Kov will raise his game for Ward. It is difficult to motivate yourself for a warm up fight.
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Kov will raise his game for Ward. It is difficult to motivate yourself for a warm up fight.
Overall I really don't think it was bad, some of the media were frankly overly critical. Could be a fair case of bar being set too low on Chilemba raising his boxing game with a concrete head and too high on Kovalev winning a mere blowout without considering homecoming, formality of a tune up and biggest match in career and possibly the sport, one, on immediate horizon and already signed. This did far more for Kovalevs preparation for Ward than anything Ward will face next in preparation for a Kovalev I truly believe. While we're at it..wasn't it Ward eating jabs and looking a bit hittable himself last fight out???
Consistent power jab, 5,6 punch combinations into the 12th round, badly hurt a guy on at least five occasions and composure enough not to go full desperate and one punch crazy for the KO everyone desperately wanted and expected..that was smart from where I sat. He dominated. Today there is to much of the microwave mentality and dismissal on a puncher going distance and in this case I've seen "bad performance" used by three major networks and think its flat out shortsighted. Ward v Kovalev will be a superfight in this era of divas..one we NEED..and fully expect both to raise the game and excel. Ring the fecking bell cannot wait!
Ward is licking his chops right now after that performance. Kovalev looks tailor-made for Dre.
^^ Yeah. I'd honestly put money on Andre Ward if the odds are anywhere near even, just saw this fight. I don't think it was a real bad performance or anything for Kovalev, but he did sort of run out of ideas after hurting him in the 7th. Of course possible he overlooked it and didn't want to extend himself more than he had to(he was never in any danger of losing) but just some of the tells he wasn't picking up on make it easy to see where Ward could run away with this one, for me.
This was the perfect fight for Kovalev to prepare him for Ward, because crafty, long-armed Chilemba is a defensive spoiler like Ward. Isaac was very brave and determined.
Fighting another stiff like Mohammedi or Caparello would have done nothing to help Kovalev prepare for a crafty fighter like Ward.
But Chilemba revealed the weaknesses Sergey needs to work on and gave him the rounds he needed to be ready for November.
chilembas style is nothing like wards
It's not so much style, but there were some distinct similarities that will help Ward better prepare for Kovalev
Chilemba had success off the back foot (which Ward is a master at) and was able to counter the Kov popping jabs....he even snapped his head back a few times. Chilemba was also able to roll, bob and weave his way out of trouble until the seventh round where Kovalev finally was able to get inside and land more clean shots. I doubt Ward will get nearly as much.
styles aside ill tell you why it will help kovalev
I reckon before that fight he was unbeatable, or at least he felt that way, probly felt like he could walk through everyone
that fight will help him prepare better mentally and be that little more respectful of the guy he is fighting, even tho he still won by miles
I would go as far as to say that Kov deliberately fought poorly to make ward think he does have a chance.Quote:
Originally Posted by erics44