In Las Vegas, in the early hours of Sunday morning (UK time), Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev went head-to-head for the IBF, WBA and WBO light-heavyweight titles held by the Russian.
In an enthralling fight it was Ward that emerged victorious taking the points decision with all three judges scoring the fight 114 ? 113.
However, the scoring was, once again a contentious issue with many believing the verdict could have gone the other way.
Indeed, after seeing her fighter lose the three belts he held, Kathy Duva, who promotes Kovalev, confirmed that she would be pursuing the re-match clause in the fight contract, claiming it was impossible for her fighter to lose after winning the first six rounds.
Ward, ahead of the bout, had promised to finish the fight early but it was the challenger who was on the canvas early on, after getting caught by a powerful right hander. Kovalev was on top in the early rounds but from the seventh round on Ward?s boxing skills started to shine through.
A left thrown by Ward jolted Kovalev in round seven and his counter-punching style started to prove effective.
The judges reckoned, according to the score-cards, that Ward won most, if not all, the rounds in the second half of the fight, thereby giving Ward his 31st professional win and the IBF, WBA and WBO light-heavyweight title belts.
Ward Beats Kovalev on Points
