American Andre Ward (32-0-0, 16 KOs) scored a technical knockout against Russian Sergei Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) during the eighth round of their rematch fight for three light heavyweight championship belts (WBA, WBO and IBF) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Ward sentenced the fight after connecting a heavy blow to Kovalev’s head and a flurry of punches that put the Russian against the ropes, who nonetheless received three clear low blows and was writhing in pain. Despite those low blows referee Tony Weeks let the fight continue and with 2:29 left in the eighth round he decided to stop the fight.
Up to that point that ended the fight with another controversial decision, the bout had been very even with highly contested rounds. Kovaled drew blood from Ward’s nose in the fourth but failed to connect a power punch to knock out the American.
The Russian complained throughout the fight of Ward’s low blows but Weeks let the situation go and refused to warn the American.
Once the official and controversial result was announced Ward refused to say what his next step would be, but he did say that he’s considering moving up to the cruiserweight division to find new opponents.
Kovalev denounced the decision and requested an immediate third fight, which will hardly take place since Ward’s contemplating leaving the division.
Meanwhile the Russian’s promoter and representatives intend to file a protest with the Nevada State Athletic Commission over the result.
On November 19, 2016 Ward also won the first fight in controversial fashion after being knocked down in the second round but recovered to win by unanimous decision after all three judges scored the combat 114-113 in his favor.
Kovalev claimed back then that Ward was declared the winner because all the judges were Americans and he was a Russian fighting an American on U.S soil.
