WARD KOVALEV 2: “THE REMATCH”
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017
AT MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER, LAS VEGAS
PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
Click HERE for Photos
Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sports/Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos
LAS VEGAS, NV (June 18, 2017) – Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” took place on Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, was produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.
Below you can find all of the fight results and fighter quotes:
Sergey Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) vs. Andre Ward (32-0, 16 KOs)
RESULT: Andre Ward by TKO 2 at 2:29 of the Eighth Round
Andre Ward: “I’m ecstatic, I’m happy. I didn’t predict a knockout, but I said it could happen. I’ve been boxing a long time and, sometimes, a lot of writers and reporters they don’t take you at your word. If you look at my career and the way I’ve gone about things, I’m pretty matter of fact. I’m pretty straightforward. I don’t say anything unless I mean it. I have a lot of respect for Kovalev. He is a world champion. He’s been on top for a long time. He’s a great fighter; there’s not a lot of people that elite. I’m not going to throw him under the bus even though they did a lot of different things. But I knew the temperament that I was fighting. I don’t want to call him a frontrunner, but if he’s not having his way, he’s got to dig deep. I don’t know if he had the right answers tonight. Obviously, he didn’t because the fight got stopped.
“I was breathing, he was breathing, but I’m used to working tired. I’m comfortable being uncomfortable; that’s how we work, that’s how we train. When I saw him put his arms on the ropes in between the rounds – I watch all that stuff – that’s trouble for him. I just needed to keep being smart.
“I think it was plain to see that I broke him mentally and physically. I’m not a person that demands respect or none of that. You don’t have to respect me and I don’t demand anything, but at a certain point and time, you got to give a person their just do. I’m 13 years in and I’ve been doing it against the best.
“What’s next? Cruiserweight? Heavyweight? I dream big. Anything is possible when you have God.
“If there are questions marks after this, that has nothing to do with me. I’m going to enjoy my family, kiss my wife and we out.
Virgil Hunter: “I told them (the media) that I only trained Andre for the knockout twice. The first was Chad Dawson. And the second was for tonight. And they laughed at me. But I knew what was going to happen because he (Ward) was healthy. Now we quieted all those who were whining and thought we didn’t take it the first time.”
Sergey Kovalev: “He hit with four low blows. The ref didn’t call them. I felt I could have continued. This is bullshit.”
Moises Flores (25-1, 17 KOs) vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (18-0, 12 KOs)
RESULT: Guillermo Rigondeaux by TKO at 2:59 of the First Round
Rigondeaux: “The Mexican was a brave kid. I commend him for getting in the ring with me. He has more guts than a lot of these other guys. We both threw combinations at the same time at the end of the first round. But mine was quicker and more accurate. It was only a matter of time. I fight to give the best performance to the public and all the fans. I am making everyone disappear at 122. I am always available. Tell me who is next. I want all of them, and will take them out one by one. I hope the whole world sees what it is like to get in the ring with me. I am tired of the press and everyone saying I am boring. You see what happens when someone brings the fight to me.”
Flores: “It’s not fair. It’s clear that the bell rang. He didn’t throw a punch the whole round. I was winning the round and he waited for after the bell to throw punch when I dropped my hands down.”
Cedric Agnew (29-3, 15 KOs) vs. Dmitry Bivol (11-0, 9 KO)
RESULT: Dmitry Bivol by TKO at 1:27 of the Fourth Round
Bivol: “I’m very glad the flight went this way. I found my ways that I practiced and I used them and you saw the results. I didn’t think he was going to work more as right-handed, as orthodox, but I was ready for everything so the fight ran smooth for me. I tried to open him up but for some reason. he didn’t want to go. He was close, he was very defensive and going back. But anyways, I won the fight!”
Agnew: N/A
Arif Magomedov (18-2, 11 KOs) vs. Luis Arias (18-0, 9 KOs)
RESULT: Luis Arias by TKO at 1:16 of the Fifth Round
Luis Arias: “Finally! Your just heard my name. Top 10 all around. Easy work.”
Arif Magomedov: “There’s really not a lot I can say about this. He caught me with a really good shot and I couldn’t do anything about it.”
Zoltan Sera (28-13, 19 KOs) vs. Junior Younan (12-0, 9 KOs)
RESULT: Junior Younan by TKO at 1:39 of the First Round
Junior Younan: “I wanted to come out and make a statement and I did just that! I knew I could get it done in one round. I did all I could. I worked my ass off! The love that I have gotten since I arrived in Las Vegas has been tremendous. Thank you! And thank you to my promotor, Roc Nation Sports, for getting me to the greatest stage in boxing!”
Zoltan Sera: N/A
Fabiano Pena (16-8-1, 13 KOs) vs. Vaughn Alexander (10-0, 7 KOs)
RESULT: Vaughn Alexander by TKO at the end of the Fourth Round
Vaughn Alexander: “It was a good a good fight for me, another good win. Another step to get me closer to where I want to be, amongst the top middleweights. You know soon maybe next year sometime I can be considered for a World title. I just went in there and worked on my defense, what me and my brother been working on in the gym, throwing more combinations and just taking my time.”
Fabiano Pena: N/A
Christopher Martin (30-9-3, 10 KOs) vs. Tramaine Williams (11-0, 4 KOs)
RESULT: Tramaine Williams by TKO at 1:44 of the Second Round
Tramaine Williams: “He was going to take a beating if they let it go for all eight rounds. He has a family he has to get back to. It’s a good thing the ref stopped the fight. If there were 10 more seconds in the first round I would have had him. It would have been over! I’m pretty happy with my performance but I am I am always going to work to be better. Thank you to everyone for tuning in. I hope to be back in the ring next month. In the meantime, I plan on staying in shape and ready to fight. Thank you to Roc Nation Sports for the opportunity to be on this great card.”
Christopher Martin: “Bullshit.”
Brando Sanudo (5-5, 2 KOs) vs. John Bauza (7-0, 4 KOs)
RESULT: John Bauza by TKO at 1:14 of the Second Round
John Bauza: “That knock down felt great! It was an easy win because I worked hard. I felt strong in the first round. Thanks to all my followers and supporters. I will keep up great work. Whatever my promoters tell me next, will be next.”
Brando Sanudo: N/A
Alex Sandro Duarte (6-1, 4 KOs) vs. Bakhram Murtazaliev (9-0, 7 KOs)
RESULT: Bakhram Murtazaliev by TKO at 1:31 of the First Round
Bakhram Murtazaliev: “I’m very happy. The fight went so quickly that I didn’t have time to even think about how I felt. I didn’t intend to knock him out, it just happened.”
Alex Sandro Duarte: “He was taller and stronger than me. I was fighting in a weight class that was above my normal weight class. I am disappointed.”
Jonathan Steele (7-1, 5 KOs) vs. Enriko Gogokhia (5-0, 2 KOs)
RESULT: Enriko Gogokhia by Unanimous Decision
Enriko Gogokhia: “I thought it was a good fight. I really wanted to knock him out but I also wanted to play with him and make him go a little harder. He was just the fighter I thought he would be and I was prepared for him. I am happy with my performance.”
Jonathan Steele: “Hopefully I will get back in there, I want revenge so hopefully I will be looking forward to a rematch. It was a great fight. I really enjoyed my first time in Vegas, it’s a beautiful thing. It was a very humbling experience. I will go harder in the gym and I’ll come back out here and continue on my path to become the world champion.”
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, D’USSÉ Cognac, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.