Andre Ward believes Sergey Kovalev will underestimate the threat he’ll face this weekend and called him a “big bully”.
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“Everybody in the world wants to see somebody who kicks my ass, but it’s not happening”, Kovalev said.
With just 15 knockouts, Ward is more of a defensive fighter compared to Kovalev’s attacking style.
Russian Kovalev (30-0-1, 26KOs) is the puncher with 26 stoppages from his 30 wins and he will be defending his IBF, WBA and WBO world light-heavyweight titles.
As soon as Ward stepped into an Oakland, Calif., boxing gym when he was 9 years old, it was clear he was a phenom.
Ward, the 2004 Olympic champion and former super middleweight world champion, is aiming to grab Kovalev’s unified light-heavyweight crown in a long-anticipated collision at the T-Mobile Arena. The bout, which should start around 11:30 p.m. ET, is available via HBO pay-per-view. “I still believe that they are hungry and they are more dedicated at least in the beginning of their careers when they first get here”. I don’t know. Maybe in the future, I hope. “Initial sharp money came in on Kovalev, dropping the price down to Ward -130 and Kovalev +110 but public money has been coming in on Ward, moving the current price to -145/+125”, Sherman told ESPN.
Kovalev was raised by a mother who worked as a factory crane operator and scrapped through poverty. He means what he says.
I think we are in for a cracker of a contest but Ward will have the edge throughout and although he may have to bite down hard on his gumshield at times, I expect his arm to be raised at the end so I’m taking the stand-out 6/5 (Paddy Power) for Ward to win by decision or technical decision.
That would be fine with Ward, who thinks the Russian will be in for a shock when the pair begin to trade blows. It’s not always going to be what you want it to be or would like it to be, but I can’t argue with the way the table is set right now. “Why is this guy telling me how to box?'”
“He’s dead to me”. If he does this, I will hit him with a right hand. “I want to destroy him”. The closest thing to a rival Kovalev has had to this point though is Jean Pascal, the aggressive former champion made for a good clash of personalities and styles with Kovalev, making for some entertaining press conferences and fights. I’m already exhausted of it. I don’t know what it is. Both fighters have 30 wins and no losses. He’s a boxer. He’s a thinker.
“I’ll let others think about that”. Legacy or no legacy, I don’t care. It’s not just me.
Ward added: “I’ve been given a gift and a talent”.
“You can’t be anxious about that because you understand that some people get it and some people won’t, but you have to do what you have to do”. I’m not aloof. I’m very in-tune with what’s going on, whether it seems like it or not.
What kind of culture shock was it to move to America? . You see people misrepresent you and don’t even know you. Asphalt on the roads is different.
“When I was in the amateurs I never thought that someday I would turn pro at all”. “I get enough of it”. It’s not about talking about it to try to prove your case, it’s about the opportunity to be great on Nov.19. Could you imagine ever fighting here? I watched Roy fight when I was younger. We acknowledge it and we respect it and we understand what we’re up against, but I been in the ring with big punchers, good boxers, you name it.
What other sports do you follow as a fan? A dominant champion that’s looking for the key marquee win to rest his hat on and a once champion, now challenger that’s desperate to solidify his legacy and remind the world that he is the elite boxer of this era.
“I love this country”, he said.
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In 1991, a Latvian cruiserweight, Yuri Vaulin, was part of NY businessman Lou Falcigno’s “Great Experiment” to create a world champion from the Soviet bloc.
