Of all the clichés derived from the sport of boxing one rings clearer than them all; one punch can change a fight. But when the stakes are as high as they were in the rematch between the 2 best fighters on the planet, one punch does not just change a fight, but defines a career.

That could not have been any more revealing Saturday night when defending light-heavyweight champion S.O.G Andre Ward landed arguably the best punch of his stellar career flush on the chin of fearsome rival Sergey Kovalev. A perfectly delivered right hand shook the Russian right down to his boots forcing the ‘krusher’ into a desperate survival mode after 7 wonderfully engaging rounds of elite prize fighting. But, as appears to be the norm when these two meet, controversy lingered and the finishing blow has unfortunately overshadowed an enthralling second encounter. Video does not lie, and the shot that ‘forced’ Tony Weeks to halt the action in the 8th round will no doubt be contested for many years to come and leaves a bitter taste. The frustrating aftermath of human error so often leads us siding with the wronged, in this case Sergey Kovalev, who was perhaps unjustly stopped on a low blow. The controversies surrounding the result of their previous meeting carried with it a certain stigma that branded Andre Ward a ‘cheat’ and those who make such accusations are now in full voice, as evident in the post fight conference when Kovalevs’ promoter Kathy Duva vocally slammed the decision and vowed to pursue justice for her fighter. But for all the validity team Kovalev may have in their claims against Ward, they failed to accept, or even mention, the true turning point of this dramatic title fight. By the 6th round, Kovalev was deteriorating.

Slumping over, struggling for breath at the time of the stoppage, Sergey Kovalev suffered the first knockout loss of his career and Andre Ward had achieved victory in the most unexpected of ways. A conqueror of the super middleweight division, Ward had now disposed of a titan of the boxing world that lay waste to 26 of his 32 opponents. The mistake on Weeks’ part will be no doubt disputed but one thing that can no longer be is Andre Ward’s sensational career.

Ward’s siege on the pro ranks began in the super middleweight division after winning Olympic gold at the Beijing games 13 years ago, when a super tournament spanning over 2 years pitted the top 6 fighters at 168 pounds against each other to determine a conclusive best in the division. Ward, a relatively unknown quality breezed through the best competition the division had to offer with dominant wins over Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch. Opponents of this calibre can always be expected to present some difficulties to any elite operator, but in truth the American barely got out of second gear. With the super six trophy in hand, as well as the WBC and WBA world titles around his waist, Ward, standing on top of a pile of legitimate world champions, appeared on every pound for pound list you can think of. And although the immediate goal of cleaning out a division set him to new heights, the number one and two spots were occupied by none other than Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. But the famed refusal of the pair to settle their differences in the ring had Ward hot on their heels and momentum was on his side.

However the rise of this undeniable talent was stunted after his final win at 168 and any momentum Ward had gathered was ultimately lost when the Oakland native managed just two contests against inferior opposition over a three year period. Contractual disputes with his former promoter Dan Goosen playing its role in sidelining Ward for far too long and the fans grew tired of a seemingly endless fiasco. But now, the story of Ward’s time in the dark seems a distant memory and the man who so easily disposed of world class opposition six years ago has made his greatest claim yet as the worlds’ best fighter.

Not since the age of 12 years old has Andre Ward suffered defeat in a boxing ring, and now having raised his game up to yet another level, it would appear he is unlikely to do so any time soon. If its unification he wants, then he’ll no doubt be caught up in more agonizing ‘negotiations’ with WBC champion Adonis Stevenson in a fight that represents little more than a ripe cherry. Still, it is a contest that would be worthy of Wards’ unheralded achievements, and if there are some that still oppose his standing as the number 1, the title of undisputed light heavyweight champion may stamp the last of his critics out. If we are to take trainer Virgil Hunters’ word, then we could see Ward jumping beyond the cruiserweight division to mix it up with the worlds’ best heavies, and in a world where an unbeaten, former pound for pound king is matched up with a man who has no pro boxing experience anything is possible, and the enticement of Wards’ next move is nothing more than speculation at this stage.

But one thing is no longer speculation and the achievements of a fighter of such remarkable credentials should now be glorified and it’s time to give credit where credit is due. Unbeaten in 32 contests with 9 world championship wins over a number of high quality opponents few can boast such a complete record. And now, in the aftermath of his most significant triumph, Ward has picked up from where he left off after enduring a period of uncertainty that turned so many fans against him. It’s been years in the making, but Ward has finally earned the title that eluded him 6 months ago and whether you love him or hate him, Andre Ward is the undisputed pound for pound king.

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