Kovalev admits Ward was the better man in the rematch, compliments his professionalism.

He said Ward fought better in the rematch, meaning Ward improved his performance in their second fight.He also mentions he fought with TWO men, meaning the referee enabling Ward's dirty pubic punches which changed the outcome of the fight.

 

I was going for Kov and I didn't like the low blows but he was not going to win another round. He should have just moved on after the first fight.

 

Great to here it.

 

A step in the right direction. Not a full excuse and gave Ward some credit. I'm sure this took a lot for Kov to admit. Bout time he showed some decent character.

 

Exactly kovalev has been the big tough guy for a very long time now, For him to even just a little bit give ward this credit speaks volumes, That would not have been easy for him to do especially after a loss. Gotta give respect where its due.

That said if you talk **** you also gotta man up and take all the memes etc people will post after you get whooped, Its part of the game, like Spence eating chocolate brownies, some of us are savages. Its how the game go

 

Real sour taste after that stoppage. Kovalev was a bit dazed after the great shot from previously from Ward, but if the correct call was made and Ward was deducted and SK was given as much time as needed to recover, he's weathered the storm from that round, 1 up on my card at least, but drawn and up on the judges. The fights now back open, SK isn't going to want to take anymore to the body, and maybe start using more pressure and throwing bombs.

His jab was certainly supreme in the fight. Ward was brilliant as well, and the stoppage has ruined what could have been a brilliant fight.

 

Like Ward did in their first fight you mean.

 

That's all he had to do. Ward didn't discredit him. Why discredit a top opponent? Don't worry about what Wards "hanger ons" have to say. All they do is talk.

 

He said in the post fight presser that ward wasn't the best hes fought either, but couldn't name who was better lol, Come on man, There is no doubt ward is the best he you've faced, Man up and just admit it, i understand kovalevs mentality, he finds it hard to admit that ****, but until you do, you don't get the respect and you open your self up to be clowned.

But anyway it seems like hes taken a step in the right direction since then which is a good sign. Hopefully some of his fan boys will do the same.

I don't have any beef with kovalev fans that want to protest the stoppage etc, i only have beef with the ones that won't admit and give ward credit for what he did in that ring prior to the final few shots, Ward had him folded over with legal shots and he then held back because kovalev was protesting to the ref, then he had had him rocked and doing a little dance from a big right hand, kovalev was in serious trouble. Ward was coming on strong and he was fading fast, That fight was only going to end one way in my eyes bar a miracle.

Regardless of any shots that "may" have been low, ward came into his own and was in full control by round 8, This deserves respect and acknowledgement. The same way kovalev disagrees with the stoppage hes given ward props for the way he fought the fight, i respect that, and i respect his fans that do the same.

But the other fan boys who only want to focus on the stoppage and are not willing to give ward his just do, **** yall

 

I'm always prepared to cut a fighter some slack after a loss. It's not like losing a football match, where the team carry the can, or a tennis match in a season where you might play dozens of games and many against the same opponent. No, boxing is different in the sense a fighter takes a sporting loss but also a huge dent to his machismo and ego. He'll know deep down he lost to the better man on the night and his look of resignation in the first few seconds after the stoppage spoke volumes. But he's never going to come out and say that.

He's still a great fighter and talented boxer and a real close match to Ward, which is setting the bar as high as you can. I question his dedication between fights and his training as once again in the furnace of a close fight his stamina was shown to be an issue, which of course, is partly why Ward worked the body.

So what if his compliments were backhanded? I think most of us would be the same. Fighters need utter self-belief and to carry on with his career he needs to reframe what happened otherwise that nugget of doubt will erode him at elite level, whereas I'm sure he can regroup and win belts again. But he does need to move on from Ward, as obsessing will do him no good at all.

 

See? Love both these guys. Props to the Krusher and look forward to seeing him back in the ring when he's done vacationing.

 

Yea he fought with two men, Ward and his inner demons. He has himself solely to blame for his loss. He is coming around past the denial state. He needs time to admit solely the loss is his only.

 

Fake News.
Thread title: "Ward is better man in the rematch."
Actual quote: "Ward was better in rematch"