Tag Archives: events

Posted on 04/05/2017

A Case of Revenge or the Same Result? Ward vs. Kovalev II
By: Kirk Jackson

In a bout titled “NO EXCUSES,” Andre Ward 31-0 (15 KO’s) defends his light heavyweight titles against the man who previously reigned over the division with iron fists – Sergey Kovalev 30-1-1 (26 KO’s).

After talks of retirement from Ward, talks of frustration from both fighters revolving around many things, and trash talk amongst each other, the time for talk is over and the time to resume the battle of supremacy of the light heavyweight division will continue.

The rematch is set for Saturday, June 17th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.

I'm going to keep it short & sweet, you got what you asked for, now you have to see me JUNE 17. This time leave the excuses at home. #EARNEDpic.twitter.com/rw5UCjKuwo

— Andre S.O.G. Ward (@andreward) April 4, 2017

Kovalev in vengeful fashion responded to Ward’s tweet stating, “Be ready motherf***er! I’ll finish your boxing career!”

Further elaborating, the no.2 ranked pound-for-pound fighter according to The Ring discussed the importance of this fight.

“I’m glad to know that rematch will happen. I really hope that Andre Ward will get into the ring for this rematch. Fans of boxing will see the real Krusher–the one they have missed for couple of my last fights. For me this rematch is very important as no other bout in my entire boxing career. Thanks a lot to all of boxing fans,” said Kovalev.

It’s obvious the two fighters have strong dislike for one another. At the top of any sport or profession, there will be competition; rivalries developed and strong emotions may play out in the midst of competition between the opposing parties.

There was a time when some people of the boxing community questioned if the rematch between Ward and Kovalev would surface.

Many questioned Ward’s desire to fight Kovalev again; citing the controversy of the original decision, along with Kovalev’s punching power reasons not to mix it up again with the man from Russia.

What many of the doubters failed to realize is the contractual obligations between Kovalev and Ward’s teams. There is a rematch clause in the contract that must be honored and a breach of contract may come with many ramifications.

It may also be argued that the victor of the initial bout (Ward) was frustrated with the network’s lack of promotion and may have felt his performance and recognition of his ability was undermined.

The HBO commentary team was critical of his performance and Ward may feel he does not get the same leeway or appreciation some of his HBO contemporaries (Gennady Golovkin, Roman Gonzalez)receive despite his success in the ring.

Ward is the last American male to win an Olympic gold medal and a five time world champion across two weight classes.

Having won the first fight controversial or not, Ward’s team holds leverage with the negotiation process. They exercised their leverage and thankfully the rematch is on.

The magnitude of this match is significant. This bout between Kovalev and Ward not only features the best fighters in the light heavyweight division (No disrespect to Adonis Stevenson), but this is a battle between arguably the best fighters p4pwith Ward and Kovalev listed in the top four on many respective lists.

Question is how will this fight play out? Will Ward pick up where he left off in the first fight? Mounting a strong attack on the inside, attacking Kovalev’s body, slowly but surely wearing down the bigger man while avoiding crushing punches?

Or will Kovalev make the adjustments against Ward? Keeping the fight at his distance (mid-range), creating offense off his potent jab, perhaps attempting to finish off Ward if he manages to hurt the defense-minded rival, leaving no doubt as to who the winner is?

Posted on 04/04/2017

Breaking: Ward-Kovalev II Is On
By: Sean Crose

“Wait for it…”

These words came from a Tweet today from light heavyweight kingpin Andre Ward. Shortly thereafter, one was able to find some major observers of the boxing world taking to the internet to declare (via sources) that a Ward rematch with Sergey Kovalev was a done deal. What’s more, the date of the rematch was said to be June 17 at the T-Mobile Arena in Vegas. Naturally, it wasbeing stated that the fight will appear via pay per view (you didn’t expect it on CBS, did you?). If word around the campfire was to be believed, a press conference announcing the much anticipated battle will occur next week.

Then, later in the afternoon, Ward tweeted the following:

I’m going to keep it short & sweet, you got what you asked for, now you have to see me JUNE 17. This time leave the excuses at home. #EARNED

Long story short…Ward-Kovalev II is on.

Ward knocked Kovalev off his light heavyweight pedestal with a highly controversial decision late last fall. It was a good, close fight, no matter how you look at it and a rematch is most certainly in order. Still, there was fear in some circles that Ward was far less than interested in facing the Russian again anytime soon.

So much for that line of thinking.

Posted on 11/22/2016

More praise and less criticism: The battle between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev
By: Kirk Jackson

Andre Ward 31-0 (15 KO’s) captured the WBA, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles from Sergey Kovalev 30-1-1 (26 KO’s), in an action-packed, highly competitive bout, with historical ramifications this past weekend.

Historic, as this fight was the seventh instance, seventh world title fight featuring two undefeated fighters with at least 30 wins each. Ward also became the seventh fighter to capture world titles at 168 and 175 lbs.

Instead of celebrating the fact we witnessed two truly great fighters; each fighter exercising their skills in a highly competitive bout and displaying why each fighter is highly regarded as a top pound for pound fighter.

Instead of reveling in the actual instance of watching two elite fighters in their prime, going back and forth as was the ebb and flow of the fight, Rocky-like if we consider the storyline and circumstances of the fight, we are talking about controversy.

We’re all entitled to our opinions, and in the United States at least, we are allowed the freedoms to express such.

With these varying perspectives and interpretations of what is witnessed, we can certainly have a difference of opinion.

Now how someone interprets a fight is subjective. But scoring rounds and scoring fights are supposed to be based on primarily four factors.

Effective Aggression: Being the aggressor may leave an impression of dominance, but the aggressor must actually “land” punches and avoid counter-punches in return, in order to truly be “effective.” Just chasing the opponent is not effective aggression.

Ring Generalship: The fighter who controls the pace of the fight; the fighter enforces his/her will and is the conductor of the action. Setting the range, establishing the distance in which the fight takes place, which can include clinching/in-fighting.

Defense: How well a boxer is blocking, parrying and slipping punches. Clinching/tying up the opponent, moving around the ring, moving from side to side, presenting different angles is considered defense. It’s not running; there is nothing stated within the rules of boxing that suggests a boxer must only step forward throwing punches. It’s important to keep in mind, good defense is just as important as offense.

Clean/Effective Punches: To the untrained eye, it can appear as if a boxer is landing a lot of punches, when in fact, most are either blocked, not landing flush or grazing punches. A judge or observer needs to look for hard punches that land clean. Hard punches can definitely constitute as effective, but a boxer should not be penalized if he/she is not a powerful puncher; again, it’s about clean, landed punches.

Truly unbiased commentary.

As former world titlist and current esteemed boxer analyst Paulie Malignaggi points out;

Kovalev missed many of his big shots and some of the punches were glancing blows. More importantly points out, the HBO commentary team, missed what was actually going on.

There were various moments in the fight where play by play commentator Jim Lampley, inaccurately called out punches, claiming they landed, while they did not indeed land at all. He even admitted this in round 11.

“Yep, I gave him [Kovalev] credit for a landed punch, but it didn’t land.”

Problem is, Lampley has a long standing history of doing so. As a boxing analyst, play by play or punch by punch boxing commentator, these kind of mistakes are unacceptable.

Question is, are these unintentional mistakes, or intentional calls to paint a narrative to go along with the intended agenda accompanying his commentary?

Harold Lederman is notorious for his bad scorecards during HBO telecasts. As Lampley was quoted as saying in round 11 of Kovalev vs. Ward, “The Lederman card is unofficial and judges often disagree with it.”

The narrative Lampley and former judge Lederman attempts to and successfully projects is the narrative of only appreciating “certain” types of fighters.

There seems to be an agenda aimed against other “certain” styles of fighter. A fighter with a slick defensive style, who is not overly aggressive with an offensive punch output, is not appreciated or even respected by their standards.

Fighters such as Erislandy Lara, Floyd Mayweather, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Bernard Hopkins, Andre Ward, and the list goes on and on. Terence Crawford, was a guy on the list they constantly criticized, until he changed his style and became more action oriented.

Guess what other trait each fighter has in common aside from their defensive acumen? Let it marinate.
Certain companies like to promote fighters who are action fighters; all out-action like the late Arturo Gatti for instance. Hence the “Gatti List” from HBO’s Lampley.

Fighters who are about constant action with no regard for defense, or guys with tremendous punching power or high punch output.

Reminiscent to former HBO broadcaster Larry Merchant, with his criticisms of fighters reluctant to openly engage in all-out slugfests.

However, it’s unfair to criticize a fighter on the basis of his/her lack of punching power. Especially at the highest competitive level of boxing, it may be more impressive for a fighter who is successful despite their lack of punching power.

It’s unfair to criticize a fighter on the basis of their style; there are no unwritten rules where it states a boxer must walk directly towards their opponent and engage in open warfare. And they must not move around or avoid punches; they must stand directly in front of their opponents and throw punches back and forth with disregard for defense and their health.

Again, these commentators openly critical of a fighter for his/her fighting style never stepped in the ring themselves; don’t have to worry about the long term effects of the damage sustained in the ring.

As a commentator, as a boxing analyst, the goal is to educate the fan, to educate and explain to the viewer what they are watching. As the well informed, there is a responsibility to go over different styles, analyzing strengths and weaknesses of each style.

That is the beauty of boxing, the sweet science. The goal should not be to force feed viewers bits of false information to fit your narrative.

It’s okay for fans to have a particular bias; not for commentators. Some observers believe Kovalev won the fight and that’s fine.

They may believe Kovalev won the fight based on total punches landed. According to CompuBox, Kovalev threw 474 punches, landed 126. Ward threw 337 punches, landed 116. 26.6 percent (Kovalev) to 34.4 percent (Ward).

So Kovalev threw 137 more punches and landed only 10 more. Also, just because more punches are landed throughout the course of the fight, this statistic does not necessarily tell the entire tale of the fight. It’s important fights are scored and tallied round by round.

Another thing to consider is some observers may not consider the inside-the-trenches work from Ward; fighting inside the clinch, landing many effective body punches. The HBO commentators surely neglected to mention the activity.

Some observers may say Kovalev chased Ward around the ring and all Ward did was run and hold.
Kovalev never cut the ring off, if he did, he would be showcasing ring generalship and would throw and land more punches. Ward was never trapped against the ropes or in the corner and he did not initiate all of the holding. There were many instances of Kovalev placing Ward in a DDT-styled head lock.

From each fighter, from each camp, of course they’ll have opposing views on what transpired and who won.
Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva expressed her disdain towards the decision after the fight.

“I knew all along this would be a close fight, but once I watched the first five or six rounds [Kovalev] was clearly dominating, Ward was backpedaling and actually looked afraid for a while there. When he knocked him [Ward] down it was so emphatic.”

“It’s close. And when it’s close like that I know you can’t yell too loud…but it’s just one of those fights where some of the rounds were so clear-cut.”

Kovalev added, “I don’t think I won only because I dropped him early. I won with my speed and power. He would touch me with the jab, and then grab. I don’t understand,” said Kovalev.

“I feel a bit uncomfortable because I don’t agree with the decision. Boxing fans saw what happened today.

Clearly understandable from their side. Duva believes in her fighter, believes he earned the decision and she is doing her diligence as his promoter. Kovalev was in the fight; it was close and should feel like he won, nothing wrong with that.

The Ward camp, had a different view of course.

“I’m pleased and I’m happy. Of course I wish it was a dominant performance in terms of the scorecards,”
said Ward. “But this was a tough victory against someone a lot of people thought would stop me. We did what we had to do, we got stronger, and I’m very happy.”

“I can’t do anything about the controversy,” Ward said.

“It was a close fight, it’s boxing. If I honestly felt I lost the fight, I would tell you guys. I would
hold my hands up and say, ‘I don’t know what happened, the judges got it wrong, I lost.’ But that’s not how I feel.”

What’s lost in the mist of complaints from Kovalev, his promoter Kathy Duva and some other spectators, was this was a truly great fight.

Ward was knocked down, behind on the scorecards and had to find a way to not only adjust to the power of Kovalev, but to the skills, safely trying to find a way implement his style of fight and enforce his mental toughness and fighter’s spirit.

Ward climbed mount Kovalev and conquered it.

Some journalists such as Larry Merchant, Steve Kim and others say this was a robbery; likening the decision to the greatest robbery since Pernell Whitaker and Julio Caesar Chavez. Some even compared it to the first encounter between Timothy Bradley and Manny Pacquiao.

Stop it.

If anyone wants to talk about robbery, why not discuss the fight between Maurice Hooker 21-0- 3 (16 KO’s) vs. Darleys Perez 33-2-2 (21 KO’s). Want to talk about bad decisions, Perez was robbed of a victory and ended up with a draw.

As a result of the decision between Ward and Kovalev, people are not giving Ward the credit he deserves, even questioning his top position as the sport’s top p4p fighter which is ridiculous.

According to the The Ring Magazine, the “Bible of Boxing,” Ward is ranked no. 4, still behind Kovalev listed as no. 2.

The Ring should reflect the results of the fight, not their interpretation of how the fight went. Going off official records and paperwork, going off Boxrec, Wikipedia, fighters book, however you want to document it, this fight goes down in the history books as a win for Ward.

The Ring did the same thing with Pacquiao with the whole Bradley fiasco of their first fight. They still had Pacquiao as the no. 1 fighter, in spite of his defeat.

But The Ring had nothing to say when Juan Manuel Marquez appeared to defeat Pacquiao in their third encounter, albeit falling short of victory according to the judges. Their p4p standings did not reflect what many interpreted in the ring as defeat for Pacquiao, even if it was not registered officially as a defeat.

According to The Ring, how they critique and fighters:

Results: This is the most objective criterion and takes precedence above all others.

Performance: How a fighter performs in a victory or defeat can be a factor to determine his place in the ratings.

Track record: A fighter’s accomplishments in the recent past can be a factor to determine his place in the ratings. That includes quality of opposition.

You see the justice there? The double standards are remarkable. Again this is the same publication that featured a mma fighter on the cover. A fighter who would ultimately lose to another mma fighter who was accomplished as a world champion boxer.

Again, both Kovalev and Ward should be applauded for their efforts in what is truly a classic.
Consider what Ward had to do and how he effectively enforced his will and skill to EARN victory over another truly great fighter.

Posted on 11/20/2016

HBO PPV Round by Round Results: Ward Edges Out Kovalev by One Point
By: William Holmes

Tonight’s main event was between Sergey Kovalev (30-0-1) and Andre Ward (30-0) and was one of the most anticipate boxing matches of 2016. Many felt that the winner of today’s bout could lay claim to the pound for pound throne.

Three bouts were televised on the undercard, and two time United States Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields was victorious on the untelevised portion of the undercard.

The Russian National Anthem as well as the United States National Anthem was performed before the boxers walked into the ring.

This fight was for the WBO, WBA, and the IBF Light Heavyweight Titles. Andre Ward entered the ring first and Kovalev entered second. The crowd seemed evenly split for both boxers.

The following is a round by round recap of tonight’s main event.

Round 1:

Kovalev comes right at Ward and throws a cross to the body of Ward. Kovalev throws a jab at the body of Ward. Ward with a jab to the body of Kovalev. Ward throws another jab to the body of Kovalev. Ward ducks under the arm of Kovalev when he throws a jab. Ward with two jabs to the body of Kovalev. Ward lands a right cross upstairs and follows it with a jab to the body. Kovalev hurts Ward with a stiff jab. Ward gets tagged with two jabs by Kovalev and then hangs on. Ward may have landed a low blow. Ward tries to get inside and Kovalev pushes him away. Kovalev lands a good jab at the end of the round.

10-9 Kovalev

Round 2:

Kovalev comes right at Ward again. Kovalev throws out two jabs and a cross to the body. Kovalev lands two short hooks to the body when Ward gets in tight. Kovalev throws a cross to the body and gets jabbed in response. Ward misses with a looping right hook. Kovalev lands another good jab I nthe face of Ward and follows it with a two punch combination. Kovalev lands an over the top right cross on Ward. Kovalev knocks Ward down with a hard right cross to the chin. Ward looks a little shocked and gets back to his feet. Kovalev lands two good jabs and a right hook. Kovalev lands another good jab and Ward is on his bike and survives the round.

10-8 Kovalev, 20-17 Kovalev

Round 3:

Ward may still be shaking his cobwebs out. Ward rushes forward and Kovalev ties up. Ward lands a right cross and goes for a takedown. Ward lands a jab to the chest of Kovalev. Kovalev lands a two punch combination and Ward ties up. They tie up again when they get in tight. Kovalev is pressing forward and Ward is fighting off his back foot. Ward lands a good jab. Ward lands a good short hook. Ward and Kovalev tie up again. Ward lands a lead left hook and follows it with a stiff jab. Ward gets tagged with a short cross by Kovalev. They tie up again.

10-9 Kovalev; 30-26 Kovalev

Round 4:

Kovalev again presses forward and Ward ties up. They’re getting rough on the inside and Kovalev backs him into the corner. Kovalev lands a short left hook on Ward. Kovalev tags Ward when he rushes forward with a hook. Kovalev lands another good right cross on Ward. Kovalev is staying out of the range of Ward. Kovalev lands a counter right uppercut and Ward answers with a jab. Ward misses with a two punch combination. Kovalev lands two good jabs on Ward.

10-9 Kovalev; 40-35 Kovalev

Round 5:

Kovalev pressing forward to start the round again and Ward circles away. Ward lands a long jab and Kovalev misses with a two punch combination. Ward ties up when Kovalev throws a jab. Kovalev with a jab to the body. Ward lands a decent body shot on Kovalev and sneaks a hook to the chin of Kovalev. Ward lands another lead left hook. Kovalev lands two jabs. Ward lands a good stiff jab on Kovalev. Kovalev is not cutting the ring off from Ward. Ward lands some body shots when they clinch up. Kovalev lands a good counter right on Ward. Stiff jab by Kovalev and Ward answers with a hard jab of his own. Ward lands another good hard jab on Kovalev. Kovalev lands a hard jab near the end of the round.

10-9 Ward; 49-45 Kovalev

Round 6:

Kovalev throws a quick lead left hook on Ward and Ward answers with a hook to the body. Ward connects with a jab to the body and then they tie up. Kovalev lands an over the top right cross and they tie up. Kovalev lands another good right cross lead. Kovalev lands a good right hand at the ear drum of Ward. Kovalev throws two jabs to the body of Ward and Ward answers with a jab to the body of his own. They clash heads when they both come forward. Kovalev lands a good two punch combination on Ward.

10-9 Kovalev, 59-54 Kovalev

Round 7:

Ward’s face is showing signs of swelling. They tie up again. Kovalev with a right hook to the body. Ward with a right hook to the body of Kovalev. Kovalev messes with a right hook and Warnd lands a good jab on Kovalev. Ward throwing jabs and crosses to the body of Ward. Ward lands a stiff jab followed by a right hand. Ward lands another hard jab on Kovalev. Ward doing some damage with his body shots. Ward lands another good jab. Kovalev ties up with Ward after getting tagged with another jab. Ward misses with a jab and Kovalev lands a hard jab of his own. Kovalev lands a stiff jab to the chin of Ward. Good round, slight edge to Ward.

10-9 Ward; 68-64 Kovalev

Round 8:

Ward throws a haymaker straight right but misses. Ward misses with a lead left hook and Kovalev ties up and pushes him back to the corner. They tie up again and Ward lands some short hooks to the body of Kovalev. Kovalev’s lead left hook gets blocked by Ward. Kovalev throws a double jab to the body. Ward lands a good jab to the chin of Ward and then lands a short hook. They tie up again by the ropes. Kovalev connects with a stiff jab and Ward lands two punches to the body of Kovalev.

10-9 Ward; 77-74 Kovalev

Round 9:

Ward rushes out to start the ninth round, but they tie up when they get close again. Ward lands two jabs to the body on Kovalev. Kovalev with a good hook to the body and lands a jab. Ward connects with a good jab followed by a two punch combination. Ward lands a hard right to the body of Kovalev and lands a ounter jab followed by a right hook. Kovalev answers with a hook of his own. They tie up by the ropes again. Ward lands a good straight right hand on Kovalev. Good exchanges this round and Ward is landing some short shots to the body.

10-9 Ward; 86-84 Kovalev

Round 10:

Kovalev gets tagged by two short right hands. Kovalev lands a left hook on Ward. Good jab by Kovalev. Kovalev with another good jab. Kovalev lands another jab. Ward throws and lands a lead left hook. Ward with a good lead left hook followed by a jab. Kovalev lands two good jabs on Ward. They both land good jabs. Kovalev lands another good jab on Ward. Kovalev connects with another jab and they both land crosses. Kovalev cracks a hard counter on Ward. They both land jabs at the same time. Ward lands a good body shot and Kovalev has a bloody nose. Kovalev tags Ward with a hard body shot and a left hook upstairs. Kovalev lands a good right hand.

10-9 Kovalev; 96-93 Kovalev

Round 11:

Ward backing away in a circle from Kovalev. They tie up again and Kovalev backs Ward up to the ropes. Kovalev lands another good jab on Ward. They both land a jab at the same time. Ward barely misses with a cross but lands the second one he throws. Kovalev misses with a jab. Ward is an elusive target this round. They both land a jab at the same time. Ward tags Kovalev with another good jab. Kovalev with another jab and Ward tags him with a flush left hook upstairs. They both land good jabs. Kovalev does look tired and slips to the mat after a push. Ward lands a vicious jab on Kovalev.

10-9 Ward; 105-103 Kovalev

Round 12:

Close fight lots of rounds could go either way. Ward opens up with a good left hook, but Kovalev answers with a hard jab and good hook. Ward lands another stiff hook on Kovalev and he looks like the fresher fighter. They tie up again and exchange punches while in tight. Ward connects with a lead left hook. Kovalev lands a few shots to the body of Ward. Ward with a short left hook to the head and body. Kovalev lands a hard left hook to the body of Ward. Kovalev lands a two punch combination and Ward ties up. Kovalev has Ward backing up to the ropes. They exchange at the end and neither lands a clean shot.

10-9 Ward; 114-113 Kovalev

The official scores were 114-113, 114-113, and 114-113 for Andre Ward.

Posted on 11/17/2016

HBO PPV Preview: Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward, Hooker vs. Perez, Chilemba vs. Gvozdyk, Stevens vs. De La Rosa
By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Roc Nation Sports and Main Events Promotions will team up to deliver one of the best fights that could be made in boxing on HBO Pay Per View. The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada will be the host site for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight Title fight between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward.

Ten fights total are featured on this card, including the highly anticipated debut of two time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields.

HBO appears to be ready to televise four fights on the pay per view, and the following is a preview of all four bouts.

Curtis Stevens (28-5) vs. James De La Rosa (23-4); Middleweights

This bout is on the pay per view card despite the fact it’s highly unlikely that either participant will be fighting for a world title in the near future.

Curtis Stevens is a fan favorite and shocked many in his last bout when he beat undefeated prospect Patrick Teixeira.

He’ll be giving up ½ inch in reach and about three inches in height to De La Rosa. However, he has faced significantly better competition and has a deep amateur background than his opponent.

De La Rosa lost his last two fights and only has thirteen knockout victories. Stevens has twenty one knockout victories and is known for delivering exciting bouts.

Both boxers only fought one time in 2016, zero times in 2015, and three times in 2014.

Stevens has beaten the likes of Patrick Teixeira, Tureano Johnson, Patrick Majewski, Saul Roman, Derrick Findley, and Elvin Ayala. He has lost to the likes of Gennady Golovkin, Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam, Andre Dirrell and Jesse Brinkley. De La Rosa has defeated the likes of Alfredo Angulo but has lost to the likes of Jason Quigley, Hugo Centeno Jr., Marcus Willis, and Allen Conyers.

Stevens has been inconsistent throughout his career, but this is a bout that he should win in a fan pleasing fashion.

Isaac Chilemba (24-4-2) vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk (11-0); Light Heavyweights

Not many boxers can claim to have lasted twelve rounds with Sergey Kovalev, and Isaac Chilemba is one of them.

However, he’s facing a highly decorated Ukranian amateur that is managed by Egis Klimas, who has an impressive stable of boxers under his control, and many consider Gvozdyk to be future world champion material.

Gvozdyk has nine stoppage victories in only eleven professional bouts and is a 2012 Summer Olympics Bronze medalist. Chilemba has ten stoppage victories in thirty professional bouts, so Gvozdyk has a clear edge in power. Chilemba also does not have the amateur experience of Gvozdyk.

Gvozdyk will be the same height as Chilemba but will also have a two and a half inch reach advantage. They are of the same age. Gvozdyk has also been considerably more active than Chilemba. He fought three times in 2016 and four times in 2015, while Chilemba only fought once in 2016 and twice in 2015.

Gvozdyk has already defeated the likes of Nadjib Mohammedi and Tommy Karpency before he has faced his twelfth opponent. Chilemba has defeated the likes of Doudou Ngumbu, Maksim Vlasov, Edison Miranda, Denis Grachev, and Vasily Lepikhin; but he has also lost to the likes of Sergey Kovalev, Eleider Alvarez, Tony Bellew, and Willbeforce Shihepo.

Chilemba is a tough opponent with a strong chin, but he’s not on the same level of technique as Gvozdyk and he doesn’t have the power to score an upset knockout.

This should be a good showcase fight for Gvozdyk to show off his skills.

Maurice Hooker (21-0-2) vs. Darleys Perez (33-2-1); Junior Welterweights

Maurice Hooker is one of the most intriguing prospects on the undercard, as his reach and height has many people comparing him to Paul Williams.

Hooker will have a four inch height advantage as well as an amazing ten inch reach advantage over Perez. He’s also six years younger than Perez.

Hooker is known for being a hard puncher and has stopped sixteen of his opponents. Perez has twenty one stoppage victories, but his best days appear to be behind him.

Hooker fought three times in 2015 and twice in 2016 while Perez fought one time in 2016 and three times in 2015.

Perez has the edge in amateur experience. He represented Columbia in the 2008 Summer Olympics while Hooker’s biggest claim to fame in the amateurs was when he won the Dallas Regional Golden Gloves Championship.

This bout is a big step up in competition for Hooker. He has defeated the likes of Ty Barnett, Wilfrido Buelvas, and Eduardo Galindo. Perez has beaten the likes of Argenis Lopez, Jonathan Maicelo, and Jaider Parra. His losses have come to Anthony Crolla and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Perez was the former WBA Lightweight champion, but he’ll be competing at a higher weight class on Saturday and will be facing a good opponent with a ridiculous reach advantage.

The ten inch reach advantage will be too much for Perez to overcome.

Sergey Kovalev (30-0-1) vs. Andre Ward (30-0); WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight Title

The main event of the night is one of the best fights that could be made in boxing today and the winner will likely have a claim to the top pound for pound spot on the mythical list.

Kovalev, at the age of 33, and Ward, at the age of 32, are nearing the end of their physical primes but neither have shown signs of slowing down inside the ring.

They both are six foot tall, but Kovalev will have a slight one and a half inch reach advantage when they are both inside the ring.

Ward has the deeper amateur background of the two as he won the Olympic Gold Medal in 2004. Kovalev also had success as an amateur and was a former Russian Champion as an amateur, but he never competed in the Olympics and was engaged intense competition with two other Russian amateur standouts, Matt Korobov and Artur Beterbiev.

Kovalev has the edge in power. He has stopped twenty six of his opponents while Ward has only stopped fifteen. However, Ward is a gifted defensive boxer and is excellent with his counters, and Kovalev often leaves himself open for counters after he throws one of his heavy combinations.

Kovalev has defeated the likes of Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, Nadjib Mohammedi, Bernard Hopkins, Blake Caparello, Nathan Cleverly, Ismayl Sillah, Cedric Agnew, and Gabriel Campillo. He has fought twice in 2015 and once in 2016.

Ward has fought twice in 2016 and once in 2015. He has defeated the likes of Alexander Brand, Sullivan Barrera, Paul Smith, Edwin Rodriguez, Chad Dawson, Carlo Froch, Artur Abraham, Sakio Bika, Allan Green, Mikkel Kessler, and Edison Miranda.

This is a tough fight for many to pick, mainly because Ward has never faced a power puncher like Kovalev and Kovalev has never faced a slick boxer like Ward.

However, Ward’s jab is his best weapon and he’ll likely use it often to keep Kovalev at bay. History has shown that a slick boxer will usually beat a power puncher if everything else is reason, and Saturday should be no different.

Posted on 11/15/2016

Why Kovalev-Ward Is Pay Per View Worthy
By: Sean Crose

First things first – Andre Ward is talented. Very talented. Supremely talented. Here is one the best combat sports athletes in the world. Just how renowned is the man called “Son of God”? Well, renowned bad boy and MMA bad ass Nate Diaz has nothing but love for the man. That’s right, the guy who shut the loudmouthed Conor McGregor up – at least temporarily – is a huge Andre Ward fan. Sure, Diaz has helped train Ward by acting as a sparring partner for the guy, but the fondness goes beyond professional courtesy. Mastery of a craft, after all, is mastery of respect.

Onto Ward’s opponent this Saturday night in Vegas, one Sergey Kovalev. The Russian light heavyweight champion is, for lack of a better word, scary. Seriously, the dude’s frightening. He seems to get off, at least at times, on hurting people, and although he’s not proud of it, he’s already killed a man due to his ring acumen. He also has a far, far greater skill set than many think he does. He’s also, for what it’s worth, a pretty good guy to speak with. Still, speaking with a guy who can literally knock you out with a jab is a far cry from having to face the man in the ring.

Make no mistake about it, Kovalev-Ward is a major fight. What’s more, it’s a relevant fight. And that’s why it’s hard for me to complain that the bout is going to be aired via pay per view rather than on pay cable. Seriously gang, if this bout doesn’t deserve to be on pay per view, then what bout does? Neither of these men may be the pound for pound best fighter on earth – but then again, one of them may indeed be. That counts for something. Or at least it should. Truth be told, the fight might not even be exciting. And honestly, I don’t care.

If Ward can slick his way past Kovalev, it will still be worth it for me. Why? Because I will see an athlete of the highest order performing at the highest level. Of course, the same will ring true if Kovalev dusts Ward in exciting fashion. Seriously, this is a no-lose situation. This fight, to me at least, sums up what boxing should be all about. In other words, it promises to answer the simple question of who the better man is. And when a question is being answered at this kind of level, you most certainly can count me in.

This here is a big one.

Posted on 10/27/2016

Interview with Isaac Chilemba: “He has picked the wrong time and wrong opponent:”

By: Matthew N. Becher

Isaac Chilemba is a contender in the Light Heavyweight Division. He is 29 years old from Malawi and lost his last fight in Russia to Sergey Kovalev. Many a pundit predicted Chilemba to be an easy opponent for Kovalev in the champs’ native country, but Chilemba proved anything but, lasting the entire fight while absorbing punches that have knocked out many a challenger before him. On November 19th, Chilemba will take on the up and coming Ukrainian Oleksandr Gvozdyk on the Kovalev v. Ward Pay per View undercard. We spoke with Isaac about his previous fight, switching trainers to Roy Jones Jr. and how he feels about becoming a gate keeper in the division.

Boxing Insider: After your last fight with Kovalev, do you feel you have a better chance at winning a title in the light heavyweight division?

Chilemba: Yes, I think that I am where I am supposed to be. I’ve put in a lot of sacrifice and a lot of time and I feel that I am super close to winning a title.

Boxing Insider: What was the reasoning for changing trainers after the Kovalev fight?

Chilemba: We had to make a decision on if we were going to stay training in Africa or if I would come back to America for training. We decided it would be better to go to America for training, for my career.

Boxing Insider: On November 19th, you will be the main undercard against former Olympian Bronze medalist Oleksandr Gvozdyk. How do you feel about performing on such a big stage? And what do you know about your opponent?

Chilemba: The stage doesn’t get to me at all. I am happy to fight anywhere, anytime. What I know about my opponent is that he was a top amateur and now is a good professional. I believe he wants to get somewhere in the boxing world. He has picked the wrong time and wrong opponent.

Boxing Insider: At 29 you are still a very young man in the fight game, but you will be seen as a gatekeeper for Gvozdyk. How does that feel?

Chilemba: I treat every opponent the same. We don’t overlook anyone, all fighters train the same. All of our goals, as fighters, is to be the best, and to be the champion. So if I’m fighting a guy with only 11 fights or a guy with 40 fights, they are all the same. He was a medalist, an Olympian, so I will treat him the same as if I was fighting a Kovalev.

Boxing Insider: Since you have been training with Roy Jones Jr. Is there anything that he has sharpened in your game plan and/or style?

Chilemba: Since training with Roy is the best thing that could happen right now. Coming up as a youth I would learn a lot of my technique watching other fighters and the fighter I watched the most video of was Roy Jones. My old trainer use to say to me “Stop that Roy Jones Shit”, he never thought that was my style. Now I am working with a guy that I look up to and he is showing me the meaning behind all the moves and why he was doing what he was doing. I believe that you will see a whole new Isaac Chilemba on the 19th of November.

Boxing Insider: So the main event is against 2 of the top pound for pound fighters in the world, and they are both in your weight class. What will the outcome be between Kovalev v. Ward?

Chilemba: I always believe that the boxer can outsmart the puncher. Kovalev is a puncher but is a very good boxer. It is very much a 50/50 game. Ward is a very smart fighter, and if he comes to box, he should be able to outbox Kovalev easily. It is very hard for me to pick a winner.

Posted on 08/11/2016

Team Kovalev, Team Ward Have “Found A Way To Move Past The Impasse”
By: Sean Crose

“We found a way to move past the impasse on the site,” Kathy Duva informed Boxing Insider this morning. “We are working hard,” she continued, “on the draft contract with the MGM Grand and the T- Mobile Arena and hope to get it signed and tickets on sale as soon as possible.”

Thus may endeth one of the more frustrating boxing stories in recent weeks – friction between Roc Nation, which represents Andre Ward, and Main Events, which represents Sergey Kovalev, in the leadup to a November light heavyweight extravaganza.

Indeed, the match, which may well be to decide who the number one pound for pound fighter in the world is in the minds of many analysts, much less light heavyweight supremacy, seemed like it may actually have been in danger of falling through. For neither Ward nor his team showed up for a press gathering this week to kick off the festivities. What’s more, Main Events honcho Kathy Duva was clearly exasperated by what she felt was Roc Nation’s dragging of its feet (willingly or not) on behalf of Ward.

The issue at hand was the impending fight’s location – which was supposed to be at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas – and it was one that immediately got the fight world buzzing as to whether the much anticipated matchup between the two top level fighters would come to fruition. Both Ward and Roc Nation, after all, have been said to be extremely difficult to deal with when it comes to making fights happen. With Thursday’s news from the Main Events team, however, it appears all is well at the moment and that things are moving as originally planned. And so, as it stands, it looks like what may be the most significant fight of the year is back on track to becoming a reality.

Ward, the 30-0 former super middleweight kingpin, has recently moved up to the light heavyweight division. By facing the hard hitting (and sneakily skilled) Kovalev, 30-0-1, the master boxer will be stepping up against a master puncher in a fight that’s hard for even the sharpest minds to predict a winner of. In short, it’s a classic stylistic matchup between two fighters who may well be at the top of their games. That’s not hyperbole, it’s just the truth.

Here’s hoping this bout sees its way through to fruition. In an age of ducking and margination, fans deserve to see a match between two fighters of this caliber.

Posted on 07/12/2016

HBO World Championship Boxing Results: Sergey Kovalev wins by Unanimous Decision
By: Matthew N. Becher

On a special Monday night edition of World Championship Boxing, HBO presented a title fight from Ekaterinburg, Russia. The fight between the WBO, IBF & WBA Light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (30-0-1 26KO) and the challenger Isaac Chilemba (26-4-2 10KO) was a homecoming for Kovalev, who last fought at the DIVS in Russia in 2011, when he defeated Roman Simakov, who tragically fell into a coma after that match and passed away three days later.

This was most importantly a tune up fight for Kovalev, who has a date set for a mega fight in November against former unified Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward.

Kovalev started the fight as the aggressor, looking for and targeting the head, as usual. Chilemba was able to pump out and land a steady jab.

Chilemba showed to be a very strong and tough opponent, landing his best shots to Kovalev’s head, more often than most of Kovalevs previous opponents.

Unfortunately Chilembas lack of power did little to stop the come forward style of Kovalev.

Kovalev was mostly looking for head shots and possibly working on some different techniques instead of ending the fight in certain situations. After a big right hand landed in the seventh round, knocking Chilemba down, Kovalev may not have gone “all in” to end the fight. As well as in the eighth round, after landing a monster shot, snapping back the head of Chilemba, Kovalev stepped off the gas pedal and was content with putting in some more work.

Chilemba landed some solid shots of his own, but Kovalev never looked hurt against the hardest, cleanest shots that Chilemba could land. Also Kovalev may have possibly wanted to get in a full twelve round fight, after knowing that he was not in any real trouble. He will not be fighting again until November, so the extra rounds could prove vital for the future fight.

The fight went longer than most expected, but Kovalev still looked extremely dominant. The next step is the match up against Andre Ward. It is the best fight that can be made in the sport and this was a great stay busy fight for the Light heavyweight champ, and hopefully erasing some of the demons that have stayed with him from the last time he fought in his native land.

Kovalev UD12 117-110, 116-111, 118-109

Posted on 04/28/2016

Isaac Chilemba: “I Truly Believe I Am Where I Was Meant To Be”
By: Sean Crose

“We will find a way for people to see it.”

So said Main Events boss Kathy Duva on Tuesday during a conference call to promote Sergey Kovalev’s July 11th light heavyweight title fight in his native Russia against Isaac Chilemba. “It was hard to find the right partners to work with,” Duva stated in reference to making the fight in Kovalev’s homeland. “That was a lot of work.”

Kovalev’s opponent, the crafty Chilemba was on the call from South Africa to promote the event, as well. Although he was hard to hear at times due to connection problems, he came across as a pleasant, even thoughtful guy. Whether or not he will have what it takes to surprise the world on July 11th, however, remains to be seen.

For his own part, though, the underdog fighter seemed confident. “There’s no such thing as an easy fight,” he said, adding later that “The pressure’s on him (Kovalev). He’s the one fighting at home.” I asked if he felt that getting a fight with Kovalev after losing a controversial decision to Eleider Alvarez last time out shows that wins don’t always matter, even in this era where a perfect record is held in such high regard.

“Yes, he said, adding that “I truly believe I am where I was meant to be.” Chilemba’s famed trainer, Buddy McGirt, concurred. “I believe,” McGirt stated, “that good things come to those who wait.”

Duva herself also had some pointed things to say on the matter. “My job is to make good fights,” she said. “There’s a lot of fighters out there these days who seem to prefer to not take a risk…that’s crazy.” The lionization of having an undefeated record at the expense of challenging oneself is something Duva clearly found puzzling.

“It’s sad that people think that’s extraordinary,” she said.

Although the 24-3-2 Chilemba clearly isn’t afraid to risk having another “L” on his resume, he and his team also appeared confident heading into the fight. “This is one fight where Isaac can pretty much be Isaac,” McGrit said.

Still, the trainer made it clear that no one was going to take it easy. “Personally, I think that the key to victory is to box,” McGirt stated. “Everyone sees Kovalev as a puncher. I don’t see Kovalev as just a puncher. Kovalev can fight.”

“But,” he added. “My guy can fight, as well.”

Duva made it clear that she was pleased to give Chilemba a crack at the title, especially in an era where people are said to avoid the 29-0-1 Kovalev (“We know where they stand,” she said, referring to Adonis Stevenson’s camp). “Issac very much wanted a title shot,” the promoter stated. “He did everything we ever asked him to do.”

Perhaps Chilemba was right when he claimed that ultimately “being a good fighter is what it is about.” Will he be good enough for the Russian terror, though? What’s more will western fans be able to see the fight live when it goes down in Russia? Duva promises they will, one way or another. Referring to HBO possibly not showing the fight, she appeared unperturbed.

“It’s more a matter of logistical issues than anything else,” she stated.