Sergey Kovalev vs Andre Ward: 5 reasons to watch

Two legacies are at stake

Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward is a legacy fight. The winner, of course, will be unanimously viewed as the best light heavyweight in the world, as well as arguably the top pound-for-pound boxer on the planet. Moreover, added to these stakes is the reality that the victor will have likely punched their ticket to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.

For Sergey Kovalev, the chance to score a marquee, asterisk-less win has to be enticing. Kovalev’s two best victories to date were his outclassing of Bernard Hopkins and his first bludgeoning of former lineal champion Jean Pascal. Both were excellent but came with mitigating factors: Hopkins, despite his sharp boxing skills, was pushing 50, and Pascal, while certainly a top contender, was somewhat faded.

To some, Andre Ward’s run through the Super Six World Boxing Classic and his subsequent manhandling of Chad Dawson is enough of a resume to merit enshrinement in Canastota. And maybe it is. However, Ward’s subsequent inactivity and promotional issues have left fans with nearly as many questions as answers about his career up to this point.

If Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) wins, he’ll have earned that desperately desired signature triumph and irrefutable confirmation that he’s not only one of boxing’s most devastating offensive forces, but that he’s one of its foremost craftsmen. As for Ward (30-0, 15 KOs), becoming a unified, two-weight champion and slaying the division’s proverbial dragon will confirm that he is his era’s best fighter.