Sergey Kovalev vs Andre Ward: 5 reasons to watch

Can Kovalev or Ward finally capture the public’s imagination?

As mentioned in the section comparing Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward to Oscar De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad, neither Kovalev nor Ward has been able to captivate the public’s imagination and become the type of elite earners their skills suggested they ought to be. Kovalev’s failure to connect with fans is especially puzzling given his appealing, destructive fighting style.

Kovalev-Ward, of course, will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it will be telling to see who ends up holding the balance of power in terms of fan support. Conventional wisdom suggests Ward, only because his Oakland, California, supporters are relatively close to Sin City. However, consider that Ward, who has been an elite fighter for years, has never fought in boxing’s capital.

Similarly, Kovalev, despite having been an A-side for several years, has never developed a home base where he can count on raucous fan support. Consider that Kovalev twice had to travel to Jean Pascal’s backyard of Montreal and that no one has been able to help him captivate like Gennady Golovkin, a fighter with a similarly devastating style and who came to the U.S. with limited English.

Both Kovalev and Ward, though, have utterly unappealing, and sometimes disdainful personalities. Ward can come across as smug and aloof, and his layoff and career choices have been greeted by collective groans and eye rolls. Kovalev, on the other hand, embodies a cold, destructive Terminator persona that generally rings hollow. And then there’s also the racist t-shirt of fellow champion Adonis Stevenson, and Kovalev’s admission that he carried Jean Pascal in their second fight for the sole purpose of inflicting maximum damage and punishment, despite having previously killed an opponent. (Kovalev, to be fair, has shown genuine remorse for that tragedy.)

Next: 5 keys to victory for Andre Ward

Fortunately for Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward, they have the chance to captivate with their fists, which is by far their greatest strength. Ward, to be frank, seems to have zero interest in remotely altering his personality to become more appealing to fans, and that is his right; however, what he can do is earn unanimous respect with a dynamic performance. Kovalev seems to have a better shot at breaking through, especially if he scores a knockout. And yet, can either man shake the perception that they are withdrawn, vindictive or dull? Should they have to?

We’ll know soon enough.