By Jaime Ortega: Andre Ward versus Sergei Kovalev is without cast of doubt the fight of the year. Both boxers are undefeated and present different characteristics that make the clash an epic one – possibly a trilogy series depending on how it ends. The light heavyweight division badly lacked the crux of a super-bout and finally after many years — it is here.
Adonis Stevenson is probably the biggest duck in the sport of boxing today. He and his team have avoided a unification bout with Kovalev for a few years now. Stevenson is going to regret not clashing heads with Kovalev — if Artur Beterbiev a knockout machine and a superb boxer — decides to challenge the current WBC title holder.
Beterbiev will clash with the winner of Kovalev vs Ward, or simply snatch Stevenson’s belt. Beterbiev will destroy Stevenson; on the other hand, it is highly possible Stevenson will duck Beterbiev like he did with Kovalev and simply vacate the belt.
Most fans believe Ward will outbox Kovalev for 12 rounds and win via Unanimous Decision, but that might not be the case given the history of pugilism. The general rule in boxing is that skills overlap power – this is actually true for a vast majority of cases – but they are exceptions to every rule; certain power-punchers can pierce through highly skillful boxers without much of a problem.
Do boxing fans remember watching Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore versus Rocky Marciano? Charles was one of the most skillful boxers to ever exist. He had a great jab, good defense and great timing. Few heavyweight boxers today have his ability on the ring; however, when
he fought Marciano, Marciano catapulted his devastating punches and greatly punished Charles, who kept trying unsuccessfully to avoid contact. Charles got knocked out being overall the superior boxer.
Moore was a boxing prodigy and the inventor of the defensive cross—that boxers like Errol Spence Jr., use to this day – a technique hard to master. Moore had great adaptability and akin Charles, he mastered his craft; Moore was one of the best fighters to ever live. Yet when he fought Marciano, his skills did not save him from the constant onslaught the Italian-American executed on the ring that led to a slow but brutal knockout.
Marciano was a unique high tempo boxer, who had Popeye power. Unlike conventional wisdom, Marciano was not a natural heavyweight, he started as super-middle weight at one point in his career. He was known as “rocky” because his body was like rock, hard to knockout. He also had a great chin that could take devastating punches –which made him all the more difficult to defeat.
If Marciano would had met Ward on the light heavyweight division 60 years ago —Andrew Ward would had not lasted two rounds because unlike Joey Walcott, Charles, Joe Louis or Moore —Ward cannot rely on his power to win but only on his craft. His shots might sting, but it won’t puncture Kovalev.
Kovalev has power a few notches below Marciano’s level. It is hard to tell whether or not kovalev could ‘Krush’ opponents like Marciano, or even beat Marciano at light heavyweight during the 50’s – I don’t think he would stand a chance against Marciano. A few skeptics point to Floyd Mayweather’s victory against Many Pacquiao as the blueprint. Ward is not Floyd Mayweather, and Kovalev is not Many Pacquiao; Pacquiao couldn’t handle Mayweather’s jab because his reach was a disadvantage. Kovalev has reach, power and speed. Reach plays a crucial factor in boxing and his power is the
cherry on top the cake.
The point is Kovalev has significant power to offset any opponent no matter his skill level. Once he catches his opponent with a straight right, the tables turn and no strategy works. Ward is a super middleweight moving to a bigger division. This is not Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier – Ward does not poses the lighting hand speed that Ali or Roy Jones were blessed with – he is significantly slower and stationary. He also doesn’t slip punches like he used too; in fact, he doesn’t move his head enough to avoid counters.
Kovalev has the aggression and power to knockout Ward – and I think he will knockout the American in the middle rounds. Ward will clinch Kovalev and try to neutralize his rhythm and power, but it won’t work because Ward’s power is inefficiently sufficient to stop the Russian’s onslaught, who will fight in the outside.
Jean Pascal’s first fight with Kovalev was brutal, Pascal landed serious bombs in Kovalev’s face and it didn’t deter the Russian’s rhythm nor his aggression. The moment Ward gets clipped, the fight will favor Kovalev. It is very unlikely that the fight last 12 rounds.
More dangerous than Kovalev is his arch-nemesis Beterbiev. Beterbiev is the incarnation of Marciano, and the most dangerous boxer at 175. Beterbiev will knockout Ward, Kovalev, Stevenson and Vyacheslav Shabranskyy in great fashion — he is no hype job, he is the real deal – no one comes close at light heavyweight and he beat Kovalev in the amateurs in Russia.
