Official 2016 Boxing Thread: 11/5/2016 - Vargas/Pacquiao Top Rank PPV.

[Frostbite]

 

This controversial win doesn't raise Ward's profile, if anything it diminished it.

Stop it, man. If you're letting a decision that Ward had no control over negate the fact that he went up in weight to fight the best fighter IN HIS PRIME and stood toe-to-toe with him then I don't know what to tell you.

  Chest to chest, maybe.

Ward was gifted that win......it wasn't earned. He was clinching way too much. The judging was terrible and so was the ref.

How do you allow a fighter to clinch that often and even damn near tackle his opponent multiple times and not give out a single warning? It was ridiculous.

And to top it off, all 3 judges gave him the 12th round. He landed a couple shots in the 1st minute and nothing after that. Just some very accurate and damaging hugs.

What a joke.

I doubt he'll risk a rematch, but if it happens, it needs to be in NY or somewhere neutral with more diversity within the judges. 3 americans for this type of fight? Naw, son......even the announcers knew that probably played a hand into the BS decision.

 

[Bobby Layne]

Loma 

 

 

[nermindee]

kovalev robbed...

ward DID NOT do more to be called the winner.

loma and walters should be a good one.

 

[gunna get it]

There will be a re match bc Kathy diva insisted it be in the contract. She said before the fight they will exercise the clause and again post fight.

This may be an immediate re-match too.

GGG Looking like small potatoes when I watched these guys.

Let's do this again. Great fight

 

[lightweight champion]

Rounds 1 & 2 were definitively Kovalev's. 7, 9, & 11 were definitively Ward's. It was hard to call just about every middle round. 10 & 12 had a lot of momentum swings. Excellent fight from 2 of the Top 5 P4P fighters in the world. I'm glad it did not disappoint.

 

[Mr.Guy]

Kovalez looked good in the earlier rounds, but he faded towards the end. I don't see how Ward was gifted a W. Dude def won the fight.

 

[AEA18]

Everybody should re-watch the fight on mute

 

[dat dude chris]

Just finished the fight...Ward should have lost

 

[Kaleo15]

Kovalez looked good in the earlier rounds, but he faded towards the end. I don't see how Ward was gifted a W. Dude def won the fight.

Because Ward did not do enough to take all belts from Kovalev.

If you don't think this was predetermined if it went 12. Then I don't know what else to tell you.

 

[dat dude chris]

Lampley & Ledermans bias for Kovalev was disgusting in that fight btw :x

At least Max & Roy were trying to be fair

Always liked Lamp but damn he was kinda annoying & after Lederman gave the 9th rd to Kov, i couldn't take him seriously anymore

 

[nymets207]

Max & Roy bias for Ward was probably worse than Jim's bias for Kovalev [emoji]128514[/emoji]. Great fight, thought the knockdown should've made the difference. Add in the fact that Kovalev was the champion and Ward didn't win enough clear rounds, wrong decision IMO

 

[kingfoamnyc]

They didnt even show the knockdown on the ESPN highlights, I wonder why [emoji]129300[/emoji]

 

[dat dude chris]

They didnt even show the knockdown on the ESPN highlights, I wonder why [emoji]129300[/emoji]

ESPN barely covers boxing these days. They prob showed 2 punches, the decision & moved on

 

[mr highness]

Everybody should re-watch the fight on mute

I bet you think Bradley won the first fight vs Pacquiao too right?

 

[gunna get it]

I felt the only difference in an otherwise even fight was the 10-8 2nd round for Kovalev

 

[polosanddunks]

I knew I should of watched the fight on mute also

 

[dchozn1]

So because Ward survived the "storm" means he won the fight?

What did Ward do to Kov to show the fans why HE deserved the belts?

And please don't say he showed us he can survive. A 50 year old Hopkins showed he can survive better!

I can't speak for all fans, but for myself Ward weathering the storm and to turn that fight around in his favor is noteworthy. Kov success in the early rounds, doesn't take away what Ward did after the fact. It was a close fight to which Ward was awarded all the close rounds that could have gone either way. The rounds that were close Ward was making his comeback, getting stronger, landing cleaner shots, more confident and Kov was getting gassed and not looking as good in the early going. Just making a case for Ward since I see some are saying Kov was robbed which I disagree with. 

 

[Kaleo15]

So because Ward survived the "storm" means he won the fight?


What did Ward do to Kov to show the fans why HE deserved the belts?


And please don't say he showed us he can survive. A 50 year old Hopkins showed he can survive better!

I can't speak for all fans, but for myself Ward weathering the storm and to turn that fight around in his favor is noteworthy. Kov success in the early rounds, doesn't take away what Ward did after the fact. It was a close fight to which Ward was awarded all the close rounds that could have gone either way. The rounds that were close Ward was making his comeback, getting stronger, landing cleaner shots, more confident and Kov was getting gassed and not looking as good in the early going. Just making a case for Ward since I see some are saying Kov was robbed which I disagree with. 

But don't you think, that if any rounds were super close that it could go each way.... The Defending Champs gets the edge?

If you're like "ehhh its' 50/50, they both look good in that round" Then surely, you would give the round to the Champ right?

 

[Air Pope]

They didnt even show the knockdown on the ESPN highlights, I wonder why [emoji]129300[/emoji]

ESPN barely covers boxing these days. They prob showed 2 punches, the decision & moved on

ESPN should not be your go-to place for boxing highlights

 

[dchozn1]

But don't you think, that if any rounds were super close that it could go each way.... The Defending Champs gets the edge?

If you're like "ehhh its' 50/50, they both look good in that round" The surely, you would give the round to the Champ right?

Why? Just because he's the champ doesn't mean he automatically win close rounds. 

 

[monstar]

Ward really got his bell rung in that fight if he said he hadn't been dropped before this fight

Both guys got dropped by the same dude

Andre initiated a lot of clinching as well. I just couldn't score a close round to a guy that gets one punch off and immediately goes for a clinch and punches in the clinch. I'd have to score it for the guy pushing the fight if it's a toss up round IMO.

I need you to rewatcj the fight. You can't initiate a clinch and be in a head lock lol. Every time ward came inside kovalev made sure to tie him up to keep things at range where kovalev is dangerous. It was later in the fight where kovalev energy was drained BC he wasn't man handling ward like he was in round 1-3 .both guys clinched but im happy Byrd let them work out of it. The in fighting was where ward had the clear advantage. Ward is real smart man he fought a fight of attrition and really stuck to the gameplan.

But don't you think, that if any rounds were super close that it could go each way.... The Defending Champs gets the edge?

If you're like "ehhh its' 50/50, they both look good in that round" The surely, you would give the round to the Champ right?

I don't get the issue if the rounds could go either way then ward absolutely has a chance to win.I really think that people are caught up in reputations. A striaght right hand or jab for kovalev is considered a powershot by many BC it has put so many down.many of you have a bias of calling ward a holder (not the man I quoted specially).

Kovalev should honestly kick himself for not having a kovalev performance. The man only landed straights that were significant, did little bodywork and stopped cutting the ring off. First time I've seen that from him. If he does those things I don't think the fight goes the distance. He was actually the stronger man but his stamina failed him later in the fight

 

[Kaleo15]

But don't you think, that if any rounds were super close that it could go each way.... The Defending Champs gets the edge?


If you're like "ehhh its' 50/50, they both look good in that round" The surely, you would give the round to the Champ right?

Why? Just because he's the champ doesn't mean he automatically win close rounds. 

Because that's how it's always been.

So why does the Challenger get the edge? If it's such a close call that it could go either way, why would you give it to the Challenger?

Even call it a draw, atleast Kovalev gets to keep his belts.

 

[dchozn1]

Because that's how it's always been.

So why does the Challenger get the edge? If it's such a close call that it could go either way, why would you give it to the Challenger?

Even call it a draw, atleast Kovalev gets to keep his belts.

If the challenger does enough in a close round to sway the judges and gets edge in the round fine, same for the champion. The theory of just because your the champ you are afforded the luxury of winning close rounds because of your status entering the fight I just don't understand I guess.. 

 

[Air Pope]

Because that's how it's always been.


So why does the Challenger get the edge? If it's such a close call that it could go either way, why would you give it to the Challenger?


Even call it a draw, atleast Kovalev gets to keep his belts.

If the challenger does enough in a close round to sway the judges and gets edge in the round fine, same for the champion. The theory of just because your the champ you are afforded the luxury of winning close rounds because of your status entering the fight I just don't understand I guess.. 

Never understood that either. But it is what it is.

 

[Kaleo15]

Because that's how it's always been.


So why does the Challenger get the edge? If it's such a close call that it could go either way, why would you give it to the Challenger?


Even call it a draw, atleast Kovalev gets to keep his belts.

If the challenger does enough in a close round to sway the judges and gets edge in the round fine, same for the champion. The theory of just because your the champ you are afforded the luxury of winning close rounds because of your status entering the fight I just don't understand I guess..

Majority of the people watching had Kovalev winning. So yeah, I'm sure that theory still stands.

You gotta take it from the Champ! Everyone knows that.

If it can go "either way" then that means the challenger didn't do enough to persuade your decision.