LAS VEGAS — Whatever doubts there were after Andre Ward was handed a highly controversial unanimous decision and three light heavyweight world title belts following his November showdown against Sergey Kovalev, there were none on Saturday night.
The pound-for-pound elite fighters met again in a rematch at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, and Ward left no doubt this time, knocking Kovalev out in the eighth round, much to the delight of the pro-Ward crowd.
It was a satisfying conclusion for Ward, who is not known as a big puncher but sure unleashed some firepower on the “Krusher” in the final moments.
It had been a competitive fight until the eighth round, when Ward landed a ferocious right hand on the chin and Kovalev turned jelly-legged. Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) was badly hurt, and Ward went to him and began firing away.
Ward (32-0, 15 KOs) backed him into the ropes and landed three left hands to Kovalev’s gut, including a low blow that was not called by referee Tony Weeks. But the shots forced Kovalev to bend over, and he looked spent. Weeks jumped in and waved off the fight at 2 minutes, 29 seconds.
