VIRGIL HUNTER SPEAKS IN-DEPTH ABOUT SERGEY KOVALEV VS. ANDRE WARD; INSISTS FIGHT WILL NOT PLAY OUT HOW PEOPLE THINK
By
Ben Thompson | November 15, 2016
BT: Virgil, how did training camp go for you guys?
VH:
Pleased with what I see. I felt like we went into camp ahead of schedule because we only took a week off from the Brand fight. Being ahead of schedule is a luxury and we're able to take things one day at a time as opposed to wondering if you have enough days or if you need days off. We're able to give him more days off now because of the condition that he's in, so that in itself is a luxury.
BT: How helpful was it for you to have a top light heavyweight like Andrzej Fonfara in camp and getting some work in with Dre?
VH:
It's been very good to have a top fighter like Andrzej Fonfara here and we're getting these rounds in with him, along with other people that we have, so that's been great within itself because it keeps things at a very competitive level. And he's also hungry, so that makes for great work. The fighter, Fonfara, has said enough himself to reinforce what I already know and that's a good thing. Where Dre is right now, being a few days out from the fight, is right where we need him to be. Fonfara is instrumental in that. I'm glad he's here and I thank him and I give him a lot of credit for the competitive work that we get.
BT: In the past, I know Dre has had to deal with some nagging injuries throughout camp. Obviously there's going to be some bumps and bruises from training, but other than that, do you think it's safe to say that he'll be facing Kovalev at 100%?
VH: I do. You know, his injuries come from his intensity in training, so he's had to learn how to tone it down and make the adjustments to get in the same type of condition, but not just going 100 miles full steam ahead. You know, learning how to maneuver his conditioning, learning how to stack it, and as a result, he sees the difference. Just because you can run 8 miles doesn't mean you have to do it. As long as you know you can do it, you don't need the unnecessary pounding. He's been conditioned from the time he's been 9 years old and never out of condition, so that suggests that where he is now at this stage of his career, he doesn't have to go out and be gung-ho about his conditioning. If he just keeps it steady, keeps it consistent, we'll get the results we want.
BT: It seems to me like Dre has a different edge to him for this fight, like he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and is itching to get the fight started. Do you sense anything different about him for this fight than in other fights or am I just reading too much into it?
VH: Well, I think you're on track, and a lot of things come together to suggest that he's ready to fight when you mention his demeanor or his posture or anything like that. But again, it's him rising to the occasion, and that's always been his gift to be able to take a situation like this and take it to the next level and the next level after that if he has to, and that's what separates him. When it comes time to perform under the brightest of the lights and when it comes time to reach for the highest bar, he's been able to do that and he still is able to do that, make no mistake about it!
BT: I know you guys have always been looking for big fights. That said, do you think this fight is coming at the right time?
VH:
I think so. After the litigation process he went through, after the fights coming back, I think he realizes some things about the dynamics of the sport and the dynamics of...I want to make sure I say it in a way that's understood...he feels pretty much neglected. What I mean by that is the gold medalist; here's a guy who has pretty much done the things that a man is supposed to do, but, you know, when you have a young man like Andre, who has the character, who has the maturity, who has, most importantly, the insight on how things operate, it takes some people aback, so when we don't understand something, we'll basically say anything. So he feels like an outsider so to speak. In other words, what have I done not to be respected or what haven't I done, you see. He's done everything you could possibly ask in the boxing game. He hasn't disrespected the sport. He's been an ambassador for the sport, but because he chose to be a man in litigation, because he chooses to be a man about how he conducts himself, a lot of people are not comfortable with that. They're more comfortable when you fit into this box that they set aside for certain types of guys or certain types of ethnic groups. They've had this box and since he's not going to go in that box, he's misunderstood and because he's misunderstood, there's some things that might be said about him or he might feel like that's against him, so it gives him that attitude. It's just, "I'm here by myself even though I represented this country well."
BT: Does that help leading into a fight, feeling like there's that type of disrespect, or could it potentially hurt him if it's not managed right?
VH:
Most definitely it helps because when you get 30 years old, 31 years old, and you've been fighting 20 years, you definitely have to have a reason to keep fighting. And if you've made a good living and you've made enough money to see you through life, you can let up, but circumstances keep him hungry; circumstances keep a chip on his shoulder, you see. So that's a motivational factor in itself and we'll take it any time.
BT: Talk to me a little bit about Sergey Kovalev. Now that you've had a chance to go through camp and really analyze tapes on him, do you see anything different about him now or is he pretty much what you thought he was prior to preparing for him?
VH: Well, he's the Krusher, you know, and I haven't seen any indication why you should remove that nickname that he has, the Krusher. He's been dominant in the division, without a doubt, and also he's the number one light heavyweight to some people, to the masses. Even though we have another great light heavyweight champion and they haven't fought yet, he's seen as the light heavyweight champion, so I haven't seen anything different because he's been so dominant. I don't take anything from the Chilemba fight other than the fact that Chilemba's a good fighter also. You have to take him at his word that when he went to Russia, he was pulled on and tugged on and distracted and everything, so I take them at their word, however it was. You have to prepare for Sergey Kovalev. You can't prepare for the Kovalev that fought Chilemba. You can't prepare for a Kovalev that you think this is who he is. You have to prepare for what he's shown and what he's shown is dominance.
BT: Everybody talks about him being a big puncher. Knowing that, is there anything that you guys do differently in camp to prepare for an opponent like that.
VH: Well, my focus is just getting Andre ready and to get him ready to where he can utilize all the different styles, utilize his IQ, and then be able to make adjustments as the fight goes along. I think the most important adjustment, if you have to make any, is in the fight itself and we're prepared for that, to make the adjustments for whatever it calls for. I focus on him, period, not so much on will the power of Sergey Kovalev change our approach to things. No, it won't change our approach to things because that would be foolish. You know, you go with what got you there. My focus is on him and making sure that he's ready to utilize all the attributes and weapons that he has.
BT: Do you think too much emphasis is being put on his power? In other words, after watching tape on him, is he just a power puncher or does he bring a certain level of ring IQ to the table as well?
VH: At this stage in his career, from what I've seen, you would have to strongly consider him in that category. Anybody that's been in the ring with him hasn't done anything to suggest otherwise. Again, I don't want to leave any stone unturned. To me, he's the biggest, baddest, smartest fighter on the planet and that's my mindset as we prepare. I give him the benefit of the doubt on every subject that takes place inside a boxing ring.
BT: So what's the best case scenario for you on how this fight plays out?
VH: A victory by any means necessary! Victory! What I can is that what they might think they're going to see, they're not going to see, and that's a fact.
BT: Some people are expecting to see Kovalev get a knockout. Is it possible for Andre Ward to get a knockout?
VH:
Well, here's the thing, when everybody speaks of the other person's power and knockouts and everything, they tend to forget that the other guy's hitting back. Trust me, Andre has got the power to knock out any light heavyweight. They cannot afford to make mistakes in this fight. As they say that we can't, they can't either. So it's who is going to keep it down to a minimum, the so-called mistakes. I think how Sergey's people visualize it, it's simply not going to be that way. I think Sergey, he speaks with a lot of intelligence and sense, and I think he deep down understands that I don't think it's going to be like you guys are talking about, like I'm just going to walk up to this man, hit him, and he's going to go (laughing). I don't think it's going to be that simple, you see. So I'm looking for a great fight. If Kovalev wins, he's got my respect. I'll be one of the first to shake his hand, but it's not going to be easy!
#SOGGang
..sosa went through axeman and fortuna without getting ko'ed or taking a L.sosa can punch, has good workrate, and carries his power and pressure late into a fight..he's not the boxer pedraza is but he's prolly more likely to KO tank..brutally
. $6 million + PPV upside and we help you finally do some real PPV #'s again...or no fight
then theres no fight then
you must be stupid... yall worse than G-strings... believe About Bacon entitled to more tham quadruple his highest purse and he aint did shyt at 140 or 147 outside of beating Pauletta almost 2 yrs ago brehs
$50 tickets to supposedly see the best fighter other than Mayweather in the sport on PPV) and Pacquaio doesnt have to buy $1 million worth of them himself in order to fill the arena
Thats the stance you really wanna take??.. We trying to help your boy out here suicidal with the pistol in his mouth struggling to pay child support but you thinks $4million plus ppv upside is a low ball offer??
... we aint in the business helping c00ns come up.. they gotta earn that come up
"Those are Tim Bradley type of numbers
I would still like to do Broner because I think that's a fight that would sell