Advice for Kovalev fighting out of the clinch and dealing with Ward's veteran tactics

[Motorcity Cobra]

@cfarrell_boxing If Sergey doesn't have the ability (or a plan) to negate/counter Ward's inside roughhouse tactics he doesn't deserve to win

— Douglass Fischer (@dougiefischer) November 15, 2016

[mathed]

He tries to tie Kovalev up, petition the ref the first time. If Ward doesn't let go, step on his foot and shove him to the canvas. Everytime Ward proceeds to grab him, he needs to do step on the foot and shove him down. If the ref tries to go after Kovalev, then he needs to rabbit punch Ward in the head a few times. Eventually, Ward will consider the hug not worth the risk.

[Dip_Slide]

I really liked how Crawford dealt with Postol's attempts to tie him up early in the fight by him being extremely rough on the inside too everytime he felt Postol wanted to clinch, that made Postol think twice about holding and that way he took away Postol's biggest defensive weapon.

Ward however is not Postol and what people don't realize is that Ward doesn't tie his opponent up too much, he places his gloves around his opponent in a way where he can feel out where the opponent is and from where he is going to punch, he places his head and body also at locations where he can't be hit, but from the outside it feels like clinching while in fact his opponent's body and hands are free, they just think that Ward is going to hold but he doesn't and they get countered for it, such a prolific inside fighter Ward is.

[Motorcity Cobra]

He tries to tie Kovalev up, petition the ref the first time. If Ward doesn't let go, step on his foot and shove him to the canvas. Everytime Ward proceeds to grab him, he needs to do step on the foot and shove him down. If the ref tries to go after Kovalev, then he needs to rabbit punch Ward in the head a few times. Eventually, Ward will consider the hug not worth the risk.

Your trying to get Kovalev disqualified!

[Redd Foxx]

Ward dreams of Kovalev trying to fk with him on the inside. That's how others (with better inside games than Kov) failed against Ward. That would be like trying to grapple with a JiuJitsu guy in MMA, you're not going to out-do him, so learn basic defense that will help you survive until you can get out. Kovalev should focus on either escaping the clinch or completely locking it down until the ref breaks it. Don't play into Ward's game there.

[Shrap]

I really liked how Crawford dealt with Postol's attempts to tie him up early in the fight by him being extremely rough on the inside too everytime he felt Postol wanted to clinch, that made Postol think twice about holding and that way he took away Postol's biggest defensive weapon.

Ward however is not Postol and what people don't realize is that Ward doesn't tie his opponent up too much, he places his gloves around his opponent in a way where he can feel out where the opponent is and from where he is going to punch, he places his head and body also at locations where he can't be hit, but from the outside it feels like clinching while in fact his opponent's body and hands are free, they just think that Ward is going to hold but he doesn't and they get countered for it, such a prolific inside fighter Ward is.

That is some serious sugarcoating bull****. Ward clinches and uses it effectively; there is nothing wrong with that and it's a legal defensive move.

[Dip_Slide]

That is some serious sugarcoating bull****. Ward clinches and uses it effectively; there is nothing wrong with that and it's a legal defensive move.

i didn't say he never clinches because he definitely does, but a lot of the time he's not tying up his opponent when it looks like he is tying up his opponent.

[Motorcity Cobra]

I really liked how Crawford dealt with Postol's attempts to tie him up early in the fight by him being extremely rough on the inside too everytime he felt Postol wanted to clinch, that made Postol think twice about holding and that way he took away Postol's biggest defensive weapon.

Ward however is not Postol and what people don't realize is that Ward doesn't tie his opponent up too much, he places his gloves around his opponent in a way where he can feel out where the opponent is and from where he is going to punch, he places his head and body also at locations where he can't be hit, but from the outside it feels like clinching while in fact his opponent's body and hands are free, they just think that Ward is going to hold but he doesn't and they get countered for it, such a prolific inside fighter Ward is.

Good breakdown

[Motorcity Cobra]

Ward dreams of Kovalev trying to fk with him on the inside. That's how others (with better inside games than Kov) failed against Ward. That would be like trying to grapple with a JiuJitsu guy in MMA, you're not going to out-do him, so learn basic defense that will help you survive until you can get out. Kovalev should focus on either escaping the clinch or completely locking it down until the ref breaks it. Don't play into Ward's game there.

What did you think about that Duran video?

[Redd Foxx]

What did you think about that Duran video?

I watched it on a loop like 6 times. Duran is a brilliant tactician. People sadly overlook him these days.
As great as that was, I don't think that would be entirely effective against Ward because you'll notice that Ward goes upright and presses his body against guys who are trying to score inside. And, he ties up one arm. Really makes it near impossible to work a traditional inside game. Even if Ward does work in like that, he usually throws a hook and slips out.

As ugly as this sounds, I think Kovalev using his wrestling (choke hold, grabbing and tumbling, etc) to make the clinch dangerous and exhausting would be a good way to deter the clinch. Byrd is probably too experienced not to see through "accidents" like that but if you're a fighter and you almost blow your knee out because your opponent just forced you down, it's going to make you cautious.

Another note about the video, I do think the uppercut is a critical punch for Kovalev in this fight. Maybe not in the clinch but definitely in close, during transitions. Left hook to the body too. Setting them up with be the trick.