Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, after another round of contentious negotiations, will meet on June 17 in a highly anticipated and necessary rematch that will settle multiple scores.
The first fight between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, which saw Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) wrest Kovalev’s IBF/WBA/WBO light heavyweight titles via the narrowest of unanimous decisions, was indeed controversial. It wasn’t, however, a blatant robbery.
Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) deserved to prevail in what turned out to be fascinating fight. A thudding Kovalev right hand dropped Ward on all fours in the second round, but the American methodically worked his way back into the contest behind a sledgehammer jab and cagey in-fighting. The final three rounds morphed into a seesaw battle just when it seemed as if Ward had seized control of the bout, and if the trio of 114-113 scores in Ward’s favor were debatable, one thing wasn’t: a rematch was absolutely necessary.
Naturally, Kovalev made use of his immediate rematch clause, but Ward has never been one to cede power in negotiations — or anything for that matter. Ward flirted with retirement and tortured boxing fans with his honed combination of arrogance, intelligence and indifference. In the end, though, the rematch was agreed to, and it will take place on June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I’m going to keep it short and sweet,” Ward said when speaking about the rematch, which FanSided received via press release from HBO. “You got what you asked for — now you [Kovalev] have to see me on June 17. This time… leave the excuses at home.”
The rematch is billed as “No Excuses,” which applies to both fighters. Whether Ward can admit it or not (hint: he can’t), an important part of his legacy is contingent on him clearly defeating Kovalev in their rematch. Had Ward retired following the first fight, an asterisk would have haunted the most important “victory” of his career; now, Ward has the chance to prove, unequivocally, that he’s the better boxer and the best light heavyweight in the world.
“I’m glad to know that rematch will happen,” Kovalev said about fighting Ward again. “I really hope that Andre Ward will get into the ring for this rematch. Fans of boxing will see the real Krusher — the one they have missed for couple of my last fights. For me this rematch is very important as no other bout in my entire boxing career. Thanks a lot to all of boxing fans.”
In an odd statement, Kovalev recently contended that he overtrained for the first fight with Ward, which caused him to fade in the bout’s second half. If this is actually the case, it’s a somewhat lame revelation from a fighter who has been operating at the championship level for years. Regardless, the “No Excuses” label applies to Kovalev for the rematch, especially given that he was unable to stop Ward after dropping him. If Kovalev is soundly beaten this time, his terminator aura will suddenly lack substance.
Given the first fight’s mild controversy, both Ward and Kovalev still have the ability to shape the most important part of their respective legacies. Ward, because he has so thoroughly dominated every other foe during his remarkable career, has never contested a rematch as a professional, and Kovalev’s two bouts with former champion Jean Pascal have already been reduced to a mere footnote with June 17 signed and sealed. Ward and Kovalev will be forever linked, and everything about their rivalry remains up for grabs.
It must also be noted that pound-for-pound standing is at stake. With Gennady Golovkin pushed to surprising limits against Daniel Jacobs and Roman Gonzalez getting controversially upset on the same March 18 card, the pound-for-pound throne is in a state of flux and transition. Some feel Golovkin still has a legitimate claim to it, while others are already touting maestro Vasyl Lomachenko as the best fighter in all of boxing.
But the reality is that a decisive win from either Andre Ward or Sergey Kovalev should at least propel them to the number one pound-for-pound spot for a brief spell. Of all the fighters currently under consideration, only Ward and Kovalev can boast two consecutive bouts against a fellow elite, pound-for-pound entrant. Lomachenko may indeed be closing in on the crown, and he may claim it by the end of the year, but the magnitude of Ward-Kovalev II must be respected until then.
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Division, pound-for-pound and generational supremacy are all at stake for Ward and Kovalev when they meet for the second time. Their rematch is yet another sign that boxing is on the rebound after a disastrous 2016, and it seems that both men realized that fighting anyone else in the interim was simply unacceptable. What made the first bout special was its ability to remain riveting — not thrilling — for 12 rounds. There’s no reason June 17 should be any different.