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Originally posted by Boxing Logic
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Well said. I wont say Ward was a fraud because he was talented, but definitely protected and overhyped. Always fought the same slower orthodox euro style opponents. Kovalev was the only really explosive dynamic one with underrated skill, an elite jab, etc, but that fight wasn't made until everyone on the inside knew about Kovalev's training and lifestyle issues and knew he was having trouble even making it through sparring sessions in the gym, due to his stamina, so there was no way they thought he was much risk to Ward anymore at that point. That's why Ward's team was so ****y predicting Ward would stop Kovalev in their first fight, even though Ward could not even stop Alexander Brand. They saw how badly Kovalev gassed the fight before, against Chilemba. He was already past prime, and yet, he still beat Ward in my opinion, so that goes to show, Ward was either a little overrated, or maybe styles make fights. But Kovalev was so past it by that point in terms of his stamina especially, and it's not like Kovalev is a good inside fighter or his style is difficult for Ward, in fact I believe he was their hand picked style at 175 over Stevenson due to the fact Kovalev was another slower (by that point), orthodox, euro style guy, similar to Kessler at 168, while Stevenson was a faster, much more prime at that point despite being older, athletic southpaw boxer puncher, just like the ones Ward avoided at 168 in Bute and Dirrell (could switch either way).
So for that reason, I really do think Ward was a little overrated. Ward had an elite jab, basically elite hand speed at 175, and very good defense, but his power and punch selection were average, his chin was above average but not elite, his punch output was awful, his footwork was pretty basic, and as a result of many of these not-elite areas of his game, he struggled at the top level sometimes to win rounds with clean boxing, so he would unfortunately make the CHOICE to resort to holding, fouling, and cheating at times, especially the only time he fought something even halfway close to a prime elite opponent with both accuracy and power in Kovalev.
So that is to say, Ward is underrated in some ways, overrated in other ways, but he definitely didn't legitimately beat prime Kovalev in my opinion, or Kovalev at all, and he's never legitimately beaten an elite prime fighter in my opinion or even faced one, so for that reason especially, I could never call him elite. Kovalev, due to his early decline, never beat an elite prime opponent either, but the reason I say he was better in his prime than Ward was because he was much more dominant over similar level opponents at the time than Ward was... I think in skills we saw they were on the same level, just with different styles and Ward relying more on cheating to reach that level while Kovalev could do it clean, but then there was one huge separating factor which was Kovalev's power. That's what allowed him to dominate more. Both of them would win every round vs guys on the level of Nathan Cleverley, at least Im guessing Ward would, but the difference is, Kovalev would also knock them down and stop them.
And then the other reason is just simply that Kovalev was way past his prime already when he fought Ward, while Ward looked to me in the best shape of his career, and yet Kovalev still had so much success against him, referee bull**** aside. That tells me just logically, if Kovalev was also in the best shape of his life, his fights vs Ward would not have even been close. The only reason Ward found any success in either of their fights was Kovalev gassing out. Give Kovalev his prime gas tank, or any reasonable gas tank from any other fighter Ward fought like Froch or Bika or Barrera or whoever, and Kovalev beats him big not just beats him (which he already did anyway imo). But when you only have 3 rounds of stamina in you, it's going to be hard to beat Ryan Garcia over 12 rounds let alone Ward. And yet somehow Kovalev still did it which really just proves it to me even more as much as it can ever be at this point, prime Kovalev vs prime Ward, Kovalev wins clearly if not dominantly.
So for that reason, I really do think Ward was a little overrated. Ward had an elite jab, basically elite hand speed at 175, and very good defense, but his power and punch selection were average, his chin was above average but not elite, his punch output was awful, his footwork was pretty basic, and as a result of many of these not-elite areas of his game, he struggled at the top level sometimes to win rounds with clean boxing, so he would unfortunately make the CHOICE to resort to holding, fouling, and cheating at times, especially the only time he fought something even halfway close to a prime elite opponent with both accuracy and power in Kovalev.
So that is to say, Ward is underrated in some ways, overrated in other ways, but he definitely didn't legitimately beat prime Kovalev in my opinion, or Kovalev at all, and he's never legitimately beaten an elite prime fighter in my opinion or even faced one, so for that reason especially, I could never call him elite. Kovalev, due to his early decline, never beat an elite prime opponent either, but the reason I say he was better in his prime than Ward was because he was much more dominant over similar level opponents at the time than Ward was... I think in skills we saw they were on the same level, just with different styles and Ward relying more on cheating to reach that level while Kovalev could do it clean, but then there was one huge separating factor which was Kovalev's power. That's what allowed him to dominate more. Both of them would win every round vs guys on the level of Nathan Cleverley, at least Im guessing Ward would, but the difference is, Kovalev would also knock them down and stop them.
And then the other reason is just simply that Kovalev was way past his prime already when he fought Ward, while Ward looked to me in the best shape of his career, and yet Kovalev still had so much success against him, referee bull**** aside. That tells me just logically, if Kovalev was also in the best shape of his life, his fights vs Ward would not have even been close. The only reason Ward found any success in either of their fights was Kovalev gassing out. Give Kovalev his prime gas tank, or any reasonable gas tank from any other fighter Ward fought like Froch or Bika or Barrera or whoever, and Kovalev beats him big not just beats him (which he already did anyway imo). But when you only have 3 rounds of stamina in you, it's going to be hard to beat Ryan Garcia over 12 rounds let alone Ward. And yet somehow Kovalev still did it which really just proves it to me even more as much as it can ever be at this point, prime Kovalev vs prime Ward, Kovalev wins clearly if not dominantly.
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