Will Sergey "The Klutcher" Holdalev do more than a head lock to stop inside fighting

[sunny31]

LOL I love how the guys who have never boxed have somehow flipped this as Kovalev the one initiating the clinch.

If your opponent charges you aggressively with his head low the way Ward does it's very hard to get punches off, if you are a high IQ fighter you stop his momentum and that's by standing your ground which will result in a clinch, that way you are not on your heels while the guy coming in is under you giving him better leverage to punch.

If you're a stupid fighter you let Ward smother you and bully you while Ward gets his shots in.

Ward bulrushes his way into a clinch that's why he has been involved in headbutts which usually will be in his favor because he has the momentum.

Yeah but after you stop the fighters momentum clinching is not the only option, you can use footwork to slide or pivot away, or you can start working on the inside. I can name you a few fighters who clinch in that scenario - you know what they all have in common? They can't fight on the inside.

I don't think either fighter was to blame entirely - but they are at least equally to blame (clash of styles), whereas I have seen so many threads blame Ward entirely, now that its coming back the other way you don't like it. I think its ludicrous to blame ALL of the clinching on the fighter that wants to work inside, its simply not true.

I am not saying I agree with the thread starter but I think what you are seeing is a reaction to all the threads made about Ward.

I think Kovalev initiated a lot of the clinches to stop Ward working inside - in fact I think it was apart of the pre-fight strategy to clamp him down in those situations. Its there for everyone to see in the fight for crying out loud, anyone can watch it. The proof is in the pudding.

[ray moe]

one illegal move to counteract another, people seem to forget that initiating clinches over and over again is illegal. if refs arent going to penalise ward for initiating clinches then kovalev should take matters into his own hands.

Holding his head down does NOT counter the clinch, it negates the clinch, which is way different. It's trying to survive that clinch, not countering that clinch.

Countering the clinch is to lean back and fire a counter-right, or to receive the clincher with a hey mary uppercut. That's countering. In order to say that your movement countered that clinch, you need to get some advantage over him after you make your move. Holding his head down gives you no advantage at all, it just lets you keep yourself alive, nothing more.

Plus, holding his head down gassed him even faster. I would say it was a stupid move, but it wasnt, since it's his only option due to his lack of inside skills.

[Mukuro]

You're complicating it. Kovalev cheated and was doing it before Ward started holding.

What Ward does isn't cheating, but what Kovalev did was?
That is because he studied films of Ward and was prepared? I don't have time to teach people how to think.

[pretty ste]

They dont understand that kovalev cant fix his inside game in 8 weeks his a rangy fighter he likes to keep you at a distance ward knows that and made the adjustments

[ray moe]

He just needs to lean and arch his back a little, get a guillotine choke going. Dre will keep his head out of there then, trust me

No, it would have been even worse, he would have been knocked out. Look at the fight, ward doesnt go inside at random moments, he goes inside after kovalev throws his straight right hand, so it's impossible for him to try to lean back, and if he tries he would be countered so hard that he would visit the canvas 100% sure.

Kovalev strongest point is at the same time his weakest point. His right straight hand. It has demolishing power, pure dinamite, but every time he throws it, he gets so open that an airplain could go into his guard without him being able to do ****. His reach is huge, that's why it's not easy to counter for an orthodox fighter, but taking this moment to go inside is easy enough. Btw, a powerful southpaw like stevenson would be a living hell for kovalev, since it would be way easier for a southpaw to punish that weakness.

[pretty ste]

He was not prepared which is the reason he tire out is not his style he a rangy fighter he has the soviet eastern european boxing backround where they are up right with good technique but no inside game ggg is probably one of the best inside fighter that come from eastern european kovalev will have alot problems in the rematch we just don't know which ward is going to show up he could fight you many ways it depends what you bring than he adapts

[TheUptownKid]

I mean the narrative was known beforehand and experienced in the ring. Wards advantage over kov would be on the inside most notably. Kov stopped wards inside game by holding, that was illegal and went unpunished by ref.

[Robbie Barrett]

What Ward does isn't cheating, but what Kovalev did was?
That is because he studied films of Ward and was prepared? I don't have time to teach people how to think.

Kovalev is the one that started the dirty fighting. He should be ridiculed just as much if not more than Ward.

First round gifs.









You choosing to give him a pass makes you a moronic hypocrite.

[xhiddenx87]

Wow andre ward fans now whinning about holding and head locks, lol

things are tuned upside down on this forum

D

[Joe Beamish]

I actually think Kovalev had a very good strategy, and very good execution in the first fight to deal with Ward's dirty charging, clinching and leading with his head tactics. The judges simply pulled a Bradley v. Pacquiao.

Kovalev doesn't need to do a lot of adjusting. He just needs to understand that the judges are going to give any remotely close round to Ward.

Kovalev just needs to continue with his boxing style and with his tremendous jab and straight right hand. He can handle the inside tactics the same way this fight. But he cannot become complacent.