Good on Kovalev for showing respect to Ward

[Mr Objecitivity]

I bet you feel like a used toilet paper....LMMFAO!

No idea what that feels like. Do you?

[HarvardBlue]

I absolutely hate reading fanboys' opinions regarding that fight. Kovalev fans will continue claiming that Kovalev was doing great that it was all nut shots. Ward fans like yourself will pretend that Ward is this superior fighter and he was robbed of a victory.

Both of those storylines are absolute and utter horse****.

Kovalev WAS getting outclassed, especially in that 5th (or 6th? can't remember) round. Ward came in terrific shape, having made adjustments. Kovalev's jab wasn't nearly as effective. Kovalev's gameplan barely changed, and he would have lost the rematch without a doubt IMO. He also didn't think quickly on his feet to take a knee when he was against the ropes. That was all on Kovalev.

Having said that, that fight was and will remain tainted by both Ward's performance and the ref's. There were multiple clear nut shots that were not called. You mentioned that Kovalev 'oversold' a nut shot which was 'cowardly', what you are not mentioning is that Ward was WARNED for low blows by the same ref. Don't pretend that Ward is a clean fighter who got robbed by a ref of clear stoppage. There were some nut shots there that would make a normal man cry. Even if we assume that the shots at the end were clean, which they 100% they weren't, at the very least they're 'borderline', taking those shots after getting hit in the nuts 10 mins before hurts like a b1tch. Go get hit in the nuts then try to run around in 10 mins. The fact that the fight was stopped on a clear low blow is also ridiculous. What the hell was that ref watching?

The bottom line is that Kovalev was outclassed, but Ward fought a dirty fight and the ref let him do it.

I agree with most of what you said but I think you're over playing the shots to the "nuts" part. In the last sequence of punches Ward threw 3 or 4 punches to the body. One was borderline and one landed low. The ref also warned Kovalev not to turn his back after a low blow previously. Isn't sitting on the ropes similar to tuning his back? Also, you left out the part where Kovalev was clearly hurt seconds before the stoppage. If he is hurt and getting hit repeatedly, and sitting on the ropes like he doesn't want to continue, is it far fetched to think the ref thought he had enough and didn't want to continue?

I also disagree that the win is tainted. If Kovalev wasn't hurt badly right before the "nut" shot, and all he did was sit on the ropes, then yes the ref stopped it prematurely. But he was hurt, he stopped fighting, and gave Weeks a reason to stop the fight. If Ward and Kovalev switched in the same scenario, Kovalev would've been hailed a hero, and Ward would've been labeled a coward.

[Bjl12]

Andre Ward couldn't even cleanly KO Sergey Kovalev in his wildest dreams even if he tried to. It's more likely that he would've broke his hand, from landing all his wussy, sissy ass punches before even coming close to knocking out Sergey Kovalev.

The only reason why the fight was even stopped is because the referee knew Ward couldn't KO Kovalev by himself and therefore had to help him by prematurely stopping the fight for him and making Ward look better than he actually is by giving him a premature TKO stoppage whilst Kovalev was still relatively okay.

Name me one fight where Ward actually knocked an opponent out unconscious! I doubt you can! So no, he wasn't going to do anything close to that to Kovalev, other than maybe injuring his hands or gassing out from punching himself out.

QUITvalev could not have been stopped in a KO sense since he quit before that was possible

[daggum]

if you hurt your opponent you are allowed to cheat and foul cause at that point its a free for all and anything goes

[daggum]

how was kovalev outclassed in the rematch? majority of people had him up when the fight was stopped. what exactly was ward doing that was outclassing kovalev aside from grabbing nonstop and throwing low blows did you see anything clean? kovalevs jab dominated him just like the first fight and ward probably thought he was behind so he kept going low and previous shots that were called low were now called clean cause tony weeks is terrible. once again not getting dominated transforms itself to outclassing, schooling, etc...your fandom never fades

[elfag]

kovalev's nuts are completely destroyed and he can no longer have children.

[KingHippo]

I absolutely hate reading fanboys' opinions regarding that fight. Kovalev fans will continue claiming that Kovalev was doing great that it was all nut shots. Ward fans like yourself will pretend that Ward is this superior fighter and he was robbed of a victory.

Both of those storylines are absolute and utter horse****.

Kovalev WAS getting outclassed, especially in that 5th (or 6th? can't remember) round. Ward came in terrific shape, having made adjustments. Kovalev's jab wasn't nearly as effective. Kovalev's gameplan barely changed, and he would have lost the rematch without a doubt IMO. He also didn't think quickly on his feet to take a knee when he was against the ropes. That was all on Kovalev.

Having said that, that fight was and will remain tainted by both Ward's performance and the ref's. There were multiple clear nut shots that were not called. You mentioned that Kovalev 'oversold' a nut shot which was 'cowardly', what you are not mentioning is that Ward was WARNED for low blows by the same ref. Don't pretend that Ward is a clean fighter who got robbed by a ref of clear stoppage. There were some nut shots there that would make a normal man cry. Even if we assume that the shots at the end were clean, which they 100% they weren't, at the very least they're 'borderline', taking those shots after getting hit in the nuts 10 mins before hurts like a b1tch. Go get hit in the nuts then try to run around in 10 mins. The fact that the fight was stopped on a clear low blow is also ridiculous. What the hell was that ref watching?

The bottom line is that Kovalev was outclassed, but Ward fought a dirty fight and the ref let him do it.

Yep, didn't read that wall, could see the straw man from a mile away.

Ward did fight dirty, Ward always fights dirty, being dirty has always been part of his tactic. But he's also supremely skilled, which makes him that much more dangerous. And Kov was also being dirty in his own way.

With that being said, Kovalev's horrible stamina did him in. Even if Weeks gave Ward a penalty, Ward would've continued his demolition job and it would eventually end in a stoppage. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it.

[j0zef]

I agree with most of what you said but I think you're over playing the shots to the "nuts" part. In the last sequence of punches Ward threw 3 or 4 punches to the body. One was borderline and one landed low.

I am not overplaying the shot to the nuts part. I've accidentally jammed mine and they hurt for an hour afterwards, with occasional pull sending spikes of agony through my body. I can't imagine having a professional boxer hit them, or the cup that protects them. There's a reason why fighters are typically given 5 minute breather when ONE low blow is called. That's in the rulebook, for a good reason.

The ref also warned Kovalev not to turn his back after a low blow previously. Isn't sitting on the ropes similar to tuning his back?

He was getting hit in the nuts. I expect the ref to do his damn job, stop the low blows and give Kovalev his 5 minute breather instead of stopping the fight. Even if ONE of those shots were low, he's supposed to be given a 5 minute breather. If he's truly 'weak to the body' as most of the Wardtards claim, he would lose later on by bodyshots anyway.

Also, you left out the part where Kovalev was clearly hurt seconds before the stoppage. If he is hurt and getting hit repeatedly, and sitting on the ropes like he doesn't want to continue, is it far fetched to think the ref thought he had enough and didn't want to continue?

He was hurt by a great right hand. The fight was stopped on body/low blows. Him getting hurt to the head has little to do with the stoppage. And enough with the "he doesn't want to continue". A grown man was hitting him in the balls. If you want to blame Kovalev for anything, blame him for not being smart enough to TAKE A DAMN KNEE.

I also disagree that the win is tainted. If Kovalev wasn't hurt badly right before the "nut" shot, and all he did was sit on the ropes, then yes the ref stopped it prematurely. But he was hurt, he stopped fighting, and gave Weeks a reason to stop the fight. If Ward and Kovalev switched in the same scenario, Kovalev would've been hailed a hero, and Ward would've been labeled a coward.

Covered most of this. Low blow = 5 minute breather. Weeks watched him get hit in the nuts and stopped the fight. So *** yeah, the win is tainted.

And big LOL at the "scenario". There is one truth, it doesn't matter if the scenario was switched or it was 2 completely different fighters. Either it happened or it didn't, it was legal or illegal. That was illegal and should have gotten Ward a 2nd warning, a point deduction and then if he didn't listen, a DQ. Instead, he got rewarded for it.

Yep, didn't read that wall, could see the straw man from a mile away.

Ward did fight dirty, Ward always fights dirty, being dirty has always been part of his tactic. But he's also supremely skilled, which makes him that much more dangerous. And Kov was also being dirty in his own way.

With that being said, Kovalev's horrible stamina did him in. Even if Weeks gave Ward a penalty, Ward would've continued his demolition job and it would eventually end in a stoppage. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it.

Right, a guy with red K who refuses to read responses to his own thread calling someone else a straw man.

Unlike you, I don't have a dog in this fight. I dislike both of em, and have no reason to keep Ward's d1ck in my mouth.

[HarvardBlue]

I am not overplaying the shot to the nuts part. I've accidentally jammed mine and they hurt for an hour afterwards, with occasional pull sending spikes of agony through my body. I can't imagine having a professional boxer hit them, or the cup that protects them. There's a reason why fighters are typically given 5 minute breather when ONE low blow is called. That's in the rulebook, for a good reason.

There is no doubt how much pain he was in. But it doesn't negate the fact that he was hurt by a legit right hand seconds before. If you're the ref do penalize Ward for the foul at that moment or do you let the fight play out? How many times have you seen a ref penalize a fighter (or stop the action and give a warning) for clinching when they're on the brink of getting KO'd?

He was getting hit in the nuts. I expect the ref to do his damn job, stop the low blows and give Kovalev his 5 minute breather instead of stopping the fight. Even if ONE of those shots were low, he's supposed to be given a 5 minute breather. If he's truly 'weak to the body' as most of the Wardtards claim, he would lose later on by bodyshots anyway.

The ref did his job. He gave warnings to both fighters when he they were committing fouls. However, you are asking him to stop the action in the middle of a possible KO and warn the fighter that's about to get the KO. He would've caught way more flak for giving Kovalev a "breather" like you said.

He was hurt by a great right hand. The fight was stopped on body/low blows. Him getting hurt to the head has little to do with the stoppage. And enough with the "he doesn't want to continue". A grown man was hitting him in the balls. If you want to blame Kovalev for anything, blame him for not being smart enough to TAKE A DAMN KNEE.

The fight was stopped because Kovalev wasn't responding after getting hurt. I don't even know why that is even debateable. Like I said there was a low blow but also many legal shots that had Kovalev in trouble.
I don't blame Kovalev for anything. But he said himself Ward was better in the second fight and he was unprepared. Taking a knee wouldn't do a damn thing for him if what he said was true and he was on the verge of getting KO'd.

Covered most of this. Low blow = 5 minute breather. Weeks watched him get hit in the nuts and stopped the fight. So *** yeah, the win is tainted.

In other words, give Kovalev a chance to recover when was on the verge of getting KO'd.

[j0zef]

There is no doubt how much pain he was in. But it doesn't negate the fact that he was hurt by a legit right hand seconds before. If you're the ref do penalize Ward for the foul at that moment or do you let the fight play out? How many times have you seen a ref penalize a fighter (or stop the action and give a warning) for clinching when they're on the brink of getting KO'd?

We are not talking about a few clinches, or rabbit shots, which occur in nearly 95% of the fights. We are talking about low blows. Stop trying to equate the two.

The ref did his job. He gave warnings to both fighters when he they were committing fouls. However, you are asking him to stop the action in the middle of a possible KO and warn the fighter that's about to get the KO. He would've caught way more flak for giving Kovalev a "breather" like you said.

Uhh.. no? Ward got a warning in 2nd and in the 4th (forget). He didn't get a warning at the end of 7th nor at any point in the 8th. Even the dumbest Ward nuthuggers on this site admit that there was at least 1 low blow in the 8th round. Most sane people saw more than 1.

This is boxing, a sport, competition between 2 men or 2 women. Do you know what's not allowed in sport? Hitting your opponent in the nuts. Weeks came nowhere close to doing his job.

The fight was stopped because Kovalev wasn't responding after getting hurt. I don't even know why that is even debateable. Like I said there was a low blow but also many legal shots that had Kovalev in trouble.

Again, INCORRECT. He got hurt from a huge right hand. Ward pounced on him, but wasn't able to do anything to him upstairs. There were no "many legal shots". Go look at the video again. 1:00. Kovalev is hurt on the ropes, trying to recover. Ward throws a few shots that Kovalev dodges. Kovalev clinches like normal people do when they're hurt. Coming out of a clinch, he attempts to throw a punch and get UPPERCUTTED to the nuts. He doubles over in agony, as Ward throws 2 more for good measure as Weeks is bending over looking at it.

Kovalev being "hurt" has nothing to do with that stoppage. If Ward did that 10 seconds into the first round of a fight, the result would be the same.

I don't blame Kovalev for anything. But he said himself Ward was better in the second fight and he was unprepared. Taking a knee wouldn't do a damn thing for him if what he said was true and he was on the verge of getting KO'd.

Argument makes no sense. He didn't take a knee and lost. If he took a knee, he "probably would have lost". I'll take a chance at winning over guaranteed loss any day. Taking a knee would give him ~15 seconds to recover from both nutshots and the straight right. If he takes a knee, he doesn't need to goto the ropes, maybe he doesn't get caught with those low blows as easily as he was.

I know hindsight is 20/20 and it's very difficult to think on your feet, especially when you're in pain; he should have taken 2 knees in a row. He takes a 2 point loss but gets a decent breather and can continue fighting.

In other words, give Kovalev a chance to recover when was on the verge of getting KO'd.

I'm not gonna have this ridiculous argument again. Low blow = 5 minute breather.