Why is Kovalev-Ward considered a robbery when fights like Pac-JMM 2&3 and Hopkins-Calzaghe aren't?

I like Ward, but I have to admit that my enthusiasm for him has cooled a little bit after his post-fight bragging and bashing of Kovalev after the fight. The way he adjusted and fought back was really impressive, but judging from his talk, you'd think that he schooled Kovalev or won a wide U.D. The fact is, he won a very close fight in a decision that a large segment of the boxing world disagreed with. Also, he refrains from explicitly promising a rematch; a rematch that all true boxing fans ought to want to see, given the controversy of the first fight:

[Interviewer]: Kovalev’s promoters reportedly already exercised the rematch clause so when do you expect it to happen? Are you of the mentality that your next fight will be against Kovalev?
[Ward]: The reality is they can exercise whatever they want (but) the ball is in my court right now and I don’t really have to fight anymore. Every fight from here on out has to make sense. My lawyer, my manager, and my promotional team over the next month or so will put things in place and if situation is right we’ll do it again. I think the fans want to see it, obviously the media wants to see it, especially if [Kovalev] feels he got a raw deal.

 

Williams-Martinez was close and could have gone either way. Lara got robbed against Williams imo, and nobody ever brings that up because he's been tied to a certain fighter for it seems like ages now. People don't want to hear that!

 

I get it. You have an opinion on the fight just as everybody does, but I can tell you don't hate the guy for winning a close fight like most do on this forum now days, and I respect that. I was prepared to give Kovalev his props if he won because I knew the fight was close and knew there was a big possibility his hand got raised, but a point either way is fine. No robbery at all.

And I think Ward is going to go for an immediate rematch, especially if it's documented that a rematch clause was indeed in the contract. He'll honor it, but not right away. He seems to be enjoying his time off right now and just won the biggest most meaningful fight of his career, so I can understand why he's not answering the questions the way the media wants him too, and why people are sounding a little worried. LOL.

 

It's only pointed out as a robbery by Kova fans cause there mad Ward popped his cherry

 

Ward is just taking control really with regards to fighting Kov again being his decision to take. All top fighters are by their very nature control freaks. The bragging post-fight was a combination of euphoria, relief and mind games with a potential rematch on the horizon. Almost everything Ward does is calculated, in and out of the ring.

 

Fair enough. I suppose I will always prefer the gracious winner type, but people have different personalities and reactions. Same with mind-games; some try it, others don't.

 

Lara did get jobbed vs Williams for sure. Though I had Kovalev winning, Ward-Kovalev wasn't that kind of robbery- one just needed to give the close breaks to Andre, and at least a case was there going by that. I still don't believe the judges were on the up and up when none of them gave Kovalev the 10th, which is a round even most who scored for Andre gave to Kovalev. It didn't help their image that the Hooker fight, which was a massive robbery, was right before it, either.

Lara-Ward was that kind of hometown bias on steroids, though. I'm a big fan of the Punisher, and he just didn't win that fight. Even a draw was pushing it too hard. Lara may have been his own worst enemy vs Canelo, but he legit got screwed vs Williams.

To be fair, I do levy the same criticism towards Kovalev that I did towards Lara vs Canelo and for Dirrell vs Froch: Know where you're fighting! I think in all three cases, the fighter who "lost" coasted too much, left too many scoring opportunities on the table, and showed poor situational IQ about the fight environment. Don't fight like the home guy with the money behind you if you're not! Fair or not, you've got to account for and adjust to that.

 

I think Marquez-Pac 3 was one of the worst robberies we've ever seen. I scored it 9-3 and I thought I was being generous to Pac. Marquez owned and totally toyed with Pac that night, walked him into clean counters all fight. It's the Pac fans and media who slid the third fight under the rug as the robbery it was. I thought Marquez deserved the second, but it was close, and Pac had the knockdown, and landed some punishing power shots.

Hopkins-Calzaghe is a good fight to compare to Kovalev-Ward. Calzaghe was much more active and his work was showier. But Hopkins landed a lot of short, sneaky punches and like Ward had figured out Calzaghe, and took away his speed and ability to land combos. I haven't watched it since shortly after it happend, but recall I thought Hopkins won close but clear.

Marquez and Hopkins were robbed, Marquez especially; Kovaled-Ward was a close fight. Close enough that we should accept the 1 point verdict, and enjoy the rematch. Calzaghe and Pac especially had of course big followings and fawning media coverage that drowned out dispute of of the decisions. Ward does not have that luxury. In fact he's irrationally hated. For his style, and, well, it's no coincidence Ward's performance is demeaned by a such a huge section of the boxing public in America and Americans managed to elect Trump shortly after.

 

I think the initial robbery outcry was ridiculous and i scored in for Kovalev 1q4-113 but when you seen some of the rounds Ward was given on the cards then it does smell a bit fishy

 

That is true. The 10th was a Kovalev round, and Ward won the fight with that round on the scorecards.

 

Fair post.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Pac-JMM 2&3 have probably been called a robbery more than any other fight in history. Selective hearing(reading) I guess.

 

I guess though I thought Hopkins beat Calzaghe I can't call the fight a robbery. I agree it was close. The scoring was worth debate, but not horrible. But when you lump in Marquez-Pac 3 as a close fight though it was indeed a robbery I have to defend Hopkins!

 

Winston_C, aka Mr_Farage, Nigel_UK in the house. 'Welcome' back.... lol