Let's see," I wasn't hurt by anything Kovalev threw" qualifies. That ridiculous, idiotic grin that he wore upon rising from a knockdown indicates otherwise. He implemented his cowardly smothering style immediately afterwards.
Ward took them belts, by force. He strong armed Kovalev and snatched the belts out of his hands. Kovalev's grip was too weak. He couldn't keep Ward off him. He tried, but he couldn't hold on. Somebody call the Po'lice to save that Russian.
Kovalev trounced him clearly. Truth is, if Ward really thought he had figured Kovalev out and that he was just going to pick up where he left off for an easy win, he wouldn't be dissembling so much. Truth is, Kovalev hurt him, Kovalev out jabbed him, and Kovalev hit him more and harder than he did Sergey. Ward knows that he's picking up an L regardless of whether his uncle, nephew and mom are the judges, because he's getting put to sleep.
Ward owes him a rematch. Ward didn't win that fight. They essentially stole millions of dollars from Kovalev that he was owed for doing what he had to do. He was the champ that knocked Ward down and boxed evenly with him. The worst possible outcome for Kovalev should have been a draw. Complete robbery. It's the earning potential Ward stole. Worse, Ward is known to be a lil diva outside the ring, which is the worst person that could be in control of a future fight. I don't think this would even be a concern if Kovalev had won. The rematch would already be signed for.
Isn't it completely funny how before the match peeps had it all wrong. How they said Ward couldn't punch and that he wouldn't be able to keep Kovalev off of him. That Kovalev would have no respect for Ward's power and would walk right through Ward's defence. Instead, they got it all wrong. They fooled themselves with the illusion of power. Rather than Ward keeping Kovalev off of him, it was the other way around. After round 2 when Ward got up from the KD, Kovalev couldn't keep Ward off of him. For the rest of the fight Ward had Kovalev grabbing, holding and couldn't keep Ward from bullying him. The Krusher was getting mangled and his belts snatched from his weakened grip.
Ward is being a *****. Kovalev fought you in your backyard, with your judges and your ref, while taking little money despite having 3 belts. Now that you have a dubious "win" over him on your record when the absolute majority of boxers, journalists and boxing experts (many of them american ) scored it for Kovalev, you want to retire? At the prime age of 32, with no wear and tear, having wasted years of your career in legal battles with a man that made you into a star? **** Ward. Seriously. He is a *****.
I do think that the fight was different to how many felt it would go. I didnt really know or care how the fight would go as I could imagine a few scenarios but I didnt think that I would score the fight for Kovalev often based on a good jab that I think I had massively underated. Although I didnt score for Ward, I think he did make an argument of it