Serious question- did anyone score the fight on Sat for the guy they wasn't rooting for...

I wanted Ward to win, I favoured him in some 50-50 rounds based on nothing, yet I still scored the card 115-112 for Kov. Go figure.

 

I was hoping for a Kovalev win and scored it 114-113 to Ward, but as I've said a thousand times - the margins in this fight were so minute. In a couple of razor close rounds, I felt Ward's work was just slightly better, but could easily see it the other way and end up with a score of 114-113/115-112 Kovalev.

 

Yeah, I was rooting for Kovalev but I felt like he didn't do enough later in the fight, lacked urgency, and let it slip away. I thought Ward by a round was about right, was a bit frustrated with Kovalev.

If you're going to try and win rounds by being the aggressor you need to throw more IMO. As evidenced by the KD he could have had success by throwing with Ward and trusting his power would mean he came out on top. Getting stuck in a jab and grab fest suited Andre.

Also feel like in a rematch Ward would win wider as he seemed to have figured Kovalev out and was timing him by the end.

 

Went into this fight as a fan of both men. When it looked like Kov was gonna steamroll Ward I started consciously pulling for Ward, and awarding all the close rounds to him. I still scored it 7-5 Kovalev though, and the KD was the cherry on top. I tried making a case for 6-6 (which would've still gone Kov's way), but felt like I was being biased.

I have watched it twice since. Kovalev won in my mind, and the injustice has pushed Kovalev up in my estimation, and Ward down in my estimation, due to his post fight arrogance. He used to be a really cool dude, but him and Virgil are really downplaying Kovalev and not being respectful. I don't like that.

 

This.

Once ward figured out kov he outboxes him and made him miss.

 

Crowd noise is a reason in itself to turn off sound because you get oohs and ahhs at nothing punches when a crowd is rooting for a home town guy. Ive seen countless fights like that where fans get excited over missed or blocked punches it has nothing to do with who is actually winning the fight itself. Again based on the rules of boxing ,Ward didn't win that fight and shouldn't have because he wasn't the champion ,no challenger deserves to get titles without winning decisively and he didn't do that,if you arguably make 4 even rounds where does Ward win anyway? Because I see 2 close rounds before the 7th and 2 after? With a knock down to Kovalev.

 

YES. I wasn't necessarily rooting for Ward but I thought he would win by UD (inside fighting, circling). I ended up giving the fight to Kov in the 12th round. Was a close round though so no problem with outcome.

 

I wasn't rooting for either fighter. I tuned in fully expecting a great fight.
Thought it was a tossup going into the fight.
A much anticipated fight for me. Two fighters at or near their prime and that's a rarity these days.

I scored the fight handily and clearly for Kovalev, 117-110. Never got the sense in any point in the fight that Ward was ever comfortable doing what he was doing.
To me, Kovalev was on point and fighting to his game plan for at least 80% of the fight.

 

I'm honestly a fan of both, wanting Ward to win because he's supposed to be the face of American boxing atm, and Kov, because he's a true, blue collar fighter and the people's champ. You gotta be completely neutral in order to score a fight fairly. This had shades of Marquez-Pacquiao 1, but it wasn't as close. Big props for Ward's comeback, if this went 15 Ward might have a solid argument, but he didn't score enough IMO, Kov built a huge lead.

 

Yep! I gave Kovalev the first 6 rounds. Don't really see what many point out that Ward made this big comeback.
The last 6 rounds were split on my card, 3 rounds a piece.

I think people judged the 2nd half of the fight weighing the rounds based on how well Kovalev had won the first half.
Kovalev not meeting those same standards to them meant he didn't get the round, which is an erroneous way to score rounds.

 

I was rooting for the the guy punching the other guy.

 

Scored it for Ward. Didn't care either way.

I had more respect for Ward's skill set and accomplishments going in, but on the other hand Kovalev was easier to sympathize with (inferior purse, does not talk about God...).

In the end though I feel that the biggest issue with this forum is that a lot of people are way too invested in certain fighters. I appreciate boxing as a whole - and a good fight - more than any specific fighter. Obviously I have the occasional favourite, but not the extent where it clouds my judgement completely and makes me act like a disappointed Bieber-fan if things doesn't go my way...

Kovalev - Ward

10-9
10-8
10-9
9-10
9-10
9-10
9-10
9-10
9-10
10-9
9-10
10-9

113-114