Unfortunately, I don't expect a great match. I know that my attitude would be unpopular one, but I am sure that I am right. Everyone can watch/rewatch Kovalev-Chilemba and all Ward's matches at 175. I am afraid it could be something like Mayweather-Pacquiao (the great expectation, only).
For someone with such a continuing reputation, Andre Ward's record over the last 4 or 5 years is astonishingly pathetic. You have to go back to the Froch fight in 2011 to find a solid win. Or 2012 and the Dawson fight. Even the Dawson win didn't prove much since Dawson was fighting at a lighter weight than he'd fought for almost 7 years! Ward might have a lot left in the tank but there's scant evidence of it. I can't see how people still rate him so highly. Kovalev is past his prime but they say power is the last thing to go, and he's always been a puncher.
How is Kovalev past his prime? Hell, how is Ward past his prime? If Hopkins can rule a division at 45, Mayweather can slap around a 20 something at 37, and Marquez can KO his nemesis at 40 who's to say when someone's prime end's. Manny just bulldozed Rios and Algieri both in their 20s and beat around on a 32 year old Bradley after losing to a guy 3 years older than him. Now e is about to batter around another 20 year old. Manny hates fighters in their 20s. It angers him.
If you can't tell that Hopkins was better in the late 90s then you're blind. If you can't tell that Pacquiao was better from like 03-09 then you're blind.
You can compare Ward (2011, 2012) and recent version and you will notice a difference. Compare Kovalev (2014, 2015) with Chilemba version, and you will see...Hopkins is different kind of human being...Mayweather, too...
