Tag Archives: light

Posted on 11/21/2016

After Capturing Light Heavyweight Titles, What is Next for Andre Ward?
By: Kirk Jackson

Saturday, November 19, 2016 featured the pairing of top pound for pound fighters in arguably the most important boxing match-up of the year, with Andre Ward 31-0 (15 KO’s) emerging victorious over Sergey Kovalev 30-1-1 (26 KO’s) via unanimous decision, claiming the WBA,WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles and staking claim as the best boxer pound for pound.

In a match-up pitting Kovalev, the powerful punching, highly skilled, unified light heavyweight champion, lead by trainer John David Jackson, against the elusive, chameleon in the ring Ward, lead by trainer Virgil Hunter.

The results of this fight changes the entire landscape of the of the light heavyweight division, as Ward is now the holder of the IBF, WBO, WBA light heavyweight titles and should be recognized as the guy in the division, with no disrespect to WBC and Ring Magazine lineal champion Adonis Stevenson 28-1 (23 KO’s) record.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOL6AcvtSnM

This fight was a culmination of many things; action, suspense, drama, adjustments, fatigue, intelligence and heart.

There were moments in the fights, Kovalev was able to shoot his punches through Ward’s seemingly impenetrable defense; at times staggering Ward with jabs and even knocking down the defensive wizard with a vicious right hand in the second round.
Time and time again, Ward, the master of making adjustments, proved to be the better of the two fighters. He made adjustments beginning round three and slowly but surely started changing the landscape of the fight as he took over the second half of the fight ultimately leading to victory.

This was a fight of epic proportions and we have our conclusion to what was a highly contested match. So what does this mean?

The historical significance of this fight, aside from changing the landscape of the light heavyweight division, this is the 7th world title fight featuring two undefeated fighters with at least 30 wins each.

Ward became the seventh fighter to capture world titles at 168 and 175 lbs.
From an overall standpoint it’s fair to argue against Ward as the top is now the top pound for pound boxer.

After all, the event was titled ‘Pound for Pound.’ With victories over Mikkel Kessler, Chad Dawson, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham and now Kovalev, along with his undefeated record, mastery inside ring along with other accomplishments, it’s hard to dispute Ward’s p4p supremacy.
Roman Gonzalez 46-0 (38 KO’s) is an amazing fighter; highly skilled, undefeated, still in his physical prime, with a chance to achieve even greater feats as he decides to move up in weight.

Wins over Juan Francisco Estrada and Carlos Caudras are impressive, but Gonzalez lacks a victory over a top ten p4p opponent; not necessarily a fault of his, just a lack of opportunity.

Gennady Golovkin 36-0 (33 KO’s) is undefeated as well, possesses an impressive knock-out streak and is recognized not only as the man at 160 lbs., but arguably as one of the hardest punching fighters in boxing.

Terence Crawford is talented, strong, fast, complete technical fighter, switch-hitter and he is extremely tough. Two division champion; impressive wins over Raymond Beltran, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Viktor Postol and aiming to achieve greater heights if he can potentially lure the like of Manny Pacquiao sometime in 2017.

Guillermo Rigondeaux is the arguably the most skilled fighter with his most impressive win to date against Nonito Donaire back in 2012. That’s the only thing; Guillermo has the misfortune of luring fighters and ultimately it affects his p4p standing.

Great as these fighters are neither fighter as Kovalev on their resume.
If we assume Ward is now the p4p king, with this newfound p4p supremacy, pivotal questions to answer should include how long can Ward reign as the top guy of the sport and will superstardom accompany this reign?

Can Ward pick-up where the perennial p4p tsar from yesteryear Floyd Mayweather 49-0 (26 KO’s) left off?

Regarding skills and accomplishments fit for a top p4p fighter, the answer is a resounding yes.

Does he have the popularity? Can he be a pay-per-view draw? Can he be a boxing star like Canelo Alvarez? Like fellow Roc Nation label mate Miguel Cotto?

Mayweather was an exciting fighter by casual viewer standards early in his career in the lower weight divisions. As he moved up in weight and faced greater opposition, he became more defense oriented.

Mayweather was able to make up for his “boring” style, with his mouth; he became the master of trash talk, he engaged in verbal warfare, flaunted his riches epitomized disrespect and arrogance. He transformed into boxing’s biggest villain and became the largest draw in combat sports.

Ward is not that guy; it’s not in his make-up.

Cotto and Alvarez are not the trash-talking type but found success. A difference with their styles and with Ward’s style; Ward is more defensive oriented and lacks the powerful punching and knock outs that come with it. He is a boxing purist’s dream; sometimes isn’t appreciated by the average fan. Cotto has Puerto Rico’s strong support and Alvarez has Mexico backing him.

Despite holding the distinction as the last male American Olympic gold medalist, Ward does not have the same following. Boxing fans in America are terrible for the most part compared to other countries.

It’ll be difficult to project Ward’s potential as boxing’s next superstar. Even if we consider his success, personality, champion pedigree and affiliation with the Jordan brand.

This fight against Kovalev is Ward’s first fight in Las Vegas and first pay-per-view fight. We’ll have to wait for the numbers before we gain better clarity on Ward’s ppv potential; although that can be dependent on the opponent.

Speaking of which, what happens next? Who shall be the opponent for his next fight?
There is a rematch clause, Kovalev more than likely will exercise. Some people are crying foul over the decision; Kovalev and his promoter Kathy Duva, most notably.

“I don’t think Sergey lost any of the first six rounds,” said the promoter of Main Events.

“He had a two-point [10-8] round in the second, he clearly won the 11th and 12th. When a guy [Ward] is backing up, scoring an occasional jab, and wrestling. Sergey was trying to make the fight and he [Ward] was trying to run. The judges obviously like running and wrestling but this is boxing.”

Ward obviously feels different. “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.”

The first fight, with controversy was great, why not see it again? Although Ward may not be too keen to the idea. “I think the second fight would be even worse for him,” he said. “I don’t know how many adjustments he can make.”
The Kovalev rematch makes sense as many people are talking about the fight and the controversial decision. This sets intrigue for the rematch. Kovalev obviously wants redemption, Ward may want to solidify his position and definitively defeat Kovalev in the rematch to erase all doubts.

WBC and Lineal Ring Magazine champion Adonis Stevenson is another option. Both parties mentioned interest in fighting one another to unify all of the belts and the southpaw self-proclaimed “Superman” presents a different set of problems for Ward to try to solve.

Nathan Cleverly, Artur Beterbiev are other light heavyweight contenders for crown.

Although they are now separated by two weight divisions, essentially 15 lbs., many boxing fans have been clamoring for is a fight between Ward and Gennady Golovkin.

The middleweight champion was in attendance for bout between Kovalev and Ward, along with his trainer Abel Sanchez, who claims his fighter can beat Kovalev, Ward and Stevenson.

“Triple G beats everyone that’s out there, including Kovalev,” Sanchez told behindthegloves.com.

“I think Triple G would beat Andre Ward, I think Triple G would be Stevenson.”

Whether this type of talks spawns some manifestation of match making between any of the named parties, that’s great.

Boxing needs to continue to build on this momentum and make the best match-up featuring the best fighters.

We’ll see what’s in store for Andre Ward and how he’ll handle his reign atop of the boxing landscape as the best fighter in the sport.

Posted on 11/21/2016

Kovalev-Ward: Aftermath Of A Controversial Decision
By: Sean Crose

Okay, so Andre Ward defeated Sergey Kovalev in one hell of a boxing match on Saturday and now at least half of boxing fandom is up in arms. Truth be told, this is no surprise. For the fight, which was between two of the best (and undefeated) fighters on earth for light heavyweight supremacy (let’s face it, Adonis Stevenson, is king in name only) was close. Very close. Incredibly close. Didn’t see it? Check out a replay as soon as possible. Many big fights aren’t worth the hype. This big fight, which didn’t generate the buzz it should have, proved to be far greater than the modest hype surrounding it.

Yup, it was indeed an intriguing affair at the T-Mobile Arena in Vegas. At first, it looked like the power hitting champion Kovalev was going to make easy work of his man. He buckled Ward with a mere jab early on, after all, then put Ward on the mat shortly thereafter. Yet Ward, the former emperor of the super middleweight division, proved to be a serious challenger. Entrenching himself in battle, the California native took it the Russian with hard body shots and some seriously clean punching. There was also a good amount of holding to be found. A good amount indeed.

Kovalev, however, was not going to let the fight of his life slip away. And so the two men threw down in extremely impressive fashion for round after round. Sometimes it appeared as if the combatants were snapping each other’s heads with clean shots simultaneously. It was just that kind of affair. So close was the battle that this writer was surprised to tally up his own – highly unofficial – card after the final bell to learn he had given the nod to Ward (I suspected, with the knockdown and all, that I had scored it at least even).

Suffice to say, my armchair scoring, which was identical to the three judge’s 114-113 scores, is open to criticism. And, guess what? I understand why. Some fights are easy to call. Others, not so much. Make no mistake about it, there was at least a round or two that I felt could have gone either way. Perhaps on a second viewing I might score the fight for sublime Russian, Kovalev. Then again, perhaps not. One thing is certain, I’m looking forward to a second go-round between these two.

On a personal note, this bout was surprising to me. It may well have been the first time in close to forty years of watching fights that I agreed with the judges on a controversial call. I can’t explain why, but I can’t remember that sort of thing ever happening before. Suffice to say, I’m usually on the side of fans screaming for justice in this type of situation. Not this time, however. At least not yet (there’s that second viewing to look forward to after all). Both men were brilliant on Saturday, but I can’t condemn the people who gave Ward the nod when all was said and done. Scores of others, however…

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 11/18/2016

Boxing Insider Interview with Mark Taffet: Claressa Shields is a Game Changer
By: William Holmes

Mark Taffet is one of the power players in the sport of boxing and has been for the past quarter century. He wrote the business plan to help launch HBO Pay Per View (PPV) Boxing in 1991 and participated in 190 PPV fights.

He’s currently 59 years old, and he left HBO because he wanted to be a part of the next generation of great athletes in the sport of boxing, and help in the development of the next generation of fans in the sport.

He was critical in helping make the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao a reality, and believes that the place atop the mountain top in boxing is open now that the Mayweather/Pacquiao era is coming to an end.

Taffet also strongly believes that he can have a more direct impact on the sport of boxing through his own company Mark Taffet Media, and that impact is already being felt.

Boxing Insider recently had the privilege of speaking with Mark Taffet about his current involvement with the sport, his thoughts on the Pay Per View business model, the comparison between women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) and women’s boxing, his thoughts on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), and other various topics.

Boxing Insider (BI): What projects have you been involved with since leaving HBO?

Mark Taffet (MT): I’ve been very fortunate to work closely with Luis Ortiz, who is one of the best, if not the best, heavyweight in the world today. I’m also working with Claressa Shields, who is a game changer and is a once in a century athlete who will not only change the face of women’s boxing, but potentially the face of all boxing, in years to come.

I’ve worked with Golden Boy Promotions, Roc Nation, and Main Events consulting for them on the fights of Canelo Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Andre Ward, and Sergey Kovalev. I’ve also been fortunate to work with a number of new media companies, some of which I have a stake in, in the areas of podcasting or audio on demand; as well as in some new technology companies that are particularly important in the area of social media and social media monetization, which I think is one of the next great frontiers in the media business.

BI: One of the fighters that you currently work with is two time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields; but why do you think women’s boxing hasn’t been as popular in the United States as women’s MMA?

MT: It’s very interesting. I think it’s more of an issue of demographics than anything. MMA has been fortunate to appeal to younger fans, very much people between the ages of 15 and 34. Boxing in general appeals to an older audience, in many cases 50 years of age or older. That provided an advantage to MMA because of the more readily accepting audiences at the younger end of the demographic cycle.
Right now, because of the back end of the careers of Mayweather and Pacquiao, and the transition of the sport to the next generation, I believe there’s a unique opportunity for women’s boxing to experience a resurgence, and with a young woman like Claressa Shields who has the talent in the ring as well as the incredible charisma and vision outside the ring, I think women’s boxing is particularly well positioned to have a resurgence and reach the kind of popularity that women’s MMA has realized with Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, and a number of other women the past few years.

BI: Do you think Claressa Shields could become a future PPV star?

MT: If any woman can captivate an audience, which is necessary for a successful PPV, it would be Claressa Shields.

Just today, this 21 year old woman, tweeted out a magnificent black and white photo of herself in a Flint, Michigan shirt juxtaposed against a young Mike Tyson with the two of them in virtually parallel poses, and she used only one word to describe the tweet.

Mood. M, O, O, D.

She has such a sense of the moment, of the significance of the moment she’s about to experience, at the young age of 21 in just her first pro fight, that tweet gave me and the people who viewed it chills. If anything, it exemplifies why I believe she has the unique capability to carry women’s boxing, and the sport of boxing on her shoulders in the years ahead. She has set some very lofty goals for herself. In her mind the words Claressa Shields and impossible never appear in the same sentence and never will. She’s made a believer out of me in a short few .

BI: Bob Arum recently stated that he thinks boxing PPVs will become few and far between, do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

MT: I had the privilege of working on over 80 PPV fights in my career with Bob Arum. He is one of my great mentors. I have incredible respect for his ability and admiration for his energy. Bob knows better than anyone that PPV is a business of hits and misses; and it simply depends on what product you have on a particular day as to whether or not you’re going to be successful. There are no patterns, it’s simply a matter of the event you have at a particular point in time. PPV works when the fight is like a super bowl, when it’s a moment in time, when it’s an event that will cause people to watch, not individually, but in groups, where friends and family socialize together. Three, four, or five times a year PPV can be incredibly successful, as it has been for the past 25 years, and will be for the next 25 years.

I believe Bob agrees with that. He has fighters like Terence Crawford and Oscar Valdez and others who have the potential to capture the public’s imagination. I believe Bob will see many good days and many good fighters where he will be a supporter of PPV like he has been the past 25 years.

BI: When you were with HBO, did you ever consider televising MMA or the UFC?

MT: There were discussions at times over the past years about televising MMA. I wasn’t really privy to the discussions and the details, but I know that the company has a great tradition in boxing, a great respect for the sport and its history, and a real understanding of the value of boxing to HBO viewers.

BI: What are your thoughts on Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions? Do you think it helped or hurt the sport of boxing?

MT: That’s a great question….

Al is a very smart man with deep roots in boxing. He has a real passion for the sport of boxing, and a real vision for its success. It’s critical for the sport of boxing to succeed that it have broad platforms, and Al and the PBC brought a lot of networks that haven’t been televising boxing, big broad reaching networks back into the fold, and he and his team deserve a tremendous amount of credit for those efforts.

I think that it’s been a little difficult for the consumers to follow the story lines, because of the number of networks and the number of fighters that have been involved, but I think the idea at its core is a strong one and I think that it’s only positive for fans to see more boxing on more networks than in the years past.

BI: What’s your most proud accomplishment in boxing and what’s your biggest regret?

MT: My most proud accomplishment was providing for many of the lighter weight fighters, who prior to PPV didn’t have much exposure and were not able to earn the money that they deserve, a platform for their success.

In 1993 when Michael Carbajal and Chiquita Gonzalez fought successfully on pay-per-view, it opened the door for the future success of fighters like Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao and Julio Cesar Chavez. And as a result, those fighters and many others in lighter weight classes were able to reap the financial benefits that were previously unavailable to them.

I was very proud to help create an economic pathway for many great fighters to earn the money they deserve.

I don’t really have many regrets. I’m a very positive person. I was thrilled to be a part of a great 25 years of history in my reign at HBO sports. I’m proud of the fact that virtually every big fight that was available to be made came to fruition and was available for the public to view. There were a few that got away, but not many. I’m very proud of the little part of history I was able to be a part of and I really don’t have any regrets.

BI: Do you think a rematch between Mayweather and Pacquiao is feasible, and would you be interested in watching it?

MT: Well I don’t have the contact and privity with those fighters and their promoters; particularly with respect to the circumstances of a rematch that I had when I was employed by HBO, so I’m not in a great position to comment on that.

I do know that fight was the biggest of all time. It resulted in a gathering of fans watching boxing across the country like very few events in sports history. I was very proud of that.

I do think that because there were so many new fans that purchased the PPV that night, that had in their mind’s eyes an expectation of what might happen but perhaps didn’t have the depth of knowledge that core boxing fans had about what type of fight it figured to be, it resulted in some disappointment; but that simply was a factor of the greatness of Floyd Mayweather and the consistency of Floyd’s style when he wins fights.

It’s boxing, not MMA. Floyd practices the sweet science, and as beautiful an art form as it is, as it has been for all his 49 victories, some of the fans who never purchased boxing may have had a different expectation about the rock ’em sock ‘me level of action that might take place in the ring. That simply isn’t the style that got Floyd Mayweather to where he was as one of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history.

What happened that night in the ring was exactly what I expected if Mayweather were to win. If Pacquiao were to win, it would have required a different type of exchange that may have been more pleasing to the fans, but that was a Floyd Mayweather victory like many that preceded it and I think core boxing fans had a great appreciation for Floyd and his skills that night, but some of the fans that were there for the first time experienced some disappointment simply due to their lack of experience with the sport.

BI: If you could change on thing about boxing what would it be, and where do you see the sport in five years?

MT: I would like to see more of the meaningful matchups and important matchups for the fans take precedence over some of the business interests between promoters that sometimes dictate which fights get made and which ones don’t.

But I do believe that with fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, Andre Ward, Terence Crawford, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, as well as the promise and game-changing potential of Claressa Shields, the sport has a great future ahead of it provided the best matchups get made for the fans.

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 11/17/2016

In Defense Of Andre Ward – Grown Up
By: Sean Crose

I know, I know, we’re all supposed to hate Andre Ward. He’s not exciting, after all. What’s more, he doesn’t fight nearly as much as he should (as least he hasn’t until recently). Perhaps worse still, he’s openly religious and takes the whole “appearing humble” thing seriously. What a loser. Give us videos of Floyd throwing money at a bunch of twerking strippers. Or of UFC star Conor McGregor gloating essentially for the sake of gloating. After all, we want fighters who celebrate the Self above all else, am I right?

Well, no, I’m not.

Some people, though certainly not all, like fighters who have a degree of maturity about them. That doesn’t mean these individuals don’t like flash. Everyone likes flash. It’s just that they like something more than mere showiness. Muhammad Ali, after all, stood for something. Hell, so did Jack Johnson, for that matter. Can the same be said of Floyd…or even of his PR apprentice, McGregor? Of course not. Those guys appear to stand for themselves…and not much else.

This isn’t to say they’re bad men at heart. It’s simply to say their public images kind of suck…no matter how popular they may be. Which, of course, brings us back to Ward. There are those in this era of Kim and Kayne who undoubtedly believe any semblance of modesty is indicative of false modesty. Yet there are those who actually find Ward’s lack of swagger refreshing.

Count this author among their numbers.

Look, it’s obvious Ward is far from perfect – just like the rest of us. And the fact that Ward sticks to what he does best – winning – rather than gloating, speaks volumes. Not acting like Mayweather doesn’t equate to false modesty, as some bewilderingly seem to think. It just means Ward doesn’t have a desire to exert all his energies exalting his own awesomeness. Truth be told, he doesn’t have to. He’s a grownup. Besides, Ward, in case you don’t know, is also an amazing fighter. A 30-0 record, a super six championship, and appearances on numerous pound for pound lists can attest to that fact.

And, should Ward best the terrifying Sergey Kovalev this weekend in their battle for light heavyweight supremacy (sorry, Adonis, you’ve taken all the oomph out of your own lineal championship), he will unquestionably be regarded as one of the greats. Of course, there’s no guarantee Ward will pull off such a career defying win. Kovalev is an absolute device of destruction in the ring. Like Ward, he’s undefeated, but he can also take an opponent out with a mere jab – and has boxing skills which, believe it or not, might come close to matching his power.

Needless to say, some will smile in satisfaction if they end up seeing Ward splattered on a Las Vegas canvas this weekend. Fair enough. Boxing is a tough sport, after all, and no one watches it for willowy flights of fancy. In other words, Ward knows full well what he’s getting himself into. Win, lose or draw, however, you won’t see the guy peacocking around after the fight (and, in fairness, the same can most likely be said for Kovalev, who is basically too much of an all-around bad ass to engage in such silliness).

Some may find that lack of showmanship boring. Some may find it hypocritical – again, cynics will always be cynical. Yet others will actually be happy to see a well known individual acting over the age of seventeen. Seriously, guys like Mayweather, McGregor, and others behave like kids sometimes. And in a word of grownup problems, it’s nice to see the grownups take center stage every once in a while.

Posted on 11/15/2016

Super Fight 2016: Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward, “Pound-for-Pound”
By: Matt O’Brien

On November 19th at the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, two of boxing’s most highly rated fighters meet in a battle for the WBA, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight world championships. While the bout has not quite captured mainstream media attention in the manner of a Mayweather-Pacquiao type mega event, it is nevertheless a rare meeting between undefeated, elite talents in the prime of their careers. The fighters enter with a combined record of 60-0-1, with 41 knockouts. Below, I analyse the case for each man’s prospects of victory.

The Case for Kovalev

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev’s nickname is well deserved: he goes into his most high profile contest with a devastating 84% KO ratio, with just 4 of his 31 career opponents hearing the final bell. Only wily veterans Bernard Hopkins and Isaac Chilemba have managed to take Kovalev the full championship distance – though both of those were still knocked to the canvas. In fact, the Krusher has scored a total of 16 official knockdowns in his last 9 fights, since blasting Nathan Cleverly to defeat and claiming his first world title, in August 2013. Considering that Andre Ward enters the match with a comparatively low 50% KO ratio and has gone the 12-round distance 7 times in his last 9 bouts, the Russian is quite obviously the puncher in this fight.

Set against the formidable punching power of Kovalev is also a lingering question mark over the challenger’s chin. In the 4th round of a 2005 middleweight contest vs. the 6-2-1 Darnell Boone, Ward was knocked down and appeared badly hurt after being hit with a peach of a right uppercut flush on the jaw. Though the knockdown stands as an isolated incident and Ward’s chin has passed every other test in the 11 years since, it could potentially be the lone chink in his otherwise impenetrable armour. Certainly, we have never seen Ward absorb the kind of hellacious shots that Kovalev can dish out.

We should be wary of falling into the trap of casting Kovalev as simply “just” a puncher in this fight, though. Under the fine tutelage of former world champion John David Jackson, the Russian has exhibited some excellent boxing skills and tactical nous in order to set up his vaunted power shots. Against 66-fight veteran Bernard Hopkins, in particular, the Krusher demonstrated that he could box effectively to a more patient strategy when required, refusing to be drawn into recklessly attacking the wiser, older counter-puncher.

Fighting most effectively at long range, a thudding left jab maintains the champ’s preferred distance. But while the heavy lead hand is dangerous in its own right, it’s the follow-up, booming right hand – thrown straight down the pipe or round the side of the guard – that’s by far his most potent weapon. A vicious body attack supplements the poleaxing one-two combination upstairs, with numerous opponents being hurt or stopped at the end of his punishing long rights and left hooks to the midsection.

The champion has also shown that he is dangerous late into a fight, with both Hopkins and Chilemba close to being stopped in the 12th round, as the Russian unleashed a barrage in an effort to close the show. Even against Chilemba, in a performance that can very reasonably be described as an “off night”, Kovalev still displayed an impressive variety of combination punching when he eventually found some rhythm later in the contest.

Perhaps we should also be wary of placing too much stock in the relatively poor showing against Chilemba. Having struggled somewhat, one could say that Kovalev benefitted both in terms of stylistic preparation and ensuring that, mentally, now he is in exactly the right frame of mind: focused, with his feet firmly on the ground, absent the kind of complacency that has been the undoing of so many big punchers in the past. Beating such an awkward opponent was therefore arguably the ideal preparation before facing a foe as difficult as Ward.

All in all then, we know that Kovalev’s punching power is going to pose serious problems – but tactically he is no slouch, either. And while he excels when he has the distance to extend his punches, he has the size and physical strength that could provide an antidote to the American’s masterful inside game. Ward is not used to being bullied in the ring, and could be beaten into a retreat when met, for once, with a force he cannot control. If anyone is going to overcome the classy American in this manner, the Krusher is likely to be the man.

The Case For Ward

The last time Andre Ward lost a competitive boxing match he was 12 years old. The subsequent years have seen him capture an Olympic gold medal, claim the WBA, WBC and lineal super middleweight championships, emerge victorious in the talent-laden Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament, and TKO the lineal light-heavyweight champion. He is therefore, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most competent practitioners of the sweet science alive today.

In large part thanks to the aforementioned Super Six tournament held by Showtime, Ward’s résumé includes a very impressive list of fighters from the 168 and 175lb divisions: Mikkel Kessler, Allan Green, Sakio Bika, Arthur Abraham, Carl Froch and Chad Dawson were all defeated in a magnificent run from November 2009 to September 2012.

Unfortunately, a protracted promotional dispute and injuries outside of the ring led to a disappointing period of inactivity for Ward, who scored just four wins in the four years following the impressive stoppage of Dawson. The paucity of ring time also coincided with a notable dip in the quality of his opponents, and consequently the American’s pound-for-pound credentials have taken something of a hit, as more active elite fighters have tended to leapfrog him in the rankings.

With that being said, we should not confuse the disappointing drop in Ward’s activity and quality of opposition with evidence that his skills have declined in the ring, or that his dedication to the sport has waned. He remains a superb boxer, barely losing a round in his last four contests. Andre is a master of distance and utilizes fantastic footwork in order to maximize his ability to both land and avoid punches. Indeed, since his ascension to the world ranks it is hard to think of many clear examples where he’s been tagged with full-bloodied shots on the chin – never mind being rocked or seriously hurt.

This mastery of ring generalship often does not make for riveting viewing, as Ward is more than happy to stay out of range and score with accurate, stabbing, Mayweather-esque jabs to both head and body while effortlessly blocking, parrying and dodging incoming swings. But it is incredibly effective.

The deftness of Ward’s footwork and the awkwardness and skill of his boxing style bode very well in the context of Kovalev’s previous outing, against the slippery but unexceptional Isaac Chilemba. Most worrying for the Russian on that night – particularly during the early rounds of the fight – was the African’s ability to land consistent, fast jabs and frustrate the Krusher’s aggressive and typically effective offense with his educated footwork.

This does not mean though that Ward will simply “run” from his Russian adversary. On the contrary, the challenger’s inside game is worthy of some of the craftiest, roughest old-school fighters to ever lace the gloves. Of fighters in recent years, Ward reminds very much of a vintage Bernard Hopkins, in this regard: cunning, strong, full of guile and more than happy to occupy the grey space between bending the rules and gaining a competitive advantage. He is an expert at grabbing, pushing and maneuvering his opponents at close quarters, restricting their ability to fire effective shots while maintaining his own punching position and landing hard, sneaky hooks and uppercuts.

The American rarely displays one-punch knockout power and (much like Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather before him) never attempts to bring matters to a hasty conclusion at the expense of a strategic advantage. However, he does bring speed, accuracy and technique in abundance. So while it would be a surprise to see the Russian KO’d or stopped, we should not be shocked to see him physically and mentally discouraged as the bout wears on. Ward’s blend of savvy inside fighting and exceptional footwork give him an excellent chance of becoming the first man to nullify the Krusher.

The Prediction

Although Ward is an extremely physical fighter and Kovalev is far more than just a “bombs-away” slugger, this fight nevertheless essentially fits the mold of a classic meeting between a “boxer” and a “puncher”. And history, I think, has taught us that when a formidable offense meets an excellent defense, more often than not it is the defense that prevails.

Of course, the Boone fight will inevitably be referenced as evidence of Ward’s inability to take a heavy punch, but I tend to be of the opinion that any fighter who has gone through the number of rounds Ward has gone through at the level he has fought at, must necessarily be able to hold a pretty decent shot. In any case, Ward’s positioning, footwork and timing are so effective that I see them as more likely being the determining factors here, rather than his punch resistance.

Unless Kovalev is able to land cleanly and hurt Ward in the early rounds, his desperation to score with heavier blows will only increase as the bout wears on, and the difference in their speed and footwork is only likely to be exacerbated. Although Kovalev will be dangerous throughout, I expect Ward to dictate where and how the most meaningful, scoring exchanges take place. I think the American has the skills and physical tools necessary to out-think, out-box and out-hustle his Russian counterpart, and I envisage a game but frustrated champion surrendering his titles via a fairly clear, unanimous decision.

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 08/23/2016

PBC on Fox Sports Results: Plant Cruises to Victory, Grayton and Gongora Win by TKO
By: William Holmes

The Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania was the host site for tonight’s broadcast of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox Sports 1.

Three bouts were televised tonight, and the opening bout was between Carlos Gongora (5-0) and Ronald Mixon (7-0) in the light heavyweight division.

Mixon had a three inch in reach and height on Gongora, but both boxers were the same age. Gongora was a former two time Olympian for Ecuador.

Both boxers tried to feel each other out in the opening minute of the round, but Gongora was able to land a hard straight left hand by the ropes that momentarily stunned Mixon. Gongora followed that up with another straight left hand seconds later and Mixon dropped to the mat.

Mixon struggled to get back to his feet, but he was still clearly shot and struggled to even get to his knees. The referee waived off the fight 1:16 of the first round, giving Gongora a TKO victory.

The next bout was between Kareem Martin (8-0-1) and David Grayton (14-1) in the welterweight division.

Martin and Grayton were former sparring partners and they wasted no time in going after each other. Martin was the better defensive boxer and landed cleaner and harder counters. Grayton, a southpaw, had difficulty avoiding the counter rights of Martin.

Martin’s counter punching was on point in the second round and he was able to open up a cut over the right eye of Grayton. Grayton’s pressure was much more effective in the third round and he was able to walk through the punches of Martin.

There were some very good exchanges in the opening minute of fourth round, but Martin was able to land the harder shots. Martin showed more movement in the fifth round and was able to counter while avoiding risky exchanges.

Grayton came out firing at the start of the sixth round and had Martin backing up and holding on to try to slow the assault down. Martin was able to land a few hard shots, but Grayton took them well and kept up the intense pressure. Martin looked tired at the end of the round.

Grayton was told by his corner to walk Martin down before the start of the seventh round, and he responded to his corner with a high volume of punches to the body and head of Martin. Martin just could not keep up with Grayton.

Grayton jumped on Martin at the start of the eighth and scored a knockdown with a good left hand. Martin got back to his feet but was on wobbly legs and covered up while Grayton unleashed another combination on him.

Martin wasn’t able to answer and the referee jumped in and stopped the bout.

David Grayton defeats Kareem Martin by TKO at 0:41 of the eighth round.

A swing bout between Eric Newell (8-3-3) and Wes Triplett (3-1) in the heavyweight division was also shown. Wes Triplett won it by TKO at 0:27 of the third round.

Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (13-0) squared off against Juan De Angel (18-4-1) in the main event of the night in the middleweight division.

Plant, a Tennessee native, established control of the center of the ring in the opening round and was able to pop shot De Angel with jabs and lead hooks. De Angel was not able to mount much of an offensive attack.

De Angel was a little more aggressive at the start of the second round, but a good left to the body by Plant quickly slowed down De Angel. Plant had De Angel backing up in the third round and his right hand was finding it’s target with regularity.

Plant’s pressure paid off in the fourth round when he scored a knockdown with a left hook to the jaw of De Angel. De Angel was able to get back up before the count of ten and was able to survive the round.

Plant looked extremely comfortable in the fifth round and was battering De Angel from corner to corner while deftly avoiding any counter shots. Plant continued to outbox De Angel in the sixth round and was never seriously threatened. He mixed up his combinations well to the body and head in the seventh round.

De Angel was in pure survival mode in the eighth round and rarely went on the offensive attack. The only question in the final two rounds of the fight was whether or not Plant could stop De Angel, but that stoppage never came.

Caleb Plant won comfortably on the judges scorecards with scores of 100-89 on all three scorecards.

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 08/06/2016

HBO World Championship Boxing Results: Andre Ward Picks Apart Alexander Brand, Kovalev Next
By: William Holmes

The Oracle Arena in Oakland, California was once again the host site for Andre “Son Of God” Ward’s (29-0) return to the ring in a light heavyweight matchup against the Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1).

Ward has had most of his success in the super middleweight division, but a big money showdown with light heavyweight kingpin Sergey Kovalev awaits him if he is able to walk away victorious.

Many fans, including the HBO announcers, viewed this bout as little more than a tune up bout. Sergei Kovalev was in attendance.

Andre Ward, a lefty who fights out of an orthodox stance, focused on his jab in the opening round and was trying to find his range. Brand was short with almost of his shots, and that reapeated in the first three stanzas.

Ward was able to land his lead left hooks in the second round, and attacked to the body more in the third round. Brand was able to land an uppercut and a jab in the third, which may have been the first punches he landed in the fight.

Ward was able to pick up the pace in the fourth round and had Brand backing up with a consistent stream of jabs to the body. Ward was able to crack Brandi n his jaw with a lead left hook as Brand was moving backwards, and followed it up with a jab cross combo to the head.

Ward’s accuracy improved in the fifth round as he get the crowd’s approval several times with sharp crosses to the head of Brand. Ward even switched to a southpaw stance, and he looked like he was going for the knockout.

Ward stayed in a southpaw stance in the sixth round, and ripped several hard combinations to the body and head on Brand at will. The show continued into the seventh round as Ward switched seamlessly from orthodox stance to a southpaw stance and picked the overmatched Brand apart.

Brand’s eye was cut in the seventh round and showed signs of swelling in the eighth. Ward’s lead left hook from the orthodox stance was thrown with violence in the eighth, and the force behind his right crosses were more noticeable than before.

Brand was just trying to survive in the ninth round, and slipped badly in the middle of the ring in an attempt to counter Ward.

Brand’s corner told him before the tenth to try and just survive the rounds, and he followed their advice and took hardly any risks. Ward, however, continued to go for the stoppage and was able to catch Brand with several hard right crosses.

Ward went for the knockout, and Brand tried to avoid the knockout, in the final two rounds. Brand, at the very least, was successful in his goal of surviving.

Andre Ward wins the shutout decision with scores of 120-108 on all three scorecards.

Posted on 08/04/2016

HBO World Championship Boxing Preview: Andre Ward vs. Alexander Brand
By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Andre Ward will return to the ring to face Alexander Brand in what most boxing analysts feel is a tune up bout.

Andre Ward will be fighting at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California for the third time in his career and for the fourth time in his past five fights. The Oracle Arena is a friendly venue for Andre Ward, who grew up in the area, and a hostile environment for his opponents.

Several promising boxers will appear on the undercard, including Maruice Hooker, Darmani Rock, and Raquel Miller. However, HBO will likely only televise the light heavyweight matchup between Andre Ward and Alexander Brand.

The following is a preview of the main event for HBO World Championshp Boxing on Saturday, August 6, 2016.

Andre Ward (29-0) vs. Alexander Brand (25-1); Light Heavyweight

Andre Ward did not fight from November 2013 to June 2015 due to a contract dispute with Goosen Tutor Promotions. However, he was able to resolve that dispute and sign with Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports.

Ward is already scheduled to fight Sergey Kovalev on November 19th in Las Vegas on a major bout that will be televised on HBO PPV. Andre Ward and his team know that the Kovalev bout is a big money bout, and decided to face Alexander Bout in low risk-stay busy fight.

Andre Ward will be about a half an inch taller than Brand but will be giving up a half an inch in reach. Ward is also seven years younger than Brand, who is thirty nine years old.

Ward’s amateur success is well noted, for he was an Olympic Gold Medalist for the United States in 2004 in the light heavyweight division and is a two time US National Champion. Brand had some success on the regional circuits as an amateur competing for Colombia, but never made it to the Olympics and came nowhere near the success of Andre Ward.

The one area that Brand may have an advantage over Ward is power. Brand has stopped nineteen of his opponents, while Ward has only stopped fifteen of his opponents while having three more fights. Ward has stopped two of his past five opponents.

Inactivity may be an Issue for Ward. He has only fought three times since September of 2012, three times in nearly four years. However, Brand has only been slightly more active than Ward has he fought twice in 2015 and once in 2014.

Brand has spent most of his career fighting in Colombia. He has fought three times in the United States, and his lone loss came in the United States to Badou Jack.

Andre Ward clearly has the better resume as a professional. He is the former WBC, WBA, Ring Magazine and lineal super middleweight champion. He also won the often overlooked Super Six World Boxing Classic that Showtime had a few years ago and won the BWAA Fighter of the Year in 2011.
Ward has beaten the likes of Sullivan Barrera, Paul Smith, Edwin Rodriguez, Chad Dawson, Carl Foch, Arthur Abraham, Sakio Bika, Allan Green, Mikkel Kessler, and Edison Miranda.

Brand has not defeated anyone of note, and his best wins have come against Medzhid Bektemirov, Bernard Donfack, and Jorge Rodriguez Olivera.

Andre Ward will have the toughest test of his career in November when he fights Sergey Kovalev. Saturday’s bout, however, should be one of the easiest fights he has had in the past five years.

Posted on 07/29/2016

PBC on Spike TV Results: Stevenson Wrecks Williams in 4
By: Matthew N. Becher

Live from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, Premier Boxing Championship showcased a night of Light heavyweights, including one of the reigning world champions.

Photo Credit: Dave Nadkarni/Premier Boxing Champions

In the lead up fight, Eleider Alvarez fought for a chance to become the #1 contender to fight for the WBC Light Heavyweight belt. Originally scheduled to fight former champion Chad Dawson, Alvarez would need to get past a late sub in New Zealand native Robert Berridge.

The Main Event was another title defense for the WBC Light Heavyweight champ, Adonis Stevenson. Stevenson has defended his belt 7 times, but has since been stripped of his Ring Magazine title, due to not fighting a top 5 divisional foe in 2 years. His opponent, Thomas Williams Jr. fought his way to the title by knocking out Edwin Rodriguez.

Eleider Alvarez (19-0 10KO) v. Robert Berridge (27-4-1 21KO): Light Heavyweight

Alvarez comes from a highly touted amateur background. He was an Olympian for his native country of Columbia in the Beijing games, and he came out early showing off his boxing skills. Berridge, who came in on late notice from New Zealand, is a brawler who tried to make the fight awkward from the beginning. Berridge did not want the fight fought at a distance, because Alvarez had the skill and length to his advantage. It ended up being fought on the outside anyway.
Berridge was never comfortable in the ring, possibly from the late notice, more likely due to his skill level not being the same as Alvarez. Alvarez on the other hand, could not capitalize on the lesser known opponent and make a statement. This may have played out completely different had Chad Dawson not get hurt before this fight.

Alvarez UD10 99-90, 98-92, 98-92

Adonis Stevenson (27-1 22KO) v. Thomas Williams Jr. (20-1 14KO): WBC Light Heavyweight Championship

In the front row sat two Light Heavyweight contenders, Artur Beterbiev and Lucian Bute, both watching their fellow countryman and also scouting a possible future opponent in Stevenson.
The fight started off quick, with Stevenson establishing his straight right hand jab, and following up with the big left hand. In the end of the round, the big left hand landed to the back of the right ear of Williams, putting the challenger down for an eight count.
Williams was down, but not out. Keeping his hands up, and picking his shots from different angles, Williams was able to land some pretty heavy shots of his own. Some staggering the champ.

The fourth round was a brawl. Both fighters traded power punches, the crowd was on its feet, and Thomas Williams Jr. just couldn’t take anymore. A huge left hand landed on the chin of Williams and he was not able to get back to his feet.
Stevenson KO4 2:54

Posted on 07/28/2016

Can Thomas Williams Pull Off The Upset Against Adonis Stevenson?
By: Sean Crose

Adonis Stevenson may not be popular, but; make no mistake about it, the 27-1 WBC light heavyweight champion is a dangerous and talented fighter. Just ask Chad Dawson. Or Tony Bellew. Or Darnell Boone. For all those men have been taken out by the Haitian-Canadian powerhouse. The problem, of course, is that Stevenson has been accused – fairly or not – of avoiding Sergey Kovalev. He’ s also, let’s face it, faced less than stellar competition as champ. In a world where fellow champ Kovalev is going up against pound for pound honcho Andre Ward, opponents like Sakio Bika and Dmitry Sukhotsky just don’t seem formidable.

Stevenson may be in for a real go this Friday in Quebec’s Videotron Center, however. For the 20-1 Thomas Williams Jr can pack a wallop himself. A big wallop. Just ask Edwin Rodriguez, who Williams laid out during a nationally televised bout last April. Now that he’s got a chance at the big time, Williams will undoubtedly make the most of his opportunity, even if it is in Stevenson’s adopted Canadian homeland. Does Williams have what it takes, though? He hits hard, no doubt, but he can also be sloppy in the ring.

Then again, Stevenson is pushing forty and will stand a good ten years older than his opponent this weekend. What’s more, the guy called Superman also has a chin that makes some wonder. He was dropped by Andrzej Fonfara back in 2014, after all, in a bout which ended up being far closer than most may have expected. What’s more, Stevenson has only fought once in the past year, against the less than intimidating Tommy Karpency. While Stevenson may indeed have taken it easy these past few years, going essentially unchallenged sometimes has its drawbacks. Sure enough, Stevenson hasn’t had a real challenge since Fonfara, and that fight was over two years ago.

As for Williams, it’s hard not to like the guy. After his one loss to Gabriel Campillo in front of ESPN cameras several years ago, he apologized profusely to trainer/commentator Teddy Atlas, who Williams idolizes, for letting Atlas down. Atlas gave him a pep talk that night – and did so again on ESPN this past month (livening up one of the worst televised cards in this writer’s memory) in the lead up to Friday’s fight. Still, Stevenson is no joke, and unless his skills have deteriorated considerably, Williams may be in for a tough go when he and Stevenson trade punches during the live PBC broadcast (to be aired on Spike).

Then again, who’s to say Williams won’t return home to America with more than just the luggage he left with? Boxing is a crazy sport, after all, and no one – not even Stevenson – can be guaranteed to avoid trouble forever.

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