Big, strong, natural 175-pounder couldn't hang with little Andre on the inside?

Before the fight alot of people thought ward had to fight on the inside to win. He really tried, but they were short because kov ended the attack with his own wrestling tactics. So they spend most of the time fighting at kov distance which means he imposed his will on ward.

 

Ward did his best work from the outside and Kovalev negated much of the inside.

Duva is just having a cry, Kovalev could have got the nod but Ward kept on nicking rounds and they all added up

 

Are you talking about the same "small" Ward that won the light heavyweight gold in the olympics 12 years ago?.

 

Andre Ward isn't small nor is he glass chinned. Why can't people be objective about things?

 

Are you kidding me, you claim GGG isn't a big 160lber when he is gigantic at the weight but Ward isn't a small 175lber?

GTFOH Kovalev was far bigger than Ward he looked atleast 1 weight class bigger

 

Ward only went up for the olympics so Dirrell could fight at 165

GGG fought @ 165lbs 20 years ago and some clowns on here claim he's a natural welterweight

 

He clearly isn't a natural WW. That doesn't make him a giant MW.

 

If he was a small LHW he'd be able to make 168 which by his own admission he isn't sure if he can do anymore. He's a solid 175 fighter. Kov is the bigger man, but that doesn't make Ward small. Just makes Kov kind of large.

 

I think the OP was being sarcastic.

If so, it's a good point. Why couldn't this big bully dig in and FIGHT ward on the inside? especially late on.

Both Jackson and Hunter recognised the flaw in the way Kovalev approached this and both are planning to work on this aspect for the rematch.

 

That's exactly what Jackson thought... But he also said 'out strengthing' ward wasn't the best way to go about it. And it showed towards the last 4-5 rounds.

 

Last night proved that Kovalev can't fight on the inside for chit

 

Ward was just more tenacious on the inside and was more willing to try and throw punches after breaking out of a clinch...Kovalev couldn't be bothered with all the wrestling on the inside...

Ref wasn't doing anything or even capable of breaking them so it was just an ugly clinchfest half the time.

This is a big problem in boxing...sometimes you need a big physical ref to break them but half the time you get a small or old man.

Kovalev likes to work his way inside and have some space whereas Ward can still fight in them very close quarters

I don't think they really engaged in any true inside fighting because the work only came during a clinch break. Doesn't help when the ref tells them to break it up then the guy who loosens up gets punished by the guy who punches in the moment of break.