Ward/Kovalev 2...who wins?

[Kirkland Laing]

What's all this Kovalev racist stuff about? I remember the monkey t-shirt Stevenson thing, but assumed it was most likely a cultural misunderstanding, Russia doesn't do PC. Many fans/media/reporters talk about him like he's a Klan member or something, is there evidence of him openly hating black bods?

http://www.boxingscene.com/roc-natio...emarks--116923

I knew I'd read something recently. I'm sure he actually said something similar about another black boxer too.

[powerpuncher]

What's all this Kovalev racist stuff about? I remember the monkey t-shirt Stevenson thing, but assumed it was most likely a cultural misunderstanding, Russia doesn't do PC. Many fans/media/reporters talk about him like he's a Klan member or something, is there evidence of him openly hating black bods?

http://www.boxingscene.com/roc-natio...emarks--116923

I knew I'd read something recently. I'm sure he actually said something similar about another black boxer too.

I'm sure that Kovalev is a bit racist but a language barrier is always a problem. Coming from somebody who learned a second language, a lot of vulgarities don't have the same meaning to me and seem a lot less harmful. I'm guessing that in russian he wouldn't be as harsh. That's just my opinion though

[Ron Swanson]

I think if people traveled to Russia they would understand that none of Kovalev's racism is by accident. And there is far far more going on than is being talked about.

[J_Undisputed]

Ward put on muscle for this fight. Presumably to try to up his punch resistance (neck and shoulder exercises) and bull Kovalev around the ring once he clamps on to him. He's hoping that looking like the stronger fighter during the hugs makes him look like the aggressor and not like hes hiding from kovalev in the clinches and somehow swing the rounds more in his favor without actually doing any more work than he did before. Look for Ward to start the hug and slug early and play a carefully orchestrated but seeming aggressive all out ambush early (he'll throw big shots on the inside and from safe angles). Presumably at the last 20 seconds of the 1st (only if he feels hes confident in believing he has an accurate sample of kovalev) or 2nd round to try and make the statement to kovalev that hes not afraid and set a tone. Only in the last 20-25 seconds (so if he gets clipped, he'll hopefully make it to his feet and then be walked back to his corner to collect himself.) So he ties up Kovalev early, leans on him and pushes him back and tries to work him over in the clinches and try to wear him out early (and conserve his own energy). Kovalev gets most of his offense smothered this way (as his strongest punches tend to be his long straight punches) and unless he learns to get nasty in the clinches, won't deter ward from coming in and spend most of the rounds trying to break free from the Kraken.. The worst will be seeing ward hulk up just to go back to the same tactics.

Kovalevs plan for this fight is to probably grind ward to a halt the way he feels he should have in the first fight. Not a bad plan if Ward was a stand up fighter, but he's not and often times works off of a jab out of a crouch. Kovalev should have spent his time concentrating on fighting while backing up. That is... using his feet to pivot or sidestep to offset wards feint to the body then jab up top and throw to wards body and ribs behind the jab instead of trying to come over the top and head hunting. Stepping back and switching his stance (he does it enough going forward to throw a straight left and then straight right in succession) and throwing the uppercut would also improve his chances.

Still with all of this.. somethings don't change. One of those things is Ward doesn't like to get hit. Seems terrified of it at times, actually. And that alone will still make the rounds close for Kovalev as long as he keeps throwing. The other thing is that Kovalev feels like fighting harder is better than fighting smarter and will try to force it rather than listen to his trainer. I'm not sure i'm interested in watching the next chapter of this clusterf*ck but if Krusher pulls off the improbable and lays out Ward and takes the air out of his fluff, i'll probably watch it on repeat for a solid week.

[Fenster]

Considering Kovalev's English isn't brilliant his typing skills are electric according to that video that accused him of taking off Ward.

[Primo Carnera]

Looking forward to this fight.

[Kirkland Laing]

What's all this Kovalev racist stuff about? I remember the monkey t-shirt Stevenson thing, but assumed it was most likely a cultural misunderstanding, Russia doesn't do PC. Many fans/media/reporters talk about him like he's a Klan member or something, is there evidence of him openly hating black bods?

http://www.boxingscene.com/roc-natio...emarks--116923

I knew I'd read something recently. I'm sure he actually said something similar about another black boxer too.

I'm sure that Kovalev is a bit racist but a language barrier is always a problem. Coming from somebody who learned a second language, a lot of vulgarities don't have the same meaning to me and seem a lot less harmful. I'm guessing that in russian he wouldn't be as harsh. That's just my opinion though

He really didn't mean what it looks like he meant, what he really meant got lost in translation, their sense of humour is a little different from ours, he was taken out of context, there was an earthquake, a terrible flood...........


One incident could possibly be explained away. You would think him posting photographs comparing a black man and a gorilla would mean the same in any language or culture but hey, let's give him the benefit of the doubt on the first one. But repeated incidents, no.

[Ron Swanson]

So proud that there is no thread about Mayweather vs McGregor being finalized here.

Really excited for Ward/Kovalev II. Ward looks in much better shape. Hopefully that isn't with intention to wrestle but rather in case he must wrestle.

[powerpuncher]

So proud that there is no thread about Mayweather vs McGregor being finalized here.

Really excited for Ward/Kovalev II. Ward looks in much better shape. Hopefully that isn't with intention to wrestle but rather in case he must wrestle.

I was thinking about making a new thread about it...

[Ron Swanson]

So proud that there is no thread about Mayweather vs McGregor being finalized here.

Really excited for Ward/Kovalev II. Ward looks in much better shape. Hopefully that isn't with intention to wrestle but rather in case he must wrestle.

I was thinking about making a new thread about it...

Bound to happen sooner or later. Just with all the publicity it is already getting I didn't think it would take so long. And was happy to see it did.

[Alpha]

I think Kovalev gets the win he deserved last time.