Low blows: Andre Ward vs Kovalev 2

You are a gentleman poster pistal47 and IMO far too hard on yourself.
Your posts have been very articulate and clear.
You are absolutely right to feel we can agree to disagree, shake hands and carry on posting.

For the record, I have never felt I am smarter or less smart than anyone. I really feel that people think differently and where one may excel in one thing but not the other and vice versa, and that often, it is experience that we learn from.

Your posting has been exceptional and would be missed. Keep with it champ

 

Good stuff, I enjoyed reading that even though it’s just an expanded and colorful description of the obvious.

I think you’ve added enough detail for me to keep my response short and concise. Kovalev is a fine fighter who allowed a more determined equally fine fighter to infiltrate his mind, body and soul at every conceivable opportunity. If you’re a supporter of even the most rudimentary logic used in successful financial firms across the globe you would see how Ward was building and banking on his investments throughout the fight. It’s unfortunate that some lack that 3rd eye and plainly focus in on low blows as the defining culprit of a masterfully diversified investment portfolio.

If it masks your dissatisfaction and ultimately provides you comfort to believe Kovalev lost the rematch solely on your definition of low blows (not the definition clearly uttered a visualized during the instructional speech right before the fisticuffs) then so be it sir. Interestingly enough to this day I still haven’t seen anyone provide a suitable definition of Kovalev’s backturning and protest moment after being hit with clean (non controversial) body shots. Is that normally the reaction of a champ confident in his ability to beat a man that he claims hits like a girl?

Maybe I’m just over analyzing the entire thing and Kovalev was cheated of a career defining win. That’s it end of story no more contraversey lol.

 

Quite simply, my post was to remind everyone that it is impossible to overestimate the effect the low blows had on Kovalev in an otherwise closely contested fight.

 

Ward is a brawler because he bends the rules? Would you also consider Hopkins a brawler?

edit- I don't actually mean to argue, and I'm trying to be short because so many are ready to argue. I'm really just trying to understand the perspective of Ward as a brawler before I agree, challenge, or just **** off quietly.

 

Boxer's wear "cups" in the ring. Judging by Kovalev's in ring display of lack of a certain type of fortitude, I'd say his cup was surely protecting what it was supposed to be protecting and thus any lowblows had zero impact on the fight. His stones surely aren't so big they were overflowing out the sides of the cup.

 

Why are you comparing Ward and Hopkins?
I dont know why people do that, they dont seem similar at all to me.

Its really no problem Glaukos, I dont get too wrapped up in ESB.

Back to subject
Hopkins had problems with fast 2 handed fighters his own size. I guess maybe a bit of a style weakness to them, but Hopkins could box. He would come in with different strategies I felt to try and counter opponents

With Ward, I dont think he does much different in his fights. He doesnt seem to be able to do as well with mid range to long range boxing so I find either tries to go in with a head following a punch or land an elbow or to pull fighters in close or grab. His style seems based on holding and mauling not so much of the boxing. Its not to say he cant box, but I dont think he is a great boxer, but do think he is an effective brawler[/QUOTE]

 

I was going to read these posts and reply. Little point if Navigator is booted.
Why is Navigator booted???
I quickly browsed and was shocked when Navigator called faded Kessler prime and a fast 2 handed boxer
Or faded fatigued Froch??
No wonder he felt it was a dead discussion

 

They know that low blows didn't beat Kov. Ward walked through the heavy handed Kovs shots and landed his own big shot and finished Kov to the body. They can keep on crying and whining low blows but the reality is that Kov lost by stoppage and that shocked all of his fans.

 

Was R Bowe wearing a cup when Golota hit him low?
Would you consider that also doing what it takes to win?

 

It was a low blow which was the last shot. Which dismisses you completely

 

Hmmm...... TBH I'm sure he was just biding his time until the eventual spectacle of self-implosion Golota was soon to perform.

 

You could be right, who knows, but had that been stopped by the ref and scored as a stoppage win for Golota it could be a similar situation to what we are discussing now.
With that logic, could it not be that Ward felt he was fortunate in the first fight and was going for low blows and if disqualified could site them as a reason? I doubt it and dont think that but the same example could be used

 

@pistal47
True ESB posting gent.

pistal47 is what ESB should be all about. Differing views but always respectful

 

Possibly.

I don't think any/many LHWs can control distance or box at range with Kovalev, or with a prime version of him. He's better at that than all but 2 or 3 fighters the last 15 years. I'd never expect Ward to stand there and do that with him. But boxing isn't solely about controlling distance or fighting at range. Like I said, when you are so evenly matched with someone, sometimes you might have to take a chance and bend the rules or at least do something to get the other guy out of rhythm. If the official let's you get away with it and your opponent doesn't check you, I think that's on him.

I'll never get by in life solely on talent or gifts in anything, and if I fail it won't be for lack of trying, and I'll take it serious from the start. Kovalev never took it seriously, he was getting legless during training camp. And not only did he not try hard enough, to me he appeared to look for a way out.

Even with cups I've seen fighters get hit low and you can tell by their instant reaction they were effectively hit on the stones. Never saw that with Kovalev.

 

Yeah I guess it does in your feeble mind. But Weeks who was right there and saw the punches landing up close nor the NSAC were dismissed now were they? Whats the next excuse?