Kovalev vs. Ward Results: Round-by-Round Analysis and Recap
It was everything that boxing fans could have asked for, as Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward battled it out for 12 hard-fought rounds on Saturday. Kovalev dominated the early action and knocked Ward down in Round 2, but the American displayed the grit of a champion to come back and win by seven rounds to five on all three scorecards.
This decision will be hotly contested in the days to come. Heck, boxing fans will argue over this one years from now. It will go down as a classic, and either man could have justifiably had his hand raised.
After getting roughed up in the early rounds, Ward rallied heroically in the middle of the fight. He mixed tactical clinching with a consistent body attack that slowed Kovalev's pace.
Yet even as the momentum seemed to shift in Ward's favor, the Russian champion remained resolute. Kovalev's power and determination prevented Ward from taking control of the bout.
Down the final stretch, the two fought on even terms. In my estimation, Rounds 9, 10 and 12 could have gone to either man.
A rematch will likely be in order for 2017. The light heavyweight division has plenty of talent, but the most compelling opponent for either man is the one he just faced.
Round 1
1 of 12
As the bell rang, Ward looked to circle, while Kovalev took the center of the ring, aiming to establish his jab. Both men feinted and threatened jabs to body and head.
A clinch just less than a minute into the round saw Ward push Kovalev into the corner. Ward landed a quick right hand at about 1:45 of the round, but Kovalev came back with a stiff jab seconds later that seemed to stun Ward momentarily.
Kovalev pumped his jab and landed a right just over two minutes into the round. At about 30 seconds left, Ward landed a grazing hook with little on it. Ward was having much more trouble taking away Kovalev's space to punch than he ever had at super middleweight.
Round 2
2 of 12
Again, the round started with Kovalev claiming the center of the ring and Ward looking to circle. The action was tactical for most of the first minute, with Ward landing a good jab about 50 seconds in.
Kovalev landed a pair of good jabs just inside the first minute and then caught Ward with a good right hand. He followed up with another stiff left.
At 2:20 of the round, Kovalev caught Ward with a big right hand and dropped him. Ward got up easily, but Kovalev poured on the aggression, landing accurate, straight punches. Fighting for survival, Ward landed a left hook in the closing seconds.
Round 3
3 of 12
Ward looked to turn the fight ugly heading into the opening of Round 3. He moved in quickly, punching and looking to clinch and shove Kovalev around. About 45 seconds into the round, referee Robert Byrd called a quick break to warn both men.
Kovalev continued to look sharper in this round, connecting with straight, accurate jabs. Ward continued to try to make the fight an ugly, close-range brawl.
At exactly two minutes, Ward landed his best punch of the fight so far, a leaping left hook. Kovalev handled the punch well.
Ward forced a sustained clinch of about 10 seconds near the end of the fight. It was a gritty, comeback round for Ward, but he was clearly in the toughest fight of his career.
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Round 4
4 of 12
Kovalev again looked to take the center of the ring at the start of this round, and Ward almost immediately forced a clinch, trying to turn the fight into a wrestling match.
Ward tried to land another leaping hook just less than two minutes into the round. It was clear that he was trying to make the fight ugly and awkward while looking for a spot to land a big punch.
Once again in this round, Kovalev looked more comfortable, peppering Ward with jabs while the American tried to hang on.
Round 5
5 of 12
Entering Round 5, Ward was definitely down by at least three rounds and possibly by all four. For the first time in his career, he entered the middle of a fight down on the cards.
Kovalev was content to be patient in this round. At just about one minute in, Ward landed a good body punch. Kovalev responded with a solid hook.
Ward landed a good up jab halfway through the round. Inside of the last minute, he connected with another good jab.
Kovalev landed a pair of stiff jabs at about 30 seconds, but Ward came back with a good one-two combination. This was Ward's best round of the fight.
Round 6
6 of 12
Ward landed a nice hook to the body within the first 10 seconds of this round. Just less than 30 seconds in, he landed a jab to the body and then quickly moved back out of range.
The two men fell into another sustained clinch with 2:15 left in the round and against just over one minute into the round.
Halfway through the round, both men were studying each other carefully when Kovalev landed a nice right hand. He followed up with another a few seconds later, seeming to shift the momentum of the round back in his favor.
Ward landed three body shots inside of the last 10 seconds of the round. This was a competitive round, but I can see a judge scoring it in favor of Kovalev.
Round 7
7 of 12
Halfway through the fight, Kovalev was clearly winning, with Ward doing better work over the past few rounds. The first minute of the round was marked by more grabbing and wrestling.
Just over one minute into the round, Ward began to find a better offensive rhythm, landing some good, stiff jabs on Kovalev and continuing to mix in a body attack.
With less than 30 seconds left, Kovalev hit Ward with a thudding jab. Ward grabbed a clinch and then claimed space to land a nice right. This was Ward's round.
Round 8
8 of 12
The entire mood of the fight seemed to shift in Round 8, with Ward mixing up his body punches and then smothering Kovalev on the inside with a clinch. He landed a number of good body punches to Kovalev inside of the first minute.
Ward landed a nice hook upstairs halfway through the round. Kovalev responded by trying to be more active, but Ward was now starting to control the pace, unlike in the early rounds.
Kovalev landed a nice jab with about 30 seconds left in the round, but Ward came back with one of his own and then two solid punches to the body. This was another round for Ward.
Round 9
9 of 12
Entering the final third of the fight, what had been Kovalev's fight early had developed into a competitive bout, with Ward starting to dictate the terms of engagement.
Ward continued to look to land to Kovalev's body, while the Russian tried to pick up the pace. Kovalev landed a blistering combination just less than a minute in, but it seemed to have less pop than his early punches.
Ward landed another hard body shot halfway through the round and then a hard right hand to the top of Kovalev's head. The two traded jabs.
Inside a minute, Ward landed a great straight right. Kovalev came back with two solid rights. Inside the last 30 seconds, Ward kept his hand free in the clinch and landed some good body shots. Both men fought at a high level in this round, with the edge perhaps going to Ward.
Round 10
10 of 12
Coming into Round 10, the fight seemed too close for either man to even think about coasting. Both fighters appeared fatigued but determined.
Ward circled on the outside, while Kovalev remained patient. Ward missed over the top with a hook, and Kovalev landed a nice right counter. Ward landed two good punches just over a minute into the round, but Kovalev came right back with a straight right.
Ward landed a nice hook high on the head about two minutes into the round. Kovalev landed a hard right at 45 seconds, but Ward came right back with a left hook. Blood was starting to show on Kovalev's face.
Both men hit each other with stiff jabs almost simultaneously at about 30 seconds. Kovalev landed a right hand inside the last 10 seconds. Ward seemed to slip back off from it, but it was clearly a scoring punch.
This appeared like it might be the round where Kovalev secured a lead on the cards.
Round 11
11 of 12
As the championship rounds began, two great champions came out to the center of the ring, looking weary but determined.
Ward landed a solid left hook just over a minute into the round that slightly staggered Kovalev. The pace in this round was not blistering but steady and consistent.
Just inside a minute, Ward landed a great uppercut to the body and then a hard hook upstairs. Kovalev reacted well.
Kovalev slipped off a clinch inside the last 30 seconds. Ward scored with a jab that jolted Kovalev's head back with just over 10 seconds left in the round, possibly giving him the frame.
Round 12
12 of 12
Ward landed a good hook inside of the opening seconds of the round and then again about 30 second in. Ward looked to press the action now, but Kovalev had enough pop left to keep Ward honest and hold his ground.
Ward landed another hook just over a minute into the round and then fell into a clinch. With just less than two minutes left, Ward landed a pair of good body shots. But Kovalev came back with a hard body shot of his own seconds later.
Kovalev scored a solid jab against the ropes with about 30 seconds left in the fight. Ward landed a nice combination inside the last 10 seconds, backed up, changed his angle and landed two thudding body shots just before the final bell rang.
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