Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage of Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 for the unified light heavyweight championship. These two will once again square off in Las Vegas in a grudge match after the first fight's result left a bad taste in many fans' mouths. Ward defeated Kovalev in the first fight last November to win the unified light heavyweight title and end Kovalev's perfect boxing record. You can read Fightful's quick preview at this link and watch the latest Fightful boxing podcast where Carlos Toro and Steven Muehlhausen preview the fight.
We'll be bringing you quick results of the undercard, recaps of the main card and round-by-round coverage of the world title fights which will be broadcasted on HBO pay-per-view. The non-PPV card will be shown right here at Fightful on the video above and will start at 7 p.m. ET.
Fightful will have a live post-pay-per-view podcast with Carlos Toro and Steven Muehlhausen as soon as the podcast ends.
You can also send in your feedback on our Disqus boards below!
Here's the main televised card (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET)
Andre Ward defeated Sergey Kovalev via TKO, round 8, 2:29, to retain the Unified WBA/WBO/IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship
Guillermo Rigondeaux defeated Moises Flores via knockout, round 1, 3:00, to become the unified WBA and IBO Super Bantamweight World Champion
Luis Arias defeated Arif Magomedov via TKO, round 5, 1:16 to retain his USBA Middleweight Title
Dmitry Bivol defeated Cedric Agnew via TKO, round 4, 1:27
Here's the televised non-PPV undercard (Fightful, 7 p.m. ET)
Tramaine Williams defeated Christopher Martin via TKO, round 2, 1:44
Vaughn Alexander defeated Fabiano Pena via TKO, round 4, 3:00
Here's the untelevised undercard:
Bakhram Murtazaliev defeated Alex Sandro Duarte via TKO, round 1
Enriko Gogokhia defeated Jonathan Steele via unanimous decision
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UNTELEVISED UNDERCARD:
Enriko Gogokhia defeated Jonathan Steele via unanimous decision: Gogokhia, a very successful kickboxer from Ukraine (42-7 kickboxing record), made the transition to becoming a boxer last year and already has a great start in his boxing career. Gogokhia now moves to 5-0 as a boxer, taking down the now-former undefeated Steele. Both of these boxers were facing their toughest opponents so far in their young career and Steele had already started to become a knockout artist of sorts, with four KOs in his seven career wins.
Bakhram Murtazaliev defeated Alex Sandro Duarte via TKO, round 1: Murtazaliev continued his campaign throughout the lower ranks of the middleweight division, with knockout win after knockout win. Murtazaliev got the biggest win of his young career against Duarte, who came in with a record of 12-0-1 with nine KOs. Duarte, the current Brazilian super welterweight champion, recently moved to middleweight, but has not fought any real quality fighters until meeting Murtazaliev.
TELEVISED NON-PPV UNDERCARD:
Tramaine Williams defeated Christopher Martin via TKO, round 2, 1:44: One fighter here had only 10 wins and 3 KOs in his pro career so far. The other is a 30-8-3 veteran, a former WBO NABO champion who has fought the likes of Jhonny Gonzalez, Miguel Marriaga and Gary Russell Jr. The latter looked liked the highly inexperienced fighter as Tramaine Williams shined in this fight, picking up the biggest win of his career by far. From the start of the fight, Williams was in attack mode, hurting Martin with the left hand and knocking Martin down midway through the first round. referee Kenny Bayless nearly stopped the fight at the end of the first round.
It didn't take Williams long to end the fight in the second round as Bayless stopped the fight and Martin threw a minor temper tantrum, running across the ring angrily that he lost the fight in this manner. There was no way Martin was going to bounce back against the speed and sharp punching from Williams. Smart stoppage from Bayless and Williams' stock rose up dramatically with this win.
Vaughn Alexander defeated Fabiano Pena via TKO, round 4, 3:00: Alexander, who's brother Devon is a two-time world champion, is back to fighting after spending 11 years in prison, winning his last four fights since being released. Alexander looked every bit as good as he once was, dominating Pena with a variety of combos to Pena's body. Alexander targeted the body a lot and eventually injured Pena's ribs, forcing Pena's corner to stop the fight. Alexander picks up his 10th win in his career (7 KO) as he looks to try and climb up the middleweight ranks.
PAY-PER-VIEW MAIN CARD:
Luis Arias vs. Arif Magomedov
Luis Arias is the USBA middleweight champion heading into this fight and showed why he is slowly becoming one of the middleweight division's best prospects. Arias' right hand was very impressive in this fight, landing numerous times square on Magomedov's jaw.. Neither boxer was very efficient in the fight, but Arias was the one whose punches landed for power when they did hit. Arias stunned Magomedov in the fourth round, but it wasn't enough to take him down. Arias finished the fight in the next round with a knockdown thanks to two strong right hooks landing on Magomedov. Seconds after Magomedov got back up, his corner threw in the towel to award Arias the victory. Arias now moves to 18-0 in his career and gets his ninth knockout win while Magomedov, the former WBO NABO middleweight champion, drops to 18-2 in his pro career.
Official result: Luis Arias defeated Arif Magomedov via TKO, round 5, 1:16 to retain his USBA Middleweight Title
Dmitry Bivol vs. Cedric Agnew: Light Heavyweight Bout
Dmitry Bivol came into this fight with a lot of hype from diehard boxing fans and did not disappoint. From the beginning, Bivol asserted his dominance, with tremendous power and poise. Bivol went head hunting from the start, knocking Agnew down in the first round and Agnew never really recovered from the knockdown. It was Bivol all fight long and the fight was stopped in the fourth round. Bivol moves closer and closer to become the top contender in the light heavyweight division. Bivol is the current WBA interim light heavyweight champion and this was a non-title fight. Agnew, a former light heavyweight world title challenger, now has lost three of his last six fights.
Official result: Dmitry Bivol defeated Cedric Agnew via TKO, round 4, 1:27
Guillermo Rigondeaux (c) vs. Moises Flores (c): WBA and IBO Super Bantamweight World Title Unification Bout
Round 1: Rigondeaux ducks a Flores right hook, and Flores blocks a left hook by the Cuban. Both men start to trade jabs and Rigondeaux has been pacing himself all over the ring. Flores lands a small left uppercut, but it doesn't do much damage. Rigondeaux lands a left hand way after the bell and Flores is down and out for the count. It was considered an illegal hit to the back of Flores' head at first, but after like 15 minutes of deliberating with everyone, the call is now ruled a knockout.
Official result: Guillermo Rigondeaux defeated Moises Flores via knockout, round 1, 3:00, to become the unified WBA and IBO Super Bantamweight World Champion
Andre Ward (c) vs. Sergey Kovalev: Unified WBA/WBO/IBF Light Heavyweight World Title Bout
Round 1: Ward pacing himself across the ring and Kovalev starts with a good right hand to Kovalev’s body. Ward on the ropes and Kovalev lands another body shot. Both men get tangled up and they exchange quick punches. There is a lot of clinching early in this round. Kovalev lands another body shot. Ward responds with a body jab and the two clinching. Ward lands a good right hand.
Fightful scored round 1 for Kovalev 10-9
Round 2: Ward throws a left hook and the two men get to clinching again. Kovalev lands a solid counter right punch. Ward is back to pacing himself across the ring.Kovalev lands a hard right jab and Kovalev is throwing a lot of jabs late in the second round. Low bow by Ward. Back from the break, Kovalev is back to landing solid jabs.
Fightful scored round 2 for Kovalev 10-9
Round 3: The round starts off with the two men clinching. Both men are throwing punches upstairs, but neither man finds their target. Ward gets a hard jab in. Kovalev is trying to chase Ward and throwing jabs, but Ward is moving away from Kovalev. Ward lands a solid left hook to Kovalev. Both men miss punches as the bell sounds.
Fightful scored round 3 for Ward 10-9
Round 4: Kovalev starts things off with a solid jab, resulting in the two men clinching. Kovalev continuing to jab Ward effectively throughout the round. Ward lands a hard left jab, Kovalev moves forward, but they instead clinch. The fight becomes more heated and Ward lands a very clean right hook. Both men exchange blows as the round ends.
Fightful scored round 4 for Ward 10-9
Round 5: The rounds starts off with more clinching. Kovalev lands a soft jab on Ward's temple. Kovalev throws a right hook and Ward counters with a right of his own, but it doesn't land fully. Ward lands a hard left hook to Kovalev's temple. Kovalev did land a couple of jabs in that last exchange. Kovalev tries to land more body shots as the round ends.
Fightful scored round 5 for Ward 10-9
Round 6: Ward lands a left jab to Kovalev. Ward lands a counter left while dodging a Kovalev left hand. Kovalev lands a few uppercuts to Ward's body. The two men clinch and Ward lands several short left hooks to Kovalev. The challenger is landing more and more punches in this round.
Fightful scored round 6 for Kovalev 10-9
Round 7: The second half of the fight starts with more clinches at this point. Ward lands a couple of right hands and Kovalev counters with several left hands of his own. Kovalev has been the aggressor for pretty much the entire fight. Another low blow by Ward. Kovalev lands a left hand to end the round.
Fightful scored round 7 for Ward 10-9
Round 8: Kovalev starts off with a big flurry of short body punches. Kovalev lands a hard uppercut to Ward and is landing much cleaner and better shots than in the last few rounds. Ward hurts Kovalev with a left hand and Ward is throwing a number of combos to the body has Kovalev wobbled up. Ward has Kovalev in the corner and the fight is stopped! Ward is still the champion.
Official Result: Andre Ward defeated Sergey Kovalev via TKO, round 8, 2:29, to retain the Unified WBA/WBO/IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship
