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

That's an excellent point on the ref being old or slow and maybe others too lazy to just use their hands to separate in order to provide a boundary for fighters during a break. Byd was moving like a snell.

 

I didn't see any inside game from ward. I began to think he has a background in amateur wrestling.

 

You're asking way too much on here mate,being objective isn't one of the forums strong points anymore,you wanna try asking what happens between GGG v Canelo?depending which side you're on its usually ends in one killing the other when the objective would simply say they're both tough and chances are it's close fight?

 

There wasn't any inside fighting going on,Ward would jab n charge in and either SK had him in a head lock or ward was clinching,he got a few shots as they were separated,I'm quite sure Kovalev could fight well on the inside if he and Ward were both head to head breathing down each other's necks but what the op is talking about is not inside fighting,it's wrestling and it was initiated as soon as Ward realised that Kovalev really came to box?

 

Ward is one the best inside, Kov was very smart holding him the ref allowed to happens Ward is capable of beating anybody in a close quarter is a part of his game.

 

Lunging in too close to throw effective punches is hardly worth celebrating. It was a desperate, sloppy tactic employed by SOB to avoid taking punishment on the outside. Ward is extremely overrated as a inside fighter. I suggest you watch Duran to see true inside fighting skills (you'll probably wet your pants). There isn't much you can do to repel such primitive tactics. I think Kovalev reacted appropriately.

 

hopefully there are less headlocks and clinching in the rematch

 

If you didn't see the inside game, I think you should watch closer. Ward got a lot of body shots off on the inside, off the clinch, and while going inside. He barely fought from the outside, after catching a few stiff jabs. You can see the tone of the fight change in the 5th round when Ward starts cutting the distance and getting inside. He got really good body work done. While kovalev was trying his hardest to hold on and disrupt the inside game, brehs.