Does boxing need more fighters like Sergey Kovalev or like Andre Ward?

[Robbie Barrett]

It needs more of both. Top fighters taking a challenge and fighting other top fighters. What it doesn't need is the Golovkins who are perfectly happy in their safe zone fighting mismatches.

[Robbie Barrett]

If Andre Ward clinches, clamps, holds and headbutts tomorrow, will fans ever pay for one of his PPVs again?

Wlad was the worst fighter in history for that.

[The Hammer]

Wlad was the worst fighter in history for that.

Not until he was in his late 30s.

Watch his fights 1996-2010.

Wlad used to go for the KO, stopped nearly all his opponents until recent years.

Ward never does unless his opponent is severely weight-drained like poor Chad Dawson was.

[sunny31]

It depends on your perspective. But the correct answer is both.

I'm sure if you had a child (god forbid) you would rather he fought like a Ward because he has mastered the sweet science - he is a defensive wizard and that is how you would want to teach a child, hit and not get hit. What these types of fighters do is so difficult, takes so much practice, time, and discipline. Plus if you take Kovalev's power from him - he is nothing special, all the other things he does well, but there is nothing special there. Its his power which makes him special, but you can't teach your child how to be heavy handed, power can be developed but everyone has their natural ceiling with things like power and speed.

So in my opinion boxing needs more Ward's, put it this way if they were the last two boxers alive and you needed to leave one behind to teach everyone else, you would choose Ward, he is more complete, has more facets to his game, and is overall the better fighter. Kovalev has the equaliser, and as I said before he can't teach someone to hit like him.

But for the sport as a whole you need both, an offensive destroyer like Kovalev is only ever going to be truly tested against a fighter like a Ward, and vice versa. So they are each others plus-minus.

If you don't' understand this by now though, you never will, so I don't even know why I wasted my time.

[sunny31]

Not until he was in his late 30s.

Watch his fights 1996-2010.

Wlad used to go for the KO, stopped nearly all his opponents until recent years.

Ward never does unless his opponent is severely weight-drained like poor Chad Dawson was.

Wlad was the biggest clincher in boxing history, that and his feet are his whole defensive game. Whether he stopped his opponents or not, is irrelevant. When he didn't clinch he got knocked down/out, looked like dog ****, and would get tired. Ward has had fights at an elite level where he has barely clinched at all.

[The Hammer]

Wlad was the biggest clincher in boxing history, that and his feet are his whole defensive game. Whether he stopped his opponents or not, is irrelevant. When he didn't clinch he got knocked down/out, looked like dog ****, and would get tired. Ward has had fights at an elite level where he has barely clinched at all.

Why do you hate Klitschko and love Ward?

This thread is about Kovalev and Ward, why bring Klitschko into it?

[sunny31]

Why do you hate Klitschko and love Ward?

This thread is about Kovalev and Ward, why bring Klitschko into it?

I don't hate Klitschko, I like him, I knew he would turn his career around after Sanders and Brewster but somewhere along the way he became overrated, that to me is him in a nutshell - I do hate his team though for being cheats, and I hate his fans - that has quite a bit to do with you and others on here (or maybe thats you as well).

I didn't bring him up, I replied to your comment about Klitschko.

I like Ward because even if he isn't the most exciting fighter, he is humble, articulate, intelligent, and he is great.

[Robbie Barrett]

Not until he was in his late 30s.

Watch his fights 1996-2010.

Wlad used to go for the KO, stopped nearly all his opponents until recent years.

Ward never does unless his opponent is severely weight-drained like poor Chad Dawson was.

9 holds in round 1



6 holds in round 1

[The Hammer]

9 holds in round 1

6 holds in round 1

As I said, when he got older. Peter II was in 2010, Wlad was 35.

He didn't clinch earlier in his career, he perhaps should have a bit against Sanders to survive, but he slugged it out. Steward taught him to do it, taught Lennox too.

Ward clinched a lot even in the amateurs.

Worse, Ward uses other illegal tactics like head butts and elbows & thumbs into his opponents' eyes.

Why do you keep bringing up Wladimir Klitschko? This thread is about Ward and Kovalev.

[Robbie Barrett]

As I said, when he got older. Peter II was in 2010, Wlad was 35.

He didn't clinch earlier in his career, he perhaps should have a bit against Sanders to survive, but he slugged it out. Steward taught him to do it, taught Lennox too.

Ward clinched a lot even in the amateurs.

Worse, Ward uses other illegal tactics like head butts and elbows & thumbs into his opponents' eyes.

Why do you keep bringing up Wladimir Klitschko? This thread is about Ward and Kovalev.

Peter 1 was when he was 29. Steward gradually changed Klitschko's style in to the safety first jab and grab fighter, prime Klitschko was the jab and grab fighter.