Why do people say.....Andre Ward is....

[Thraxox]

A weight bully in 168, then too small for 175. Like what? What is the truth really. Ward and Kov is basically the same size and Kov ain't that big for a lightheavy either other than ridiculously strong, by man handling ward during the clinch.

[Real King Kong]

I didn't see kovalev manhandling ward in the clinch...at times he was struggling to contain him. He wasted too much energy trying to nulify thst part of wards game.

[The Hammer]

Max Kellerman kept on saying Kovalev is bigger, even though they are the same height according to HBO's Tale of the Tape. If anything, Ward is slightly more thickly built.

Kovalev fought at middleweight in the amateurs, Ward fought at light heavyweight.

[Thraxox]

I didn't see kovalev manhandling ward in the clinch...at times he was struggling to contain him. He wasted too much energy trying to nulify thst part of wards game.

By manhandling, always on the front foot of the clinch. Kovalev's feet never gave in to the pressure of Andre Ward's when they were clinching but instead backed Ward up to the point that Kov lifted Andre Ward in the clinch in round 11. Ward's strength key to victory in the super six was to bully Kessler and Froch by being on the front foot ALWAYS to gave in the room for him to do his inside work, he never had that on the Kovalev fight, only little pitty patty punches and sometimes, hard shots.

[#1Assassin]

Max Kellerman kept on saying Kovalev is bigger, even though they are the same height according to HBO's Tale of the Tape. If anything, Ward is slightly more thickly built.

Kovalev fought at middleweight in the amateurs, Ward fought at light heavyweight.

ward moved up to light heavyweight just for the olympics to make room on the US roster. he was very undersized at the weight and spent the rest of his amateur career at middleweight, after the olympics he turned pro at MW as well.

kovalev did spend some time at MW in the amateurs but unlike ward he moved up because of his size and being unable to make the weight. spending significantly more time than ward at light heavy and turning pro at light heavy as well.

he is bigger than ward, there is no doubt about that. they are the same height but kovalev has longer arms, wider hips and significantly wider shoulders.

ward might look a bit more thickly built for that reason, being more compact makes him look more muscular. but kovalev has the bigger frame and is the bigger man. not by as much as some people are saying, there isnt some massive size difference between the two. but kovalev is bigger.

[Rip Chudd]

The weight bully crap at 168 was just made up by detractors to try and throw shade on his wins, nothing more then that.

[MurkaMan]

I didn't see kovalev manhandling ward in the clinch...at times he was struggling to contain him. He wasted too much energy trying to nulify thst part of wards game.

He studied Ward. He knew that Ward likes to overpower foes. From the opening round, he made it a point to push Ward around in the clinch, and this part of the fight was so noticeable, that its insane that you even made that comment.

No beef, just describing how noticeable it was.

[Dr Rumack]

He was never a weight bully, but he was a really strong dude at 168. I don't think he's a small light-heavyweight. He'll be small enough at cruiserweight when he eventually moves there.

[Robbie Barrett]

The only fight night weight known for Ward at 168 was 176 for Dawson. That's 8 lbs rehydration, less than Golovkin who rehydrates 10+ lbs at MW. One's a weight bully, the other is a small MW though.

[Real King Kong]

He studied Ward. He knew that Ward likes to overpower foes. From the opening round, he made it a point to push Ward around in the clinch, and this part of the fight was so noticeable, that its insane that you even made that comment.

No beef, just describing how noticeable it was.

I could see what he was trying to do...i just don't think it was necessary to do it to that extent. To me, manhandle means to easily control someone with little effort. Kovalev was using a lot of effort and it cost him down the stretch. He didn't need to completely contain ward to the point where the ref stepped in on almost every single clinch.