Most people understandably see tomorrow night’s big fight between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward as a classic Boxer Vs. Puncher showdown. Kovalev, the world light-heavyweight ruler, is the puncher, Ward, the former dominant super-middleweight king, the boxer. But is there a chance their roles could be swapped in Las Vegas?
Ward, as quoted by BBC Sport, suggests as much, stating how “we will see who is the puncher” in this fascinating match-up. Ward warned how Kovalev, should he make any mistakes in the early going of what has been called by many the biggest fight of 2016, will “be made to pay.”
“He can be dropped and he can be knocked out,” Ward said of “Krusher.” If Ward does surprise everyone by coming out as the aggressor and if he manages to hurt Kovalev, will we see the powerful Russian adopt the boxing skills he does possess? Back in 1981, when puncher Tommy Hearns met boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, Hearns became the boxer after being tagged and being hurt. We will of course be very fortunate if we see as good a fight as that welterweight classic, but maybe tomorrow’s fight will not unfold the way most expect it to.
How enormously impressive would it be if Ward, 30-0(15) were able to stop Kovalev; impressive enough to see the unbeaten 32-year-old take the top spot, pound-for-pound? On the other hand, but perhaps even more unlikely – what praise would Kovalev receive if he managed to outbox Ward! How shocking would that be?
Plenty of people see Kovalev-Ward as a tough to call 50-50 fight. But whoever wins, fans will be happy enough if they get a good, entertaining fight. The way both fighters are talking – Kovalev, 30-0-1(26) stating how he wants to “destroy” Ward – the twists and turns in the plot should indeed prove entertaining.
Prediction: there will be no KO, expected (from Kovalev, by some fans) or unexpected (from Ward). “SOG” by close decision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiMrp9-6blE