Abel Sanchez says he asked Kovalev to leave because he was "stubborn" and "difficult to train"

What about Kovalev's incessant rabbit-punching and chokeholds he was applying on Ward? Neither of those guys were Little Lord Fauntleroy in the ring. Funny how some "objective" people only saw one guy bending the rules in that fight. Kovalev got beat and there should be no excuses because Ward didn't fight any "dirtier" than Kovalev.

 

A week ago he was near the top of your P4P lists. Now he is a bum. You guys are the worst kind of fans.

 

A smarter version would have needed to hit Ward low and risk the biased ref to start deducting points.

 

This is the exact ignorant knuckle head mentality that stops fighters evolving and making adjustments.

 

Had Ward won fairly then you might have a point.

 

I don't have to go along with your claimed inability to see low blows and your approval of referee bias and unfair stoppages.

 

Not you don't you also don't have to stop focusing on the negatives making excuses while ignoring Andre wards high level of ring IQ and adaptability.

 

By taking everything the ref would give him. Kovalev was having a lot of success scoring with the jab and Ward wasn't doing much offensively early on (ultimately, that's how I had Kovalev up at the point of the stoppage), but Andre would do some bodywork. When he noticed he could get away with borderline and low shots, he'd slip them in more frequently. That not only sapped Kovalev's energy, but it got Kovalev focused on the wrong things, which in turn created more opportunities for Ward.

I don't love the tactics, but it was smart on Andre's behalf.

Kovalev should've picked up on that and tried to retaliate instead of looking for Weeks to help him after multiple times. Even if he'd been deducted points or DQ'd, that would've exposed unfair reffing bias better, and it'd have been less damaging to his career than what actually happened.

 

The ref didn't stop the fight after a barrage of rabbit punches against Ward. If he had, then you would be singing a different song.

 

His stamina is the biggest issue. His body simply can't hold up in a gruelling, physical high paced fight.

 

I was never high on kovalev he is a unbelievable puncher but lacks elite level stamina

In a big elite level championship fight his body can't take it he tires he EVEN got tired against a 51 year old Hopkins

To beat kovalev is you frustrate him make him miss get him in the 5th round and he is there for the taking he cant defend he can throw shots because he has no energy

 

lol Too bad Kovalev doesn't have your stamina.

 

By taking everything that a biased ref would give him he robbed himself of a clear clean win and cannot expect the fair-minded people who were watching to give him full credit. You reap what you sow and Ward is no exception.

 

There is no stamina after getting a fist slammed into your nuts. Even a skinny woman can make any man double over like that if she hits him there.

 

Unfortunately that is NOT what we saw happened. That is your wishful thinking version.