I like this version with no commentary actually HD in the arena
now I rewatched the fight third time, I watched it with this video now
I like how we can see more punches clearly somehow... and the atmosphere comes through even if it can be deceiving
Point is, idk about y'all but the more I watch the fight the more I admire what Ward did
I know that I'm biased with him but I try my very best to put that aside and see it like that
when I watched it live, I couldn't even keep scoring, it was just too intense and emotional, I thought both men could win but I felt that Ward did more overall... He won, I was happy but next day I rewatched it with clear head to be sure that it weren't my bias what told me that Ward edged it out.
Then I scored it 115-113 for Ward with the 6th being a draw
Now I rewatched the third time and I'm even more convinced in my pick. This time I gave the 6th to Kovalev but I feel that the 10th which on my second watch seemed like a Kovalev round was actually a draw or arguably even a Ward round and watching this video changed the viewpoint/perspective a little and maybe it's closer to what the judges saw also and that's why they all scored it for Ward... I got 115-113 here too
It was very nice how Ward almost completely nullified Kovalev's right had after the second round. He found the optimal distance and kept circling to Kovalev's left where he couldn't reach him. On the inside Ward was better even if Kovalev also placed some shots (some of his only few right hands after the second round came from the inside).
While Kovalev set his distance and his jab in the first 2 rounds he was losing it round by round from there with little breaks. The more deep we were in the fight the comfortable Ward got. He changed Kovalev's fight and they started to fight Ward's fight. And from then Ward also started to win the jab contest.
This is something interesting about Eastern European fighters: Even the most skilled ones out of them - like Kovalev, Klitschko or Golovkin - only fight in ONE preferred distance. They know every technical aspect but they can only perform it well from one distance. I don't know why if otherwise they are skilled ad know everything properly...
and this range is most of the time a middle range, some of them is rather closer like Golovkin with his hooks but some of them like it from longer range (Kovalev, Wlad, Postol...)
and none of them likes to fight on the inside except maybe Beterbiev
this fight reminded me a little to Crawford vs Postol. Not like this would have been the same domination, no... but the script was similar. Smart, strategist American fighter who is labelled as the boxer in the matchup against an Eastern Euro guy who is rather considered the puncher (by different extent of course) and the latter one is the rangier, bigger guy.
EE fighter starts out good, wins rounds, has his way with the distance and jabs, then around the 4th-5th round the American fighter adjusts and makes it his fight.
of course there are differences, for example Crawford knocked Postol down while Ward was knocked down by Kovalev and Cawford didn't integrate inside fighting in his strategy cause he didn't have to (was faster than Postol by a lot) and that one of them was more clear, but overall I see the similarity.
In both cases range and adaptability were keys.
at Ward
kinda the opposites of each other 
fukk that fight your way out nikka it's a fight. Ain't nobody to save you sparring but you need saving when you fighting 
that along with his footwork man just special. He need to teach his countryman.
than anything else. That includes a bias at times unbeknownst to even those who genuinely believe they dont have a bias. To be fair, an argument can be made that folks can be fooled by the aggressor. I think a stronger argument can even be made that the champ should be given the benefit of tbe doubt in close bouts. One has to "beat" the champ, and it should be decisively. And Ward definitely did not do that. However, rules are rules, point based judging is what it is. 
a little low at times 
