't be successful at 34, or that you can't have your best wins or best performances at that age.

It's not like Kovalev was an out of shape bum who just picked up the boxing gloves. The man is/was a world class, P4P caliber boxer, with elite skills, experience and prep.

If all he's saying that is that he stopped drinking, then just say that.

I think your mind is sharper at a later age but I guess it depends on if you can make your body respond or not. One example is Roger Federer. He just won another major title at 36, is like 75-7 over the last year and just regained the worlds no.1 ranking. I think it's clear that athletes are extending their careers in this day and age. Not sure what that's about though.

[Tha Kid]

Yeah whatever...you got exposed fake bully. Ward beat that ass twice and you got saved by the ref the 2nd time. The ref shouldve let Ward put you to sleep. LOL

[Tatabanya]

Ok, please explain how Ward won by '3 points up' after winning the first 5 rounds and scoring a KD

You're right; from memory I wrote that Kovalev dominated the first five, but I now remember having scored something for Ward in between the first five, too. I watched the fight twice in a row then, and came up with Ward winning both times. Three points or half a point, Ward won.

Most Americans scored it for Kovalev; the UK was pro-Ward. I am neither American nor British, and I wanted Kovalev to win. But I always try to remain unbiased when I watch boxing. It is too beautiful of a sport to be ruined by a "biased fan" logic. Which happens too often, alas.

[Boxing Goat]

You're right; from memory I wrote that Kovalev dominated the first five, but I now remember having scored something for Ward in between the first five, too. I watched the fight twice in a row then, and came up with Ward winning both times. Three points or half a point, Ward won.

Most Americans scored it for Kovalev; the UK was pro-Ward. I am neither American nor British, and I wanted Kovalev to win. But I always try to remain unbiased when I watch boxing. It is too beautiful of a sport to be ruined by a "biased fan" logic. Which happens too often, alas.

Well kudos for admitting when you misspoke, I can definitely respect that and I appreciate the rational response. I had Kovalev winning 7 rounds with a KD, meaning there's no way Ward could have pulled out the fight. I do realize that Ward got things under control in the 2nd half of the fight but I can't say he swept every round after the 5th. That's crazy to me. Compu-box doesn't even support that logic. the 2nd fight was fairly close halfway through as well and Ward landed a big shot and everything changed. What I can't accept is those saying that it was a legit stoppage when clearly it wasn't. That was a bad night for the ref. Simple as that.

On a side note, I find most Americans pulling for Ward. Maybe it's a patriotic thing...who knows.