Another Black Eye for Boxing with Kovalev-Ward Decision, Bout Confirms Golovkin’s Status as P4P #1
By: Ken Hissner
Kovalev’s manager and promoter allowed a terrible referee like Robert Byrd to get picked. All US judges? How about one from Russia, one from CA and one from either CAN or MEX? Byrd favored Ward the whole fight. I had Ward causing 47 clinches and Kovalev 8 clinches. Byrd was so slow getting to break a clinch it was sad. Good fight? Compared to what?
This writer felt Kovalev won 5 of the first 6 rounds. Then lost 2 and won 3 straight losing the last round for a 116-111 score 8-4 in rounds. I cannot believe in a 12 round fight that all 3 judges had the same scores. There would not have been a fight if Kovalev didn’t force it all the way. Both fighters were a disappointment to this writer. Can you imagine comparing this to the first “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Tommy “Hit Man” Hearns fight?
But there is one thing this bout proves, and that’s Gennady “GGG” is P4P the Best Fighter in the World!
To call either Kovalev or Ward the best P4P after what I saw you better start watching MMA. If Gennady “GGG” Golovkin isn’t the best P4P boxer in the world then who is? He can’t get Jacobs, Saunders or Alvarez in the ring with him.
In looking at the No. 1 middleweight contenders in the 4 organizations you will be saying “who?” WBC is Jorge Sebastian Heiland, 28-4-2, ARG. WBA Alfonso Blanco, 12-0, VZ/Oxnard, CA. IBF Tureano Johnson 19-1, Bahamas/ GA. This guy can fight and the fight he lost I covered and he was well ahead when a quick stoppage ended it. WBO Avtandil Khurtside, 32-2-2, GA, got screwed losing to Tony Marshall. I’ve seen Heiland and Avtandil Khurtside in person and GGG would beat both if they were a “tag team”. Danny Jacobs holds a WBA title and just changed his mind and said no to GGG. Billy Joe Saunders doesn’t have the experience and is smart not to take this fight. Alvarez should stay at 154 or get beat and he knows it and has put this fight off a year so far. He has the Charlo’s and Julian Williams to consider fighting.