Anybody who saw Walcott, Charles and Moore would have bet on them to beat Marciano. Heck, I would have. And I'd be living in a cardboard box, because Marciano brought much more to the table than only fundamentals and skills. Walcott, Charles and Moore > Ward, BTW.
It's always hard to say, but I think the difference is significant.Rocky had a far more relentless pressure too, and Ward trying to fight him on the inside would be walking right into Rocky's domain. Who's the best fighter Kovalev actually KOed?
That's not important thing here. My point that Charles in their first fight wasn't washed up, he was still elite fighter who was far better from technical standpoint and who wouldn't have lost against Rocky if he was as bad as Pat M suggest here. He still destroyed Satterfield just a fight before in spectacular fashion: This content is protected And he looks excellent doing so. I'm sure that most would bet on Charles after this fight to beat Rocky, but the truth is that being more cute doesn't make you better fighter. Rocky did the job done against fighters who looks far better than Ward. Moore and Charles were much better fundamental and technical fighters and they lost to Marciano. That's why Pat M's predicitons just doesn't make any sense.
Ward beat Kovalev at175lbs Andree is 6ft with a 71 " reach. Are we allowing him to add weight here? He could conceivably gain10/15lbs without losing any appreciable speed, this would bring him up to185/190lbs,putting him on a level playing field with Rocky for weight, if not for strength or hitting power. Ward took Kovalev's punches,is Rocky in another stratosphere for power? Rocky crushed Harry Mathews, but Ward is another proposition.I would take Ward to beat Lastarza and Cokkell without hesitation.Lastarza went 11 rds with Rocky , Cokkel 9 rds .Ward has much better footwork and is a level above both for defensive skills
I wouldn't pick Ward to beat a prime Rex Layne. Ward is a bit of an odd fighter to make a stand on fundamentals with, he was getting outboxed by Kovalev early in both fights, and had to use a lot of rough in fighting.
Good points. What did Kovalev weigh on fight night? NB I'm not saying Ward beats Rocky,just floating the idea that it might not the one-sided massacre some would suppose. Did most expect Spinks to beat Holmes? What was the book on Jones Jnr v Ruiz? Who imagined Conn would go into the 13th and be in front against Louis?
I don't think we really disagree then. Like I said earlier, I like Ward, he's a good fighter, I'm sure he could have a few moments, but against Rocky that's a very long way from having any chance of winning. Conn had a good style to fight Louis, I think Ward has an awful style to fight Rocky.
And that's also a major point that people are overlooking. Nevermind that Rocky is on another stratosphere to Kovalev in the power department (and well he should be since he's bigger and built his game around turning opponents to coleslaw whereas Kovalev is really more of a boxer, and a good one at that) but he uses a similar infighting style to Ward. He likes to bull around on the inside and smash people up with short hard punches. Good freaking luck to Ward beating Rocky at his own game when he's smaller, weaker and has worse stamina.
He did also win 9 in a row before that,, including some good wins in a short period of time, and before that was robbed against Layne and lost to Walcott.