Who won? Kovalev or Ward?

[TitoFan]

Even the ref agrees with the majority.

[Freedom]

Doug Fischer (from The Ring website)

I think we need to be outraged when judges play favorites. I don’t think it should be a problem when American judges are assigned to a fight between an American and foreign fighter. It shouldn’t have to come down to nationalities.

Boxing officials should be professional and fair regardless of where they are from. We just need better, more honorable judges.

Amen.

[Gandalf]

It was a close fight. In a situation like that everyone needs to be paying close attention, but it does say something when the vast majority of writers and posters think Kovalev won and yet 0% of the judges think Kovalev won. There is a discrepancy there and frankly it is all too common in an unregulated and probably corrupt sport like boxing. You saw it on the undercard more glaringly and then in the main event too. Where there is money the cards are likely to follow.

[p4pking]

Is Ward really that much more marketable than Kovalev though? I don't know why he'd be worth putting the fix in for when you look at how often the guy's been fighting, who else is out there for him to fight, the numbers he's previously done etc.

[Spicoli]

What really sucks is I've had no inclination or want to rewatch it. Not the norm for a fight of this magnitude. No matter my fan favorite still think Kovalev earned the victory.

[Gandalf]

Is Ward really that much more marketable than Kovalev though? I don't know why he'd be worth putting the fix in for when you look at how often the guy's been fighting, who else is out there for him to fight, the numbers he's previously done etc.

Probably so based upon being the great American hope. Now he has the win his stock is back up, people are saying how amazing he is, and now he can go and have a rematch. If Kovalev won the demand for a rematch would be much less. With Ward winning and many not thinking he won, there is also a narrative to drive up the hype again. Personally I thought it was dull, but if you can make more money with yet more clinching, then you have to take it. Ward has made the bigger share of the money, has the win, and American boxing is winning too. What's not to love? I hope Kovalev destroys him next time out.......oops, I am falling for it already.

[Paul Kevin]

Kovalev Got Robbed In Sin City after Horrendous Decision by Judges -

[X]

I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Unlike some, I thought it was a fantastic fight. I understand why some people disagree, because there was only one glancing knockdown, a lot of mauling and then a somewhat controversial decision with no clear winner.

This was a real chess match, you could see both fighters thinking on their feet in there and the quality of the work was exemplary.

Kovalev was excellent. His power clearly shocked Ward at the beginning (I mean, buckling an elite fighters legs with a JAB!) and he was clearly on top in the first half of the fight. His stamina was very good, considering the amount of clinching and wrestling there was, although he did slow down a bit later on. Excellent power, relentless advance and he showed he is much much more than just a banger. Some of the feints he produced were top drawer and he varied his attack quite nicely. He is the only fighter I have seen who could tie Ward up inside properly.

If there is a rematch, I thought his feet were the worst thing about his performance. He does have slow feet, and I definitely thought that there were times when he was chasing Ward around the ring rather than cutting him off. He allowed Ward just a bit too much space and time in the second half of the fight. He also looked like he could walk through Wards best shots all night.

Thos was a career defining performance from Ward. Rocked, busted up and knocked down, you could see he was physically shocked by Kovalev's power. I suspect there was a bit of ring rust to get knocked off too.

Hats off to him, you could see him thinking on his feet in there, playing very fine margins and adjusting the game plan on the hoof. Only the very best fighters in history have been able to do that. Wards ring intelligence was extraordinary. This wasn't quite Ali/Foreman, but I really respect how Ward dig in, sucked it up and ground his way back in.

hand and foot speed, technique and bravery in spades from the guy. He landed eye catching shots in the second half of the fight.

He is also a 'mysterious' fighter, like many of the great old timers; every time you clinch the guy, his elbow is mysteriously in your face. If he misses with a shot, his forearm mysteriously follows through and hits you. Whenever he is close to you, his head is mysteriously rubbing against your face. 😗
I ABSOLUTELY see why there is disagreement about the decision. The truth is there wasn't a clear winner and whoever lost the decision had every right to feel shortchanged. Kovalev with his early dominance Andy constant pressure and aggression (who was never obviously hurt) ..... or Ward with a gutsy comeback, fighting ugly, picking nice shots and setting the template for the 'distance' the fight was waged at.

I thought Ward shaded it, but this fight was a toughie to score. So many rounds were close that we could have had a razor fine unanimous decisions, a draw or even a hugely lopsided decision to either guy.

I really don't see that the loser's stock has fallen at all with this defeat. Sometimes you are on the wrong end of tight decisions.

The real scandal, which has been lost in the ether, was the unbelievable draw that the US fighter got in the previous bout!

[erics44]

@Paul Kevin is disgusted in the decision

[Primo Carnera]

@Paul Kevin is disgusted in the decision

'With' the decision. If you're gonna start reading an intellect like Paul Kevin's post, you're going to have to be more grammatically correct.

[Memphis]

I thought Ward would win the fight more convincingly, I thought Kovalev would find Ward a far tougher competitor than he anticipated, likewise Ward would find Kovalev a far better boxer. Watching the first two sessions I thought Ward was going to get busted up and manhandled out of it, he adjusted brilliantly (you dont have to like it) to go on and make the fight competitive. I had Kovalev by a couple of rounds but I dont have a problem with people seeing it Wards way, it was no robbery, unless it was the best robbery ever. I do think each judge scoring the last 7 rounds 6 - 1 to Ward is ridiculous.

[erics44]

@Paul Kevin is disgusted in the decision

'With' the decision. If you're gonna start reading an intellect like Paul Kevin's post, you're going to have to be more grammatically correct.

youre right sorry

@Paul Kevin is disgusted cunt the decision

[TitoFan]

It's not even the actual closeness (or not) or the fight. It's the complete and utter predictability of the decision. Let's say we could've stopped time immediately after the fight and before the decision was announced. Let's say that during that pause we took two polls from fans. One poll to see who everyone thought actually won the fight.... and the other poll to see who the fans thought was going to get the decision. I'd be willing to bet the polls would be something like this: 80-90% of fans would probably say they thought Kovalev won the fight....... while 99-100% of fans would vote that Ward would get the decision. There's something inherently wrong with this.

[Freedom]

[Fenster]

I had the general feeling Kovalev won. Couple of times I shook my head when Macklin/Paulie said "Ward round."

However, there were so many tight rounds I wasn't shocked in the slightest Ward got it. He definitely controlled the second half and could have easily nicked some early rounds, regardless of what the cry baby robbery merchants say.