Taking the shine off the Russian beast...?? [SPOILER]

Didn't get a chance to watch this but read the fight reports and it appears Kovalev didn't look so impressive against a tricky/slippery opponent in Chilemba - albeit one that even Tony Bellew managed to beat (at the second time of asking).

Most reports suggest the score cards were generously wide, albeit no doubt about the UD result.

Given Kov's apparent limited ability to make major inroads to a reasonably technically adept fighter sitting behind a good jab, does this make people lean towards (or further towards) Ward in the upcoming bout? Or was Kov just having a bit of an off night in this 'stay warm' inbetween fight before the real deal?

Did anyone watch the fight and notice any serious weaknesses or concerns with Kov's style/approach?

I watched it on YouTube yesterday. Chilemba fought when he needed to and spoiled when he needed to. Chilemba didn't give Kovalev much of a target but when he did, Kovalev dropped him in the 7th. Kovalev had him badly hurt through a few of the rounds after but couldn't finish him and he weathered the storm.

Kovalev won pretty clearly. I didn't personally see much of a case for Chilemba winning any rounds but it was the manner of the Kovalev performance and his inability to break Chilemba that's good news for Ward.

Difference between Ward and Chilemba is immense though. Chilemba was just full on defence mode with the occasional counter jab. When he did throw it he caught Kovalev. When Kovalev tried to jab with him without following up he came off second best.

Ward's just as slippery, will make Kovalev miss and counter all night. Ward favourite for me.

Haven't seen it just read reports, sounds like there was little in it for 6 rounds, then a knockdown had chilemba in trouble and on the back foot for a few rounds, before he regrouped. i.e without the knockdown there wasn't much in it. Off night for kov? He faded a bit late on, but possible that's because he'd gone all out for the ko...think it was just an awkward well schooled opponent.

Chilemba is a slippery spoiler... ward does everything he does better and with a lot more to offer offensively. Ward seems to get hit more that he used to though... and he's going to get chin checked by kov. Still a tough fight to call with any conviction, but you'd expect the odds will have moved towards ward after last night... as anything except a dominant performance looks under par for kovalev.

Chilemba was almost the perfect preparation for Ward, awkward as anything never been stopped.

Ward will have seen enough to know that he can beat Sergy, the Russian can be frustrated, it's whether or not Ward will do enough on the cards.

Lacklustre performance from the Russian, we were told he's been out boar hunting with Nicky Valuev so maybe he wasn't up for it. He won clearly but he showed he's very hittable, is predictable when things not going his way and the cards were too wide. Starting to think Ward will pick him apart in a stinker but never hurting him. If Ward has slowed though or not the same force at light heavy, Sergy can take him out. At some point Sergy will have to land..

Or will he..?

How good is Kovalev anyway...

A 50 year old and Cleverly isn't grounds to judge..

Wonder what the odds are on Ward by KO/TKO....? Could be interesting.

I think he's pretty good although there are chinks in his armour that Ward can exploit.
Only people to take him the distance have been ones that can run and spoil all fight. Makes Clevs tactics look even crazier. Going toe to toe with him tut tut

Looks good...But he just has potential Ranj..

I had Cleverly drawing with Bellew..

His best win for me.....Stevo ironed Bellew.

I said a couple of years ago that I felt Stevenson could beat Kovalev. The southpaw straight left counter could get to Kovalev and I don't reckon his chin could take it. Too late now I presume.

i've never written off stevenson against kovalev. Difference is, we know stevenson goes if kovalev lands, we don;t know what happens in reverse, but for all the superduck stuff and people not liking him, he can actually fight and he hits like a mule. 60:40 kov for me, but no result surprises me in this one. Not that we'll ever see it.

Missed it, but I'm glad Chilemba gave a good account of himself. By all accounts a nice guy. There were questions regarding him giving Jodi a shot at running his corner, given the fact that she's never even been om the corner of a fighter challenging for a South African belt, which I believe was a huge mistake. Probably as big as dropping Toweel for his Bellew rematch. If only Isaac made more discerning decisions when it came to Backroom staff

i think it all depends on how well Ward is ageing. He may have lost a little bit since his SMW domination days but he's not got too many miles on the clock. Whilst it's true that Kovalev didn't look too good in this fight, it's not very likely that he was "up" for it as Chilemba doesn't exactly get the pulses racing as an opponent. Sergey's no Ward skills-wise but he had no problems out-foxing the wily old fox in Hopkins so he does have more advantages than Froch did. Ward is, however the master of defence (however ugly it looks) and is a tough nut to crack too. Yes, he may have been chin-checked back in the day, but since? Not much.

I for one am hoping that we get both of them in tip top condition for the fight. It's likely to go either Kovelev by stoppage or Ward by close decision in my book. I still can't call it. All depends on if Ward has lost anything or Kovalev simply can't figure him out. Or maybe Kovalev will surprise us all by showing us something new and out-boxing the boxer, or Ward will KO the Krusher. Make no mistake - both will be massively prepared for this one and I can't wait.

RanjitPatel wrote:I said a couple of years ago that I felt Stevenson could beat Kovalev.  The southpaw straight left counter could get to Kovalev and I don't reckon his chin could take it. Too late now I presume.

If Stevenson landed his right hand on anybody he's got a chance of knocking them out.

Can't stand him but credit where credits due he looked good tonight turned in an exciting performance looks a beast when he's on the front foot dropping bombs. Good little fight and worth a watch.

All the more frustrating that the Kovalev fight seems further away than ever. Could be a great fight but I think Sergy controls the space in that fight that's why it won't happen. Stevenson will be happy to fight Ward though if he beats Kovalev.

Herman Jaeger wrote:

RanjitPatel wrote:I said a couple of years ago that I felt Stevenson could beat Kovalev.  The southpaw straight left counter could get to Kovalev and I don't reckon his chin could take it. Too late now I presume.

If Stevenson landed his right hand on anybody he's got a chance of knocking them out.

Can't stand him but credit where credits due he looked good tonight turned in an exciting performance looks a beast when he's on the front foot dropping bombs. Good little fight and worth a watch.

All the more frustrating that the Kovalev fight seems further away than ever. Could be a great fight but I think Sergy controls the space in that fight that's why it won't happen. Stevenson will be happy to fight Ward though if he beats Kovalev.

Stevenson shouts about fighting Ward and Kovalev but he's shown no actual intention or inclination to do so. I don't think he'd do much against either of them now - looks ready to go.

Yes sadly I don't think he will ever face Kovalev or Ward though there is a chance he would fight Ward just to shut his critics up. He loses the fight of course but wouldn't suffer a brutal and embarrassing knockout which I'm positive the Russian would inflict.

If you notice in Stevenson's fight last Friday, he didn't look so good when he was being pushed back. I'm in no doubt Kovalev would be the aggressor in that fight. But I'll say it again, Stevenson on the front foot is a force. Front runner too of course. He never fights Sergy.

Chilemba came into that fight trying to not to get knocked out

He was very negative and hardly won any rounds, there is some myth that you can give the guy rounds because he lands a few shots on the back foot and goes in reverse gear for the rest of the round

Does it make the Ward fight even more intriguing? Absolutely

But I wouldn't read too much into it, I'm still picking Kovalev by KO

As for Stevenson, he has no interest in fighting Kovalev and never will