Monthly Podcast

It's my pleasure to announce that I'll be co-hosting a monthly podcast in 2017 with Brandon Stubbs. Brandon does an excellent job focusing on the high points of boxing and MMA on his weekly Punch 2 the Face Radio podcast. (Here's a link to some of his previous podcasts.) For our monthly show, we're going to concentrate only on boxing. 

I've had an opportunity to appear on Brandon's podcasts a few times over the last year and it's always been entertaining. The man knows his stuff and how to have a good time. We're still working out all the formatting for the monthly podcast but the first show is scheduled for Wednesday, January 25th. Be on the lookout for additional information about how to listen and call in. Hope to see you there.

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

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Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

SNB Scouting Report -- Luis Nery

Who: Luis Nery

Age: 22

Country: Mexico

Record: 22-0 (16 KOs)

Division: Bantamweight (118 lbs.)

Titles: No major titles yet

Stance: Southpaw

Trainer: Ismael Ramirez

Promoter: Zanfer Promotions

Next fight: TBA

Style in a nutshell: Nery is a lanky, left-handed swarmer with very heavy hands. Resembling a less-frenetic version of James Kirkland, Nery can hurt an opponent with either hand, blitz a foe with pressure and volume and finish like a seasoned professional. Another fighter who comes to mind when finding a Nery comparison is lightweight titlist Robert Easter, Jr. Although Easter is an orthodox fighter, both boxers often give up their height, like fighting on the inside and have a significant wingspan that can hurt opponents who think that they're out of range.  

Nery has very good footwork. He uses angles well and turns opponents to create openings. He almost always comes in behind a punch. He's much better going forward then fighting off of the back foot. When letting his hands go, he loses a responsible defensive posture and can be countered fairly easily. 

Very few of Nery's punches are straight. He throws long, looping hooks, often from unconventional angles. Even his left cross can have a hitch to it. This aspect of his style is both a blessing and a curse as opponents are often unprepared for his unique offensive arsenal but they can also beat him to the punch and counter him cleanly. Although many of his punches from range aren't straight, he still has deceptively good hand speed (with one notable exception which I'll talk about below). His punches come much quicker once he starts to throw in combination.  

Strengths: power, reach, body punching, finishing ability, footwork and aggressive temperament

Weakness: Defensive holes – most glaringly, failing to return his hands to a defensively responsible position after throwing; leaning forward before throwing punches; accuracy and counterpunching

Best punches: Left uppercut and right hook to the body

Worst punch: Straight left hand 

Stylistic quirks: There's no sugar-coating it; Nery has a terrible straight left hand. Leaning over towards his opponent before he throws it, the shot is 100% telegraphed. It's also slow and not terribly accurate. It's the only punch he throws where he lacks confidence. Most fighters easily duck under it. His better opponents can counter it at will with whatever punch they feel comfortable throwing. (He was dropped in his last fight by a short, counter right.) 

Nery also gets very wild after he thinks that he has hurt an opponent. On one hand, this characteristic makes him an exciting TV fighter; yet, it also makes him susceptible to a sharp counterpuncher, or someone who can lay traps on him. At this point in his career, Nery seems uninterested in throwing when an opponent pushes him back. And he's an indifferent counterpuncher; he'll trade with an opponent but if a foe can get off first, Nery more often than not will try to smother, evade or block shots rather than throw back. 

One other interesting note: Nery throws two different right hooks. His hook to the body is sharp, quick and pulverizing. When throwing to the head, it's a much more looping shot. However, it can be a devastating shot because of his substantial reach and his ability to throw it from numerous angles. Many of Nery's opponents don't see his wide hook coming.

When Nery is at his best: He's stalking, coming forward and using movement and his jab to get into range. He unloads with hooks (he also throws a left hook to the body) and uppercuts to inflict maximum damage. He'll throw four- and five-punch combinations and overwhelm an opponent with his volume, pressure and power. He's deadly when he gets a foe against the ropes, working the head and body and leaving enough distance to operate.  

When Nery is vulnerable: It starts out when an opponent figures out how to counter him. It could be with a straight right, a left hook, a southpaw right hook or an uppercut. He's essentially vulnerable to any big power punch. To this point, he hasn't faced the type of dynamic punchers that could knock him out but this is a real problem as he steps up his competition level. In particular, an uppercut would be a devastating counter against him because he leans forward with his chin exposed fairly regularly. He also could be susceptible to an excellent jab-and-mover. If Nery gets beaten to the punch, he becomes far less formidable than when he initiates his own offense. 

Could he win a title? Yes

How far can he go? At 22, Nery still has time to improve. Refreshingly, he's faced a number of solid pros throughout his development, including former title challengers. He needs to further refine his straight left hand and he could learn to be a tad more disciplined when exchanging. 

Nery finds himself in a sweet spot in the bantamweight division. The two best boxers at 118 lbs. over the last five years, Shinsuke Yamanaka and Anselmo Moreno, are both getting up there in age and have already started to decline. Jamie McDonnell might be moving up to 122. Lee Haskins runs hot and cold. Zolani Tete remains an impressive fighter but there are multiple paths to acquiring a title without going through him. 

A knockout artist, like a prime Yamanaka, would've given Nery all sorts of problems. If a fighter can retain his composure in the pocket against Nery, he could have a lot of success. However, Nery has more than enough physical ability, power and athleticism to trouble the current crop of bantamweights. He might not become a pound-for-pound-level fighter but bantamweight is a relatively thin division in terms of depth; he'll have his chances. 

I'd expect Nery to remain at the world-level for a number of years but unless he can make a number of key adjustments, he'll always be vulnerable to a good counterpuncher or a pure boxer who can consistently beat him to the punch. Nevertheless, Nery certainly is one exciting TV fighter and his style would be catnip to blood-and-guts fight fans. He could pick up a rabid following in short order. 

Thank you to Rian Scalia for his research assistance. 

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Pound-for-Pound Update 12-5-16

With a busy November in the top reaches of the sport, there have been a series of changes to the Saturday Night Boxing Pound-for-Pound list. The first order of business is to remove several inactive fighters. Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko and Miguel Cotto haven't fought in over a year; they have been removed from the Rankings. The rest of the updates are as follows:

Andre Ward won a razor-thin unanimous decision over Sergey Kovalev last month. Although the victory wasn't comprehensive and failed to provide a definitive answer as to which was the better fighter, both boxers displayed world-class capabilities against their best opponent to date. As a result, I have elevated both fighters, moving Ward to the number-two spot and Kovalev to number-three. Manny Pacquiao, who had his own victory last month, slides to number-four. 

Vasyl Lomachenko notched a dominant victory over Nicholas Walters last month, winning every round and forcing his foe to surrender in the corner. Lomachenko, a two-division titleholder has elite-level skills. If he continues to get top opponents in the ring, he could further rocket up the list. He moves up six places in the Rankings, from #18 to #12. 

Keith Thurman and Shinsuke Yamanaka both reenter the Rankings, at #18 and #19, respectively. Thurman slid off the list as other fighters had impressive showings this summer. With his next fight, against fellow pound-for-pound-fighter Danny Garcia, Thurman will have a big opportunity to ascend in the rankings. Yamanaka had a questionable decision victory over Anselmo Moreno in 2015. Since that debatable win, he knocked Moreno out in a thrilling rematch in September and defeated durable former junior bantamweight champ Liborio Solis earlier in the year.

Rances Barthelemy makes his Saturday Night Boxing pound-for-pound debut at #20. Barthelemy has won titles at junior lightweight and lightweight. Although he's yet to defeat a great fighter, he's beaten a number of good ones, including the likes of Argenis Mendez and Denis Shafikov. There are several impressive talents at 135-lbs. and if things break right, Barthelemy should have an opportunity in the next 12-18 months to prove his talent in the ring against a top opponent. 

The complete Saturday Night Boxing Pound-for-Pound list is below:

1. Roman Gonzalez
2. Andre Ward
3. Sergey Kovalev
4. Manny Pacquiao
5. Terence Crawford
6. Gennady Golovkin
7. Saul Alvarez
8. Juan Estrada
9. Tim Bradley
10. Guillermo Rigondeaux
11. Naoya Inoue
12. Vasyl Lomachenko
13. Adonis Stevenson
14. Donnie Nietes
15. Danny Garcia
16. Carl Frampton
17. Carlos Cuadras
18. Keith Thurman
19. Shinsuke Yamanaka
20. Rances Barthelemy

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Q&A: Tevin Farmer

Junior lightweight contender Tevin Farmer returns to the ring on Friday to conclude what has been a busy and eventful 2016. Notching the biggest win of his career in July against Ivan Redkach, Farmer has announced his presence as one of the top fighters in a blossoming division. Friday's bout against Dardan Zenunaj will be of the stay-busy variety but unlike most top fighters of this era, Farmer insists on remaining active. Zenunaj will be Farmer's fourth fight of the year.

Farmer, a southpaw from Philadelphia, didn't start boxing until he was 19. After only 16 amateur fights, he turned pro in 2011. His beginnings in the paid ranks had several rocky moments. At one point, he was just 7-4-1. After his last defeat in 2012 to now-junior lightweight titlist Jose Pedraza, Farmer rededicated himself to boxing and the results have been impressive, with 16 consecutive victories. Now in the prime boxing age of 26, his record currently stands at 23-4-1. 

Since aligning himself with trainers Raul "Chino" Rivas and Rashiem Jefferson, Farmer has continued to develop in the ring technically and he believes that he's a much stronger fighter mentally than he was earlier in his career. Frequent sparring with stablemate and 130-lb. titlist Jason Sosa hasn't hurt either as Farmer has learned some of the finer points of inside fighting from the hard-charging boxer from Camden. Farmer's on the cusp of a title shot and should he keep on his winning ways, big things could be in store for him in 2017.

In the following interview, Farmer talks about his maturation in the ring, what he's learned from his trainers and how his relationship with Sosa has helped both fighters. He also admits some disappointment about the state of boxing in that very few top fighters seem interested in taking on worthy opponents. Despite the frustrating politics found in contemporary boxing, Farmer maintains optimism regarding his future, having full confidence in his abilities and the strength of his team.  

Interview by Adam Abramowitz

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Tevin, this will be your fourth fight this year, what’s the importance for you of staying active?

Staying sharp is the key for me. The more a fighter fights, and specifically the more I fight, the sharper I am. The better conditioned I am the more I can stay ready for the big fights in the future. 

What type of guidance has Lou DiBella, your promoter, given you in terms of staying active? Has he been supportive of you staying active? 

Lou’s paying for the fight. He’s absolutely supportive. I just told him how I felt. I’m not making crazy money but the time will come for that. Right now it involves me staying active and I’m not just going to sit out for money reasons.  

On Friday, you’re facing Dardan Zenunaj. It’s a stay-busy fight. What would be a successful night for you?

For one, I want to get the victory. That’s the key. If I can get the victory, that’s O.K., and doing it in a spectacular way. I’m looking to showcase power. A lot of people underestimate my power but if you look at Ivan Redkach fight, he couldn’t stay on the inside with me and he was supposed to be the bigger, stronger fighter. But he couldn’t stay in there. My style didn’t allow him to do the things he wanted to do. 

We’re working on slowing down a little more, sitting down on our shots a little more. A lot of people that know boxing, they’d say that Tevin Farmer is a puncher-boxer. 

Have you had a chance to speak with Lou about some possible opportunities for you next year?

No. It’s really hard. Nobody wants to fight a Tevin Farmer. Nobody wants to lose to him. Nobody wants to fight a tough fight. That’s what boxing’s laughing at. I wish I could say it better but I really can’t because nobody wants to fight anybody else right now. I’m trying to set an example for the boxing world. I’ve never turned down a fight. Or, I’m calling out the big names. If anybody offers me a fight, I say c’mon. I’d love to fight a big name but it’s not happening right now. If a fighter really has confidence in himself, he doesn’t care who he fights. It’s the ones that aren’t confident in themselves that pick-and-choose who they want to fight. 

One of my favorite weight classes in boxing is the junior lightweight division. There are a lot of knockout artists and some very good boxers. Who are some fighters in the division that you have your eye on? Who would you like to fight in a perfect world?

Well, I’ve called out every fighter in my division and I haven’t really gotten a response. Nobody wants to take the fight with me. So I’m not going to waste my breath saying who I’d like to fight or who I don’t because I know for a fact it’s not going to happen. And anybody that follows me knows that I’d fight anybody that they’d put in front of me. But the question is: are they willing to fight me? 

Another fighter in the 130-lb. division is your stablemate, Jason Sosa. You went over to Monte Carlo to watch his fight against Stephen Smith and stay in training camp with your team. What can you tell me about that experience?

Oh man, it was a great experience. I got to see something totally different. I went over there, met new people. We worked hard. It was a great atmosphere. I got to see how business is done. I got to see a lot of different things. It was a special moment for me. 

Sosa-Smith was a very good fight with Sosa earning the unanimous decision over Smith. What were your impressions of that fight and did you think that Sosa would get the win at the end?

Oh yeah, absolutely. I think it was a hell of a fight. I think if it was on [American] TV, it probably would get nominated for fight of the year. Stephen Smith came to fight but Sosa was more of a dog that day. He was hungrier. He landed cleaner shots.  Sosa showed a lot in the fight. I actually think Stephen Smith hurt him but you couldn’t even tell. Sosa showed he could box a little bit. He even showed some good defense. He showed a lot.

Do you spar with Jason?

Oh yeah, we just sparred yesterday [last Thursday]. 

I wanted to ask you about your trainer, Raul “Chino” Rivas. I read an old interview of yours where you said that he quadrupled your skill level. What did you mean by that? 

Raul Rivas and Rashiem Jefferson. There are two of them. A lot of people leave one out but it’s a team. Both of them deserve credit and the both play a big part in getting the best out of me in different areas.

Specifically, how have you seen improvement since you’ve been with Rivas and Jefferson?

I always had the skills but they brought the skills out of me. Mentally was the key. The mental side and conditioning. They were able to tell me and show me... Most fighters are good but they’re not good mentally. They were able to build me mentally and have me believe that I could beat any fighter in the world. I can outbox anybody in the world. I can fight with anybody in the world. My conditioning is amazing. When I’m tired, I keep going. Back in the day, I could fight but mentally I wasn’t there. I would get tired and then I just wouldn’t fight. Now, I rarely get tired, or, if I do, you wouldn’t know because I’m mentally built for it. 

You started your career off at 7-4-1 and you talked about how after the Jose Pedraza fight, which you took on short notice and lost, that you rededicated yourself to the sport. After that moment, what changed? How did you go about your career in a different way?

I wasn’t really taking it serious. I didn’t have the right team yet. I think I took the fight on three days’ notice. And even on three days’ notice, I still went the full eight [rounds]. And, on top of that, I beat him the first two-and-a-half-rounds. I spanked him. Then, I got tired and he just took over – what he was supposed to do.  Even back then, if I had a full training camp, I would’ve beat him, even with not knowing anything. 

Pedraza is a champion now. Would you be willing to face him in a re-match? 

That would be too easy. Yeah, he told me... He and my trainer told me that he’s not fighting me.

I’ve noticed from watching some of your fights that in addition to your hand speed and defensive skills, you’re also very strong on the inside. Have you always been comfortable with inside fighting or is it something that has come to you more over the years?

No. I never could fight on the inside earlier in my career. But over the years, “Chino” built that. This is where “Chino” played a part in it. He built me to fight in that style, sparring with guys like Jason Sosa and a lot of strong fighters. Sometimes when we spar, we do nothing but work on the inside. And it’s so good that I’m a monster on the inside now. That’s where "Chino" comes in at. When it comes to boxing, that’s where Rashiem comes in. And when it comes to my IQ, that’s where we all come in at. So we all play a different role in me being what I am today. 

And Jason Sosa, as far as my inside game, that’s one of the guys that’s helped me build my inside game. He helped me mentally, knowing that if I could take his shots I could take anybody’s shots. He helped me with a lot of things, and vice versa. I think I’ve definitely helped him as a boxer. 

One of the big fights in your career happened earlier this year in the Barclays Center against Ivan Redkach. A number of boxing observers thought that Redkach would be a very good test to see where you were at that stage of your career. You wound up winning a wide unanimous decision. What are your thoughts on that performance?

I trained a month for that fight. I was training for another opponent in June so I was in camp. And Sosa and I were already banging out 10, 12 rounds in camp back in May. So I was ready and prepared to go. That performance, I grade it a ‘B.” I haven’t really brought out my “A” game yet. No fighter has brought it out of me yet. If I would’ve stopped him it would’ve been an “A” for sure. I do think I could’ve stopped him but he came into the fight overweight. I think those extra pounds held him up. 

You know, I’m still learning as well. The more these guys wait to fight me, the harder it’s going to get. They think that avoiding me now is the best thing to do. But avoiding me now is the worst thing they could do because I’m still getting better. Remember, just 16 amateur fights. Started out at 19. Only been boxing for seven years. And I already have the experience. What do I have…27, 28 fights? I’m already fighting with experience. It’s going to get harder and harder for these guys. 

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Punch 2 the Face Radio

I joined Punch 2 the Face Radio this week, hosted by Brandon Stubbs, where we talked about the controversial Kovalev-Ward fight and previewed Lomachenko-Walters. I joined at the 11:00-minute mark. Click here to listen.

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Opinions and Observations: Kovalev-Ward

However one views Andre Ward's controversial unanimous decision victory over Sergey Kovalev, the fight manifested in a fairly clear "tale of two halves." Kovalev dominated the action early, beating Ward to the punch with jabs and right hands. He knocked Ward down in the second and had his foe hanging on for dear life by the end of the round. There was a clear difference in power between the two fighters. Although that was expected, what was surprising was that Kovalev also out-boxed Ward through most of the fight's first four rounds. 

By the end of the match, it was clear to me that Ward was getting the better of the action in a majority of the fight's final frames. Ward disrupted Kovalev's timing by grappling on the inside and landing single shots, usually jabs, right hands or left hooks that left Kovalev flummoxed in the ring and unable to land the types of definitive blows that he scored with earlier in the bout. 

In my estimation, scoring the match came down to when one started to grasp the tide of the fight turning. Rounds five through seven were very close and the awarding of those frames could vary based on eye of the beholder. Kovalev was still landing solid shots here and there but Ward was successful in neutralizing Kovalev's free-flowing offense and scoring more frequently with his own shots. Now, were Ward's efforts in these rounds enough to win them, or was he simply doing better? That, like much of this fight is up for debate. 

Allow me to take a brief pause from sharing my fight observations to talk about the concept of confirmation bias, which may have played a key role in how one scored Kovalev-Ward. For a quick definition of confirmation bias, let's use this: the tendency to interpret new evidence as a confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories. Confirmation bias is a concept familiar to those conversant in psychology, cognitive and social sciences. In recent years, the phrase has increasingly popped up in analytically-minded evaluations of decision making in sports. Baseball front offices and "statheads" in other sports frequently try to combat confirmation bias in order to remove groupthink and to solicit different opinions. 

Confirmation bias holds a significant role in boxing, specifically in the evaluation and judging of fights. Observers hold a theory on how a matchup might play out and until there is significant evidence that negates the original prediction, the initial hypothesis for the fight prevails. In competitive contests, such as Kovalev-Ward, observers make a pick or posit a theory on how the match will unfold. The tendency is to view the ensuing fight action through the prism of the original pick. Essentially, we all want our initial prediction to be right. 

As a red-blooded human being, of course I can be susceptible to confirmation bias, just like anyone else. I predicted that Ward would win the fight after a rough start. I even went so far as to opine that he would be knocked down early in the fight before coming back to win in the second half. Now, did Ward actually do those things on Saturday? He might have. I thought that he did. However, it's not out of the realm of possibility that I tried to place Saturday's fight action into my original narrative. 

I scored the fight 115-112 for Ward, or eight rounds to four, with a point off for the knockdown. I thought that Ward gradually began to take away Kovalev's offensive weapons. In terms of ring generalship, from the fifth round on, I believed that most of those rounds were the types of frames that Ward would want. I didn't see him getting hit with a ton of shots and he did enough on offense to shade almost all of the close rounds on my card. 

My score was among the outer boundaries for those who thought that Ward had been the victor (I predicted that he'd win by 116-111). Now, in most instances where I make a pick and the fight plays out far differently than expected, I'm able to make the necessary observational adjustments in how I perceive the action playing out. I'd like to think that I did that on Saturday. However, I'm also willing to admit that it's possible that confirmation bias may have played a small role in my final scorecard. 

But this article is not a mere apologia for one man's human deficiencies; the door swings both ways. It's also entirely possible that many Kovalev supporters fell victim to confirmation bias as well. Many picked Kovalev to win. And let's also face this truth; Ward is an unpopular figure in many fight circles and corners of the media. His arrogance and aloofness rub people the wrong way. Many boxing fans really wanted Ward to lose, and this level of vitriol went far beyond a simple fight prediction. 

Everyone in boxing has his or her favorite boxers and those that they can't stomach. Should Danny Garcia ever find himself in a close fight again, huge swaths of boxing fans will have him losing because they don't like how he's conducted his career. Ward is a similar figure. So while it's certainly possible that Ward lost the fight on Saturday, let's also consider that many who thought that Kovalev won could've also fallen prey to bits of confirmation bias. 

Thus, what exactly are we left with…some kaleidoscopic view of a fight action, where fans and observers see what they want and discard things that might disrupt their original narrative? In truth, this exact situation is why boxing judging can be very difficult. The human brain essentially relies on stories, narratives and unifying themes to help explain the world. We take shortcuts and make assumptions. It's the boxing judge's responsibility to separate each round and score it individually. What came before shouldn't affect what happens next. Those who score fights try their best to separate previous from current action but everyone has imperfections; storylines are how we process information. 

Often, it's almost a toss of the coin to determine who has won a close round. Was a fighter really hurt? Does this bit of body language indicate mental or physical fatigue? Is the force of a fighter's punches diminishing? Has a particular boxer gained "momentum?" Was the fighter coming forward effective or just aggressive?

Professional judges, even the best ones, can succumb to bias, whether it's a certain style they prefer, the atmosphere of the arena or a limited view of specific exchanges during a fight. They find things that they like in close rounds. And when multiple rounds play out in similar fashion, it's certainly possible that they continue to reward one particular fighter over another; the brain spots familiar patterns, which serves to counteract the notion that each round should be scored as its own independent event. 

The three judges for Kovalev-Ward, Glenn Trowbridge, Burt Clements and John McKaie, are all reputable arbiters in the sport. I won't claim that they are among the top officials in boxing but they aren't in the bottom tier either. They are a representative sampling of the types of judges found at major fights. In my opinion, their 114-113 scores for Ward were all defensible tallies. And it's also my belief that another set of officials could've legitimately arrived at Kovalev as the winner of the fight. That all three judges had the same score doesn't mean there was a consensus as to who won the bout. Press row had Kovalev by about a 3:1 ratio. 

The best we can hope for as boxing fans are that professional judges turn in scorecards that are defendable and legitimate. Their scores won't always conform perfectly to how we might see a fight but as long as there is a legitimate way of arriving at a verdict then that should suffice. In a fight such as Kovalev-Ward, where there were three-to-five swing rounds, it's certainly possible that divergent scorecards could be conceivable. That the three judges turned in identical tallies is immaterial. Ultimately, huge portions of the fight were debatable as to who was doing the better work. 

Controversy drives boxing. It's good for the sport. It keeps fans engaged and helps to enlarge boxing's base. Ultimately, Kovalev-Ward was an excellent, competitive fight, far better than most had anticipated. What we didn't want on Saturday night was another example of illegitimacy for the sport, where we see the umpteenth headline in a newspaper of "Another Black Eye for Boxing." Kovalev-Ward was not that. The ultimate verdict was controversial but not illegitimate. And that's O.K. Controversy sells. I'd practically guarantee that the Kovalev-Ward rematch will do better at the box office and in the pay per view numbers than the first one did. Boxing fans want to see the matchup again and increasing numbers of casual fans will tune into the second fight because it will play a bigger role in the greater sporting world. 

Saturday's fight produced a victor but not a conclusive one. Let's hope we get that in the rematch. It was my pleasure to be out in Las Vegas to witness Saturday's action. It's rare to see a fight between two of the best talents in the sport, let alone a compelling one. Both combatants showed world-class skills and character. I can't wait for the next one. 

But let's also take a moment to remember that we're fallible individuals with biases, some obvious and others less so. Kovalev-Ward was a Rorschach test on many levels. Where there was inconclusivity, so many found ways to make the fight's outcome definitive, perhaps in part to conform to a pre-existing view. Despite the protestations from some fight fans, Kovalev-Ward wasn't conclusive and it's perfectly reasonable to admit this. Perhaps the second one will settle remaining doubt. Then, those who are in interested in chest-puffing can have at it. But until then, let's revel in an excellent fight and hope that Kovalev-Ward helped to move the sport forward. 

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Kovalev-Ward: Keys to the Fight

Perhaps the most significant fight of 2016 takes place on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as two of the top-five talents in the sport, unified light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs) and undefeated former super middleweight king Andre Ward (30-0, 15 KOs), square off in a hotly anticipated matchup at the 175-lb. limit. The stakes are high; Saturday's winner will become a bona fide star in the sport and has a solid argument to be recognized as boxing's number-one fighter. 

Kovalev-Ward is the culmination of a year-long buildup, which featured several contentious periods of negotiation. Both boxers had their requisite tune-ups earlier in 2016 (Kovalev fought Isaac Chilemba and a rematch against Jean Pascal; Ward faced Alexander Brand and Sullivan Barrera) and each is now ready to take on the most difficult assignment of his professional career. 

Kovalev is one of the most destructive fighters in the sport, featuring a deadly right hand and a burgeoning ring IQ. Ward is perhaps the sport's consummate boxer and has the versatility and adaptability reserved for elite talents. Saturday's matchup is the classic boxer vs. puncher clash. Although the gambling houses have installed Ward as a slight favorite, both pugilists have clear paths to victory. Below are the keys to the fight. My prediction will be at the end of the article. 

1. Can Ward take Kovalev's punch?

Although Ward has beaten fighters of varied styles throughout his professional career, he's yet to defeat a genuine knockout artist. Yes, Arthur Abraham, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Edwin Rodriguez featured good power but Kovalev punches at another level. His power is among the best in boxing. As a pro, Ward has been knocked down once, early in his career against Darnell Boone, a fighter who also took Kovalev to the brink in a debatable split decision loss in 2010. (Kovalev won more authoritatively in a 2012 rematch, knocking Boone out in the second round.) Despite that hiccup against Boone, Ward has demonstrated a fine beard as a pro. 

However, if Kovalev lands his Sunday punch, all bets are off. He has the power to hurt or stop any light heavyweight. Kovalev's money shot is his right hand and he sets it up well with his other punches. Although Kovalev's right is one of boxing's supreme weapons, he isn't just a one-trick pony. Fighters can get so wary of his right that he wins rounds and hurts opponents with thudding jabs and crisp left hooks. 

Even accounting for Ward's defensive prowess, it's unlikely that he'll manage to escape all 12 rounds without being hit by something big by Kovalev, who has landed authoritative punches on all of his best opponents. Kovalev's thundershots will ask several questions of Ward: When Kovalev lands his right, can he survive? At 32, does Ward still have the ability to get up? If he's hurt, can his legs withstand a true Kovalev assault? Does Ward have the physicality to neutralize Kovalev in those moments to buy himself recovery time? The answers to these questions will determine if Ward has a legitimate chance of raising his arms at the end of the night.

2. Can Kovalev establish an inside game? 

Ward's safest bet in the fight is to stay out of mid-range, where Kovalev has the reach and power to cause maximum damage. Knowing this, Ward will most likely spend large portions of the bout either on the inside or out of range. When outside of the pocket, Ward can potshot and reduce Kovalev's punch volume. However he's still going to have to make a stand at points in the fight. Kovalev is fairly good at cutting off the ring and Ward will have to do enough offensively to win rounds. 

Inside fighting has become a lost art in boxing but Ward is one of the few fighters in the sport who has grasped and mastered all of its implications. By using angles, movement, creative punch variety and his physicality, Ward has experienced significant success at close range. There, he consistently beats his opponents to the punch, out-thinks them and gradually demoralizes his foes. He has several short punchers that are weapons in tight quarters. Specifically, his left hook has stunning accuracy and surprising power.  

Kovalev likes to use his reach to punch. In close, his jab and straight right hand become lesser factors. His uppercut can disappear in fights. Ultimately, Kovalev needs to find something that works at close range. Perhaps it could be short left hooks to the body or uppercuts, but without consistent inside weapons he will cede large territories of ring geography to Ward. Certainly Kovalev will be tying-up at points but he won't be able to neutralize Ward 100% on the inside with just inaction. Kovalev will have to do some fighting on the inside to earn Ward's respect and disabuse him of the notion that being in close range is a safe harbor. 

3. Battle of the jabs. 

Both fighters have excellent jabs. They'll use the punch to initiate their offensive rhythm and thwart opposing momentum. Ward has the better hand speed of the two but Kovalev's jab is constant and accurate. Kovalev also jabs expertly to the body, which opens up additional offensive opportunities throughout a fight. 

Much of the ring generalship of the fight will center on which fighter can establish his jab and if either guy can take away that punch from his opponent. Ward has an excellent counter left hook and is a master of timing. If opponents become too predictable, he'll counter them with a full arsenal of potential shots or use the ring to disrupt his opponent's timing. 

Kovalev will double and triple jab to reduce counters. Although Kovalev isn't a natural counterpuncher, he's improved in this area under trainer John David Jackson's tutelage. His counter right hand was enough to keep Bernard Hopkins in survival mode. Most of Kovalev's opponents spend so much time on defense that they grudgingly offer lead shots. Kovalev uses his jab both offensively and defensively. He sets his other punches up with his jab and it's forceful enough that opponents don't want to open up with their own offense, keeping them in safety-first mode.

4. Ward's legs.

Ward fought only twice in 40 months between 2012 and 2016 as he dealt with injuries and promotional disputes. Upon his return, there were some noticeable differences in his ring performances. He's less explosive physically than he once was and he's more of a straight-line fighter. Some boxing observers attributed those characteristics as symptoms of ring rust. If that line of thinking proves to be correct, with more activity, much of Ward's former athleticism will reemerge. However, it's also quite possible that Father Time has caught up to Ward a bit; very few fighters are in their physical peak in their 30's.  

If there is real slippage with Ward's athleticism, and specifically his legs, that problem could manifest in a number of ways throughout the fight. Ward might lack the reflexes to evade Kovalev's big shots. If he can't use the ring like he once did, he'll be in Kovalev's range far more often. In addition, it's possible that he'll lack the quick athletic movements to get on the inside against Kovalev, which would be a huge benefit to the rangier power puncher. 

With a full training camp and a determined effort, Ward could still exhibit a close-to-peak physical prowess. If that's the case, then he has many different ways of winning the fight. However, if there is true degradation in Ward's athleticism, then he'll be in harm's way throughout the match. Without his legs at close to 100%, Ward may not have his full range of recuperative powers. Can he recover from big shots? Can he move quickly enough to tie-up Kovalev? Will he be able to use the ring to limit Kovalev's offense? 

5. Mental fortitude.

Not only has Ward been undefeated as a professional but he's also won an Olympic gold medal; losing isn't part of his vocabulary. He's defeated several champions and often has embarrassed them in the ring. On one hand, Ward's winning pedigree is clearly established. However, other factors may come into play on Saturday. Getting hit with big shots has the ability to transform elite fighters into something far less than that. If Ward gets hurt or battered in the ring, does he still possess the internal drive to do what it takes to win? He sat out for many years of his prime and has talked about losing his love of the sport. Is he as emotionally invested in winning as he once was? He's a family man and loves raising his kids. If he gets hurt badly, with those considerations enter into his decision making process? 

In recent years, Kovalev has been dropped by a lesser talent (Blake Caparello) and hurt in the first Pascal fight. Although he rallied in both instances, he clearly didn't react well in those moments. Against Pascal, Kovalev seemed momentarily stunned in the middle rounds, forgetting to throw punches and abandoning his defensive posture. Facing Caparello, he was temporarily gun shy. Even earlier this year against Chilemba, Kovalev was visibly frustrated when he couldn't land with regularity and turned in a disjointed performance. 

Ward will make it difficult for Kovalev. There will be portions of the fight where things won't go his way. Will Kovalev stick to the game plan? Will he take unnecessary risks? Will he check out mentally? Will he start fouling out of frustration? What happens if he gets hit with a lot of solid shots? Which fighter will dig deeper and do what it takes to win? Which will be the more focused competitor? Who will respond better to his corner? These factors could very much determine who will be victorious on Saturday. 

Prediction:

I believe that Ward, even with some physical diminishment, still has more ways of winning the fight. He has advantages on both the inside and outside. He also has enough weapons at mid-range to keep Kovalev honest. I think that Ward will gradually take away Kovalev's jab by staying out of the pocket and fighting in areas of the ring where that punch won't be much of a factor. 

However, I do believe that Ward's reflexes have slipped enough that the fight will be compelling. Barrera and Brand landed hard shots on Ward, the types of blows that probably wouldn't have landed before his hiatus. There will be moments in the fight where Kovalev catches Ward at the end of a multi-punch combination or pulling straight back. At those points, Ward will have to use his considerable recuperative powers to survive. However, I think that Kovalev will only have intermittent success with his power shots. In totality, Ward will be the more consistent fighter, boxing and neutralizing his way to winning a majority of the rounds. I believe that Ward will have to get off the canvas in the fight but he'll do enough to earn the victory. 

Andre Ward defeats Sergey Kovalev 116-111. 

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Punch 2 The Face Radio

I jumped on Punch 2 The Face Radio this week, hosted by Brandon Stubbs, to preview Pacquiao-Vargas and Donaire-Magdaleno. My segment starts at the nine-minute mark. Click here to listen.

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

Are You a Successful Professional Boxer?

There are lots of boxers out there but how many of them are really at the top of the sport? Saturday Night Boxing has the answers. Fighters, how do you fare?

1. When was the last time you fought three times in a year?

a. 2016

b. 2015

c. 2014

d. 2013

e. 4th grade

2. After winning a fight, you thank _______.

a. Your family

b. Your fans

c. Al Haymon

d. The judges 

3. Your most memorable fight almost sold out _______.

a. Madison Square Garden

b. The Manchester Arena

c. The StubHub Center

d. The Buffalo Run Casino

4. Your favorite part about being a successful fighter is _______.

a. Being acknowledged in the sport by fans and the media

b. Providing for your family

c. Getting free tickets to fights

d. The verified blue check mark on your Twitter account 

5. How many sparring partners did you claim to send home this year because of your ferocious power?

a. 0

b. 1-2

c. 3-5

d. Half the male population of Guadalajara

6.  Yesterday, you were _______.

a. At the gym

b. Doing road work

c. At the strip club

d. In court

e. Still on ice

7. How many times have you avoided fighting Gennady Golovkin in your career?

a. 0

b. 1-4

c. 5-8

8. Has Max Kellerman ever compared you to ________?

a. Roberto Duran

b. Muhammad Ali

c. Sugar Ray Robinson

d. Zeus

9. How many of the Smith brothers have you beaten?

a. 0

b. 1

c. 2

10. You use social media to  ______.

a. Build your fan base

b. Call out other fighters

c. Provide official announcements

d. Intimidate Mike Coppinger

11. Which member of your team do you pay the most?

a. Manager

b. Trainer

c. Accountant

d. Lawyer

12. When interacting with the public, do you get asked for ______?

a. Your autograph

b. A picture

c. Free tickets

d. Another gin and tonic

Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.

He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 
@snboxing on twitter

SN Boxing on Facebook
Contact Adam at: 
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com