I don't think Kovalev fears Ward. I think he fears not being able to take Ward out and letting it go to the judges again. This will mean he will be pressing and when a boxer presses he can get sloppy. That will tell the story.
And Boone, and he took care of him a lot easier than Stevenson did the second time around. It makes no difference whether Pascal and Ward are alike, what matters is, he fought the Pascal rematch in a far more methodical, tactical and patient way, he adjusted brilliantly, and he can and will do the same against Ward. And how much did the first match take out of Ward? Like Pascal, he could be a ruined fighter, he took quite a beating, look at his face post fight.
Unless Kovalev catches and drops him again, there's no guarantees he can get up from the next one. You guys seem to forget, this is Kovalev we're talking about here, you know, the guy that rocked Ward with a jab.
I think the opposite to be honest, Kovalev seems complacent. All he has talked about is how Ward is overrated, how he isn't training as hard and that he'll kick his ass. Kovalev won the first fight but that was the best Kovalev and it needed to be. Anything less and he will lose. I think he will be less and I'm picking Ward in a messy fight by decision (or possible DQ).
Yeah he did fight Boone twice, my bad. However, it does make a difference who he is fighting. Contrary to popular belief, Ward is an excellent boxer and ring strategist. He fought Kovalev the way he did because that's what Kov offered him. If Kov changes, then you can be assured that Ward will also change. Like I said, he ain't no Pascal.
No problem with you seeing it that way, but for my money, he's shook and he keeps trying to reassure himself by bad mouthing Ward. That hypes him up and he needs that level of hype to sustain him. When he gets in there and finds out that it's the same old grind only worse, his ego will deflate and the same losing effort will be re-enacted.
How concerned are you that Ward is not getting drug tested while Kovalev is doing VADA? First fight they both did VADA because they thought Ward would not get dominated to that degree and the judges would not have to resort to such extremes to give Ward the decision. They cannot get away with that again so they are moving the goal posts by not drug testing Ward. They do not want Kovalev winning this fight and will do everything in their power to unlevel the playing field. Kovalev has a lot to overcome in this fight as well.
THEY don't seem to care much about it... but it's very irritating to me that Ward and his pukes are having the goal posts moved but in all honesty, I don't think it will matter on the 17th Sergey is knocking that fraud the **** out. I really feel like a kid waiting for Christmas for this fight. Lol
me too, ggg is of the very elite of the elite. kovalev can bring A level talent. the ward fight trashed his standings with me. I fully expected rounds 1,2 and 3 but thought he d continue to pummel ward to mud tko. falling flat, terribly flat had me SMFH. I believe a 4,5 round destruction to come. has to be that or he's not close to what I thought he could be pre Chilemba.. he has to show up and fight full on until it's over, win clearly and convincingly