{"id":32346,"date":"2017-06-15T10:08:05","date_gmt":"2017-06-15T10:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=32346"},"modified":"2017-06-15T10:08:05","modified_gmt":"2017-06-15T10:08:05","slug":"sergey-kovalev-brings-anger-fury-rematch-ward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/sergey-kovalev-brings-anger-fury-rematch-ward.html","title":{"rendered":"Sergey Kovalev brings anger and fury into rematch with Ward"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sergey Kovalev brings anger and fury into rematch with Ward<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

There’s not a soul who can convince Sergey Kovalev that those three light heavyweight belts currently in the possession of rival Andre Ward belong to anyone but him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides, who would want to try to convince an angry Russian nicknamed \u201cKrusher\u201d that he lost his belts and the first fight of his pro career fair and square? The former champion reluctantly parted with the WBA, WBO and IBF 175-pound belts Nov. 19 when Ward won a controversial but unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three ringside judges all scored it 114-113 for Ward despite the fact that Kovalev scored the fight\u2019s only knockdown in the second round. USA TODAY Sports scored it 115-112 for Kovalev.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) has fumed ever since, blaming the judges\u2019 scores on his being a Russian \u201cguest\u201d in the USA and Ward being an American Olympian.<\/span><\/p>\n

All Kovalev knows is he desperately needs those belts back. Saturday, he will get the opportunity he\u2019s been pining for when the former champ and the current champ meet in a highly charged rematch at Mandalay Bay Events Center (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET). Kovalev said he plans to take it out of the judges\u2019 hands by finishing off Ward by knockout.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf my preparation is good, I will knock him out. If not, then my preparation is not very good,\u201d Kovalev told USA TODAY Sports by phone recently. \u201cI must get back my belts and punish him, because he\u2019s right now walking around with my belts as a gift from the judges.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am right now just like any fighter in boxing. I\u2019m just a regular boxer coming into the ring with a chance to get the championship belts. So basically, I\u2019m back where I was before and I\u2019m hungry and I want to become a champion again. It’s always much easier to get a championship than it is to hold onto it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kovalev has been angry since losing his zero. But he has reconciled the outcome by refusing to accept that he actually lost while at the same time believing he opened the door for Ward by overtraining, which is why Ward appeared to be stronger in the second half of the fight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, I don\u2019t feel like I lost the fight. Second, I gave him a chance to get that win because of my preparation for the bout,\u201d Kovalev said through manager and interpreter Egis Klimas. \u201cAnd the third is, I would rather lose like I lost than to win like he won.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward, 33, a former super middleweight champion who has not lost in the ring since he was 12, calls Kovalev\u2019s complaints just another bully tactic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a front-runner. He wants things to go his way, and as soon as they don\u2019t, as soon as things turn left, the fingers start getting pointed at everybody but himself,\u201d Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) told USA TODAY Sports.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe only problem with that is, when you don\u2019t point that finger at yourself, you don\u2019t get better. You don\u2019t grow from the experience, you don\u2019t get any better because the lights were too bright, the ring was too soft, I had to walk first to the ring. It\u2019s always something. … The amount of excuses this man has come up with since the first fight is unbelievable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As angry as Kovalev was with the judges’ scoring, he was disappointed yet remained calm in the ring after Michael Buffer announced, \u201cAnd the NEW …\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was quiet because I was empty. I had no emotions, no energy to do something, you know,\u201d Kovalev said. \u201cI was empty, and I was just killed by (the) decision. I couldn\u2019t change something. … What happened has happened. I just understood that I was robbed and I don\u2019t have any more belts now. I thought, when will be the rematch?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His promoter, Kathy Duva of Main Events, says that anger will not distract Kovalev from his mission. And his dislike of Ward is real and intense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe really, really doesn\u2019t like him,” Duva said. “Sergey is a guy who takes that anger and focuses it and it makes him more powerful. He\u2019s not the person for whom anger is a distraction. To the extent that Ward\u2019s people have been going out there trying to goad him, I just love it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kovalev, 34, pointed a finger at least partially at himself for not being able to finish the job after knocking Ward down, then running out of steam late in the fight. He says he overtrained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI ran a lot. … I did three workouts a day. I overtrained because I had a conditioning coach (who) was scared to say something to me. … He thought if he said to me I would dispute his comment or not pay him money. He is crazy. I was confused myself. … I said to him bye-bye.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His new strength coach, Aleksandr Mikhailovich, who has previously worked mostly with biathletes, has brought in a new philosophy that centers on Kovalev getting the most out of his workouts. The fighter says while he came into the first fight with much of his energy sapped, he he feels much better and stronger this time.<\/span><\/p>\n

And the intense dislike for his opponent and now fierce rival? Yup, still there and driving his desire to take back his beloved belts. \u201cFirst of all, opponents don\u2019t have to like each other or have some kind of sympathy (for each other). Second, I really don\u2019t like him, and I\u2019m not going to explain to you why. To me, he\u2019s just like an empty place. He\u2019s nobody.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to prove to him, to myself and especially to his team to watch him because he\u2019s going to be sleeping on the floor on June 17.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/boxing\/2017\/06\/15\/sergey-kovalev-anger-fury-rematch-andre-ward\/102875562\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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