Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward: Betting Odds and Predictions

The most anticipated boxing match remaining on the 2016 calendar arrives on Saturday night from Las Vegas when Russian Sergey Kovalev takes on American Andre Ward in a scheduled 12-rounder for Kovalev’s WBO, IBF and WBA light-heavyweight championship belts. The bout, which should start around 11:30 p.m. ET, is available via HBO pay-per-view. Sports Interaction oddsmakers see this as dead even.

Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward

Records: Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs), Ward (30-0, 15 KOs)
Division: Light heavyweight
Boxing odds: Ward -113, Kovalev -113, draw +2300

Sergey Kovalev

The 33-year-old Kovalev last fought in July in his native Russia against Isaac Chilemba. On the surface, it looked like a solid Kovalev victory as he knocked Chilemba down in the seventh round and easily won a unanimous decision by scores 117-110, 116-111 and 118-109.

But an argument can be made that it was Kovalev’s worst performance in his three years as the world light-heavyweight champion because Kovalev was a monstrous betting favourite and expected to knock out Chilemba. There’s a reason Kovalev is nicknamed “Krusher” as he’s one of the most powerful and ruthless punchers going. Before Chilemba, only Bernard Hopkins had managed to go to points with Kovalev in eight previous world title fights. That was in October 2014.

Canadian boxing fans likely know Kovalev well as he beat Montreal native Jean Pascal in two title fights at the Bell Centre. The first was in March 2015 by eighth-round TKO. Kovalev was well ahead on the scorecards and was pummeling Pascal in the corner when the referee stopped it. Pascal felt that was an unfair stoppage, and the crowd booed its disapproval. It was the first time Pascal, the former WBC champion, was stopped in his career.

The two met in a rematch in January also at the Bell Centre, and it was even more one-sided with Kovalev winning by seventh-round TKO. Freddie Roach, working as Pascal’s trainer for the first time, stopped the fight in the corner after the seventh. Kovalev nearly knocked out Pascal in the fifth round.

Andre Ward

The 32-year-old Ward last fought in August and won a unanimous-decision victory over a tomato can named Alexander Brand for the vacant WBO International light-heavyweight title. The fight wasn’t close, with Ward winning 120-108 on all three scorecards. Ward landed ‎190 of 490 punches (39 percent), and Brand landed a scant 45 of 285 (16 percent). Kovalev was in attendance for that bout in Oakland and Ward’s tune-up win made this fight official.

Ward, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist, has had just three fights since moving to the 175-pound division. He had dominated the super-middleweight division (168 pounds) as its champion previously with quality wins against the likes of Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and former light-heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, who dropped down in weight to fight Ward.

With just 15 knockouts, Ward is more of a defensive fighter compared to Kovalev’s attacking style. Consider that Kovalev has fought 114 rounds in his career and Ward 218. Perhaps it’s because of Ward’s “boring” style that he has largely been overlooked in the mainstream boxing world in terms of popularity. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was a similar fighter but also the best self-promoting boxer on the planet.

Kovalev Vs. Ward Prediction

Ward is often compared to Mayweather in terms of his ability to avoid being hit cleanly. So it will definitely be contrasting styles on Saturday.
Take Ward by decision.