As strange as it might seem from me. I give ward the smallest amount of credit for this choice only because, he was supposed to fight brand in the november fight he pulled out of with the knee swelling (cotto/can-yellow undercard- if what im reading is correct). Still he tried to pick two other fighters before him this time (skoglund being one and cleverly being the other-- if what im reading is correct).

It nice to keep a promise, but we all know this more likely a case of ward trying to secure the highest percentage he could with the opponent who was willing to take scraps. The other 2 were probably priced out or made zero hour proposals and then priced out. This doesn't do anything to prepare him for kovalev (especially considering brand its a looper with poor punch mechanics and kovalev is a straight puncher with better than average punch mechanics/form )