Whether the punches were low or not, the stoppage was unjustified.

Can we all at least agree regardless of how low the "low blows" were that Ward did not once touch Kovalevs balls? His family jewels were not even so much as grazed in the low blow exhibition Ward put on. Call them low all you want, but Ward did not hit that man in the balls

 

I don't think standing 8 was in the rules.

 

They don't have to be in the balls.

All I'm saying is the last punch looked to me to land on the capital "B" which was well below the belt line.

 

to be fair, landing just around them has a similar stunning effect, if of less calibre.

The actual fear of being hit there too adds, especially when the ref doesnt appear to notice repeatedly.

 

The last one looked a little low to me but the ones before were borderline worst. Kovalev was cowering over already before the last shot landed so it's not surprising that Weeks couldn't see if it was low.

Like others have said, it was either TKO or five minute rest at that point. Stanning 8 wasn't an option.

 

Kovalev isn't a push over if he was getting punched in the balls he would have single handedly given Ward a vasectomy. Fact is Kov couldn't land the same body shots Ward landed on him because he was head hunting 99% of the fight. Further, even if he wasn't head hunting the body punches themselves required an insane degree of athleticism which im not sure the Krusher possesses.

 

3 simple facts in this fight.

Kovalev was ahead on points.
Kovalev was hurt, from the big right hand and body shots - some of which may have been low.
The fight ending punch was clearly a foul - and the ref cocked up.

 

it was not a clean stoppage. thats all that needs to be said. and when your dishing out money for ppvs it makes you mad. i dont even enjoy talking about it. cant wait till this bad taste blows over cuz this crap is the worst.

the bs in the co main event was absurd. who the hell is the Nevada state athletic commissioner. how many years experience does this guy have? probably like 15 plus years and the guy doesn't no what the heck is going on. prolly because the fight are potentially rigged. the sport is getting stupid. ppvs need to stop for real . they might be messing up the sport. why cant they make same amount of money on regular tv? wouldnt more people be watching. or cant they at least make the fights cheaper is not a guarantee satisfaction thats for sure. ill keep wishing hopefully all the people streaming the fight continue to do it make ppvs go extinct.

 

No, the complete opposite. Whether the last punch was low or not, the stoppage was justified. Ward before that round had taken control of the fight, Kovalev was tiring, Ward landed several clean body shots that affected Kovalev, then landed that huge right that hurt and wobbled Kovalev, and he was then folding over and looking for a place to hide, then the follow up attack, then the Ward uppercut to the navel area just below the belt as Kovalev was kneeling down, which Kovalev sat down on the ropes from, giving the ref the impression he was not fit to continue. And he additionally didn't immediately protest or seem shocked. I only think the ref should've given Kovalev a count. Odd and unfortunate that it had to end that way, but because of how the fight and previous minute went the stoppage was JUSTIFIED. It wasn't about a low blow.

Compare it to Duran-Buchanan. Duran was dominating Buchanan, Buchanan was tiring badly, Duran stunned Buchanan several times, if he didn't win a rout of a decision he was going to stop Buchanan anyway, then at the end of the 13th he lands a low blow that Buchanan can't recover from, and in that case it was an obvious balls shot. There was plenty of controversy about the ending, but the talk since is mostly just that there should've been a rematch. Because of what happened in the ring before the ending on a low blow no one clamoured for a DQ, or changing the result.