导出博客文章LAS VEGAS -- Andre Ward, the new No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world?He
made a case -- but not a convincing one -- as he won a razor-close but
controversial unanimous decision against Sergey Kovalev to claim three light
heavyweight world title belts before an adoring crowd of 13,310 on Saturday
night at T-Mobile Arena.All three judges scored the bout 114-113 for Ward, who
survived a second-round knockdown and some shaky moments. ESPN.com scored the
fight 115-112 for Kovalev, who appeared to land the much more powerful punches.
HBOs unofficial scorer, Hall of Fame judge Harold Lederman, had Kovalev winning
116-111.?Many media members sitting ringside also had Kovalev winning.If judges
Glenn Trowbridge and John McKaie had given Kovalev the final round, the fight
would have been a split decision win for Kovalev. Judge Burt Clements gave
Kovalev the 12th round but had Ward ahead going into the round.This is a
beautiful thing. We did it, baby. Its a lot of hardware, Ward said as he was
presented with the belts. Surreal. This is what we set out to do. Im a
five-[belt] world champion in two different weight classes. Man, its
amazing.This sounds good -- the new light heavyweight champ. This was my most
important and satisfying win.There were many who believed that the Kovalev-Ward
winner would be worthy of replacing junior bantamweight titlist Roman
Chocolatito Gonzalez as the new pound-for-pound king. And some might elevate
Ward into that lofty perch coming off the best victory of his career, which
already includes wins against such top opponents as Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler
and Chad Dawson.Ward said he was not startled that he got the nod.I was not
surprised when I heard the decision, he said. I dont know where you got that
from. I know it was a close fight. The crowd, you can hear they thought I
won.[Kovalev] did everything I expected him to do. He started to show up as I
expected. He started to fight like I expected. My coach [Virgil Hunter] did a
great job.Kovalev, who was making his ninth title defense, strongly disagreed
with the scoring.Its the wrong decision. I dont want to say my opinion, he said.
The witnesses are here. They saw it. Its my job. It was a fight of my life. I am
disappointed in the judges decision.[Ward] got maybe a few rounds. I agree with
that. I kept control. I lost maybe three rounds the whole fight. It is the USA
and all the judges were from the USA. Its a sport. Dont make it politics. Its a
sport, and I won the fight.Main Events promoter Kathy Duva, Kovalevs promoter,
also was not happy with the decision.My impression was that was the wrong
decision, she said. We thought he was clearly ahead on points. I think Ward
could have a great career in the UFC. I havent seen so much wrestling since
Conor McGregor in the UFC card last week.Ward did initiate many clinches, and
referee Robert Byrd did little to stop it, allowing the fighters to work their
way out of it.I thought for sure it was not going to be a one-way fight, but the
wrestling was outrageous, Duva said. The referee didnt do anything about it, and
Im really upset. [Kovalev] won the first six rounds, and he had a knockdown. How
the hell did he lose a decision??Ward will likely have to face Kovalev in a
rematch. Duva said her side would exercise its right to an immediate
rematch.Were going to get him back in the ring as soon as we can and right this
wrong, Duva said.Kovalev agreed.Of course, I want a rematch, and I will kick his
ass, Kovalev said. I want to show good boxing.Michael Yormark of Roc Nation
Sports, Wards promoter, said it was too soon to talk about a sequel and declined
to acknowledge the rematch clause.Its too early to discuss a rematch at this
point, Yormark said. Andre will enjoy the moment, spend time with his family
and, obviously, embrace those three belts. Well decide where we go from here
over the next weeks.Ward offered his take.Of course, I would do a rematch, Ward
said. I am not going to negotiate a fight right now. I will go home and relax
and see whats next.Ward, a 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, got off to a very
rough start, as Kovalev appeared to hurt him midway through the opening round
with a stiff left jab that forced Ward to grab on to him around the waist.Ward
(31-0, 15 KOs) had blood coming from his right nostril early in the second
round. Then a left hand and a right drove him into the ropes. Moments later,
Kovalev connected with a booming right hand to the forehead, and Ward went down
to all fours. It was only the second time in Wards career he had been knocked
down. Ward made it out of the round but looked a bit shaky and tried to hold
Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) in the third round.When Kovalev, who earned $2 million
but stands to earn much more because of his percentage of the promotion, got
rough in response to Ward holding him, Byrd warned them to knock it off.I knew
it was going to be a tough fight, Ward said of the knockdown. I think after the
second-round knockdown, he realized I wasnt going anywhere and I was stepping on
the gas. Technically, theres always stuff I can pick apart. I wasnt happy about
that knockdown, but I didnt panic. I was at peace. Now its time to really get to
work. I wasnt hurt by it. As a matter of fact, I wasnt hurt by anything he
threw.Byrd was busy throughout the fight, breaking hard clinches -- many of
which were initiated by Ward?as he tried to come inside and avoid Kovalevs big
punches.The great speed and slickness of Ward was not very evident, as Kovalev
popped him with jabs and right hands. Ward got off some good shots, but Kovalev
walked right through them. But whatever speed and defense Ward lacked, he showed
immense toughness and guile under a constant assault from Krusher Kovalev, known
as one of boxings most devastating punchers.Your last fight is always the most
important, but I really needed this, said Ward, who has not lost a fight since
he was a 13-year-old amateur. It was about those in-the-trenches moments. Sergey
has no inside game, so I focused on my midrange and my inside game, and that
made all the difference.Ward, who earned a career-high $5 million, had a strong
seventh round. He landed a clean stiff jab that got Kovalevs attention and
excited the crowd. Moments later, both fighters were warned by Byrd for hitting
behind the head while in a clinch. And even though Kovalev landed a hard left
hand late in the round, Ward, 32, of Oakland, California, returned fire.There
was a lot of back-and-forth action in the ninth round, but Ward had some big
moments, lashing Kovalev, 33, a Russia native living in Los Angeles, with shots
that sent him ducking under the top ring rope and brought the crowd to its
feet.They continued to go at each other in the 10th round. Ward landed a good
left hand that backed Kovalev up, and Ward stuffed a left jab down the middle
that connected cleanly. It was an exciting round that was hard to score.The 11th
round was another close one, with Kovalev landing a hard jab and right hand but
Ward coming right back with a solid left hook. Kovalev had Ward on the run in
the final seconds of the round.Sensing the decision victory might be up for
grabs in the 12th round, the boxers responded with toe-to-toe action and rough
stuff on the inside during clinches. They did not let up until the final bell,
and then they fell into an embrace when it was over.This is a good feeling,
Hunter said. We were a little careless with that knockdown in the second round,
but we landed the cleaner punches. Kovalev was aggressive but not effective.
Thats why we won. Im happy for Andre.According to CompuBox punch statistics,
Kovalev landed 126 of 474 punches (27 percent), and while Ward threw and landed
fewer punches (116 of 337) than Kovalev, Ward landed at a higher percentage (34
percent).Ward, who unified super middleweight world titles by rolling through
the 2009 to 2011 Super Six World Boxing Classic, was fighting his first top
opponent since a dominant 2012 knockout of then-light heavyweight champion
Dawson, who dropped down in weight to challenge him. Ward had some long layoffs
in the ensuing years because of injuries and a battle over his promotional
contract, but he signed with Roc Nation Sports in 2015 and was fighting for the
fourth time since then.But Ward, already a probable Hall of Famer even before
the win against Kovalev, shied away from lauding himself.Its hard for me to call
myself great, he said. At the end of the day, I am a two-weight division
champion.
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The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win
over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw
in front of the Kings goal during a scrum.
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. LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end.
Sneakers Shoes Online Uk . -- Ken
Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa
Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey
League action.
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Uk . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt
even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13
from the field. BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Adam Jahn scored twice for Columbus, but the
Chicago Fire held on for a 2-2 draw and eliminated the Crew from playoff
contention on Thursday night.Jahn capped the scoring with a roundhouse strike in
the 80th minute and opened it with a run from the right wing in the 13th. The
Crew (8-12-12) won three of their last four coming in to the match but needed
another win to stay in the MLS Cup playoff race.Arturo Alvarezs cross to David
Arshakyan at the top of the area led to Crew defender Michael Parkhursts own
goal in the 53rd minute.dddddddddddd. The Fires Michael de Leeuw finished
Alvarezs cross four minutes later to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.The last-place Fire
(6-16-10) have been out of playoff contention since Sept. 28. ' ' '
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