The ultimate clash of styles

In the most highly-anticipated fight since Floyd Mayweather met Manny Pacquiao, Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward will collide on every level, writes Isaac Robinson.

It’s a collision of two world-class fighters who dominated neighbouring divisions. It’s a collision of unbeaten records. It’s also a collision of boxing philosophies from opposing extremities of the spectrum.

So, what will prevail in the battle between Kovalev’s direct, brutal assaults and Ward’s considered defence barbed with surgical a counter-attack? Bookmakers have installed Ward as a very slight favourite and in no way can the overused claim of “a true 50-50 fight” be more firmly validated than betting odds. This is hard to call.

Perhaps the gambling houses are using Mayweather v Pacquiao as their blueprint, for on that famous (if slightly anti-climactic) night back in May 2015, natural aggressor Pacquiao was defeated by the guile and nullifying tactics of arguably the greatest defensive boxer of them all.

Ward, although stunted by periods of inactivity enforced by contractual disputes, is not dissimilar to ‘Money’ in ways. In fact, if a fighter’s amateur career is often the truest indicator of his technical prowess, Ward possess a trump card in his 2004 Olympics light-heavyweight gold; Mayweather could only manage bronze at the 1996 Games.

There’s also the way Ward and Mayweather ‘see’ boxing in a similar light. Some who make a living from the sport do so through fighting rather than boxing but not these …

continue reading in source www.skysports.com