Ward-Kovalev Judges Selected

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has assigned three American judges to score the Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev rematch. Each of those three officials – Connecticut’s Glenn Feldman, Nevada’s Dave Moretti and New Jersey’s Steve Weisfeld – are considered consistently accurate judges.

Weisfeld is widely viewed as one of boxing’s best judges. Ward (31-0, 15 KOs), of Hayward, California, and Russia’s Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) are scheduled to fight again June 17 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Kovalev complained following his controversial loss to Ward in their light heavyweight title fight November 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that it was unfair that three Americans judged it. All three judges – Nevada’s Burt Clements, New York’s John McKaie and Nevada’s Glenn Trowbridge – scored their 12-round fight for Ward by the same score, 114-113.

That means each judge thought Ward won seven of the 12 rounds and deducted the customary single point from his 115-113 victory because Kovalev knocked him down during the second round. Kovalev’s promoter, New Jersey-based Main Events, did not object to any of the three judges that scored their first fight when the NSAC submitted its list of possible choices to both promoters prior to assigning Clements, McKaie and Trowbridge to score the fight last fall.

The former light heavyweight champion began referring to Ward as “Son of Judges” on social media right after their fight. Kovalev continues to call Ward “Son of Judges,” – a play on Ward’s actual nickname, “Son of God” – during the contentious buildup toward their rematch.

The NSAC also has assigned Nevada’s Tony Weeks to referee the Kovalev-Ward rematch. Nevada’s Robert Byrd was the referee for their first bout, which included a lot of holding and wrestling by both boxers.

In accordance with their contracts, the 33-year-old Ward owes the 34-year-old Kovalev an immediate rematch. After briefly contemplating retirement, Roc Nation Sports, Ward’s promoter, announced early in April that he had agreed to the rematch.