Kovalev Jab couldn't miss, GGG has the better jab and will touch Ward, and if it gets dirty does he have the hurt to stay in the fire in that clinch
Golovkin´s jab is good but mostly because his timing, power and precision otherwise not really fast, Ward would figure it out
Kovalev´s jab and hand speed in general is faster than Golovkin´s, I mean you really can see it can´t you...?
Kovalev was a tough matchup for Ward because Kovalev being an excellent boxer-puncher is working long range first and he was in even terms with Ward as far as speed and precision goes, Ward couldn´t just outbox him from the outside and getting inside of Kovalev is extremely hard because he can catch you with one of his straight shots coming in and then it´s night-night.
With Golovkin he wouldn´t have these same stylistic problems. Golovkin is a come forward pressure fighters. Full stop.
He is a very good one at that but also shorter and smaller than Ward and Ward would be superior to him at long range and super close range as well, Golovkin couldn´t get into his sweet spot where he can land on Ward, especially that he isn´t the wild type of pressure fighter but the patient one, sometimes too patient imo and against Ward he would wait all night to get Ward in a spot where he is a stationary target on the ropes or the corner so he can tee off on him but the moment would never come and Ward would win by a clear decision. Golovkin doesn´t really like to fight in the middle of the ring, he´s thriving when his opponent is backing up and being cornered of pressed to the ropes, I doubt he could do this with Ward.