This time there was no controversy, American Andre Ward beat Sergey Kovalev by knockout in the eighth round of the 12 round roundup rematch with the World Boxing Association (WBA) World Heavyweight Championship (WBO) ) And the International Federation (IBF) in play.
If last November, the first fight between the two unbeaten fighters, disputed at T-Mobile Las Vegas, ended in controversy by giving the victory to Ward by a point of advantage, this time it became clear that the American pugil was the Best and undefeated champion.
The duel between two of the best boxers of the moment pound for pound was always dominated by the American who prevailed with his strategy to the Russian champion who in the end could not enforce his best footprint.
Ward moved with great ease on the ring, this time installed in the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, before the support of the majority of the fans, who were like special guests the players of the Warriors of Golden State , Current champions of the NBA.
The no-tut triumph is also a big claim for 33-year-old Ward, who left his unbeaten 32-0 record with 16 wins on the fast track, though he is not a big catcher.
But this time he put enough and powerful to end the resistance of “Krusher” Kovalev, 34, who suffered the second defeat of his career to leave the mark of 30-2-1, 26 KO’s.
“I have left no doubt that I am the best and the champion,” Ward said at the end of the fight, which left him a $ 6.5 million bag. “I knew that again our strategy would be to never let him impose his pace.”
The fight was matched in the first seven rounds, until in the eighth Ward he connected a powerful right to Kovalev’s jaw that felt the impact and lost all control, which made the American champion take advantage of him to leave him with no reaction capacity And force the end of the combat.
Ward went after Kovalev to the one that corraló against the ropes and it threw to him three punctures of left followed to the body of Kovalev, including a low blow that the referee of the combat, the American Tony Weeks did not indicate.
Ward’s punches left Kovalev defenseless and disoriented so Weeks immediately interposed between the two pugilists to decree the end of the fight when the clock struck 2 minutes 29 seconds into the eighth round.
The corner of Kovalev and the Russian pugilist himself, who will have to wait to know the revenue that has pay television to know the bag to receive, officially in the contract did not charge anything guaranteed, admitted Weeks decision to give himself Account would not have had any followed following the uneven combat.
No third revenge fight is expected as clearly as Ward won.
