I will repeat it again (sort of a spoiler )

If Andre Ward had of retired after that fight last night nobody would care

Why ? Don't understand the bad press Ward gets on the UK forums , he was superb last night . If that was Mayweather the board would be full this morning, writing Floyd in top 3 history. A decent guy , willing to fight anyone , but because he doesn't do anything extravagant nobody is bothered, fans are not what they used to be.
Cheers Rodders

If it was Mayweather then at least there would be a contingent of folk on here discussing it. Ward is P4P number two in almost everyone's eyes yet he creates absolutely zero interest. Think about the last 5 years or so and those who have been p4p no 2. Never have I seen such a gifted and highly ranked fighter be ignore so much. Mayweather would never have been docked points like that. 4th round was a good advert for WWE

Come off it Dee, he was retaliating because the guy had him in a headlock , if that's the case Mayweather fought illegally against Hatton, forearms grappling etc. Ward picked the guy off for fun for 8 rounds not taking a clean blow.

I agree he doesn't garner interest , but he's fights are no more less a spectacle than Mayweathers. If Ward began to throw money about and act like a tool as Mayweather and Broner do, no doubt he'd pick up viewings, it's the way of the world these days. Mayweather wasn't in a dis similar place himself, couldn't sell out in Grand Rapids once upon a time.
Cheers Rodders

Rodney I understand that but the fact is, he is the 2nd best fighter on the planet right now and only me and you are talking about him.

I don't even think there was a thread discussing the fight during the build up. If there was it must have dropped down the list pretty quick.

I'm not suggesting he throws money about and act a tool. But he could at least play the media a bit to wind up potential opponents. Give us something to get excited about. He always looks like a sad clown. Dull as dishwater. Brilliant talent, but I believe he would quickly be forgotten about if he retired last night. And for the 2nd best fighter p4p. That's a bit nuts

Not going to lie but I actually enjoyed that fight last night guys.

Link below if you missed:


www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hkAgTSDppI

What's the point of this thread dee? I mean Andre ward? Who gives a fork? And what relevance does it have to joe Louis' p4p standing v floyd mayweather?

Most interesting thing about the fight was Ward's refusal to do VADA drug testing. Big question mark there.

I think ward needs to move up a division and try and achieve recognition that way

beating Britains number 1 fighter so comfortably has made him unpopular over here.

He is starting to build a good following in the states now. last nights fight earned him good money. Wont need to come here and fight Froch now.

Lance wrote:beating Britains number 1 fighter so comfortably has made him unpopular over here.

He is starting to build a good following in the states now. last nights fight earned him good money. Wont need to come here and fight Froch now.

you say that but only just over 4000 people attended the fight last night hardly a lot for a fighter of his calibre

If Ward was Filipino, the fact that he refused VADA testing after coming back from serious Surgery would have been suspicious...

If Ward was Filipino, the fact that he refused VADA testing after coming back from serious Surgery would have been treated with suspicion.

As it stands, good win for him, I suppose. Edwin is a better than decent operator, and Ward suddenly has lots of options
Stevenson
Kovalev
Froch (if he dares)
GGG

given his Floyd-esque desire to fight once a year, this should keep him busy until 2017 at least.

Thing is with Ward is that if he was an entertainment business, he would have been put in to receivership due to lack of interest.

4000 people to attend a world title fight for possibly the 2nd best fighter in the world is pitiful. He should be headlining the big venues but in reality he's only a rung up from DeGale's Bluewater antics.

Such an outrageous talent marred by being completely unsellable. Nobody cares.

Fact is Ward made $1,5m vs Dawson last year, and $2m vs Rodriguez in a glorified tune-up. Say what you like, but $3.5m in two fights is good money for a guy who apparently is just about more marketable than Chunky.

If I could command seven figure cheques against Rodriguez of all people, Id be a very happy man.

Mayweathers cellmate wrote:Most interesting thing about the fight was Ward's refusal to do VADA drug testing. Big question mark there.

Guess what?...............Floyd refused to do VADA.


Ward has been fighting better opposition than Mayweather as well.


It's true what they say, love is blind, there are people around here infatuated by Mayweather who should know better.

Mr Bounce wrote:Thing is with Ward is that if he was an entertainment business, he would have been put in to receivership due to lack of interest.

4000 people to attend a world title fight for possibly the 2nd best fighter in the world is pitiful. He should be headlining the big venues but in reality he's only a rung up from DeGale's Bluewater antics.

Such an outrageous talent marred by being completely unsellable. Nobody cares.

Andre Ward is from the Bay Area of California. Not Ontario, California(Southern California) where the fight was last night.

When Ward fights in the Bay Area, he sells out 10,000 easily.

kingraf wrote:If Ward was Filipino, the fact that he refused VADA testing after coming back from serious Surgery would have been treated with suspicion.

As it stands, good win for him, I suppose. Edwin is a better than decent operator, and Ward suddenly has lots of options
Stevenson
Kovalev
Froch (if he dares)
GGG

given his Floyd-esque desire to fight once a year, this should keep him busy until 2017 at least.

Only fight worth watching will be Ward vs GGG.

Ward destroys everyone at 168 and 175.

He's just too good.

Strongback wrote:

Mayweathers cellmate wrote:Most interesting thing about the fight was Ward's refusal to do VADA drug testing. Big question mark there.

Guess what?...............Floyd refused to do VADA.


Ward has been fighting better opposition than Mayweather as well.


It's true what they say, love is blind, there are people around here infatuated by Mayweather who should know better.

Mayweather deserves criticism for not insisting on VADA too, not sure what made you think I thought otherwise. You'd think all the P4P top fighters would insist on the most stringent tests to ensure a level playing field, the fact they don't leaves serious questions.

kingraf wrote:Fact is Ward made $1,5m vs Dawson last year, and $2m vs Rodriguez in a glorified tune-up. Say what you like, but $3.5m in two fights is good money for a guy who apparently is just about more marketable than Chunky.

If I could command seven figure cheques against Rodriguez of all people, Id be a very happy man.

Ward is certainly going in the right direction. hes getting pretty well known in the states now. maybe hes doing something right

When did it become a common practice for fans to critique a fighter over the amount of tickets he sells ?

Rodney wrote:When did it become a common practice for fans to critique a fighter over the amount of tickets he sells ?

When those fans were directed by the jobcentre to the only career they were qualified for - flogging popcorn and fizzies at boxing venues.

Ward tried to leave Goosen, but failed. I think this is because he is sick of fighting in front of 3/4000 people in places like Ontario, California.

I was impressed with Ward last night, for sure. But that being said, Rodriguez wasn't bringing much to the table apart from a superb chin (and God knows he needed it!) and some rough tactics on the inside. He didn't see to be fighting with all that much confidence and was letting Ward get off first almost every time, banking on being able to catch him with a big counter shot. And talk about a fight in which every round was more or less a carbon copy of the last! His tactic was miles away from being effective in the first and second and was still miles away in the eleventh and twelfth. And yet he never looked as if he was trying to make adjustments.

But the long lay off doesn't seem to have had any ill effect on Ward at all. Still punching very, very sharply and accurately and his defence was nigh-on immaculate. Still a strong and, when he needs to be, rough operator on the inside, too.

This was a nice way to ease back in to things, but I think his next fight needs to be against a real top class fighter to make up for lost time and to embellish his pound for pound credentials again . Obviously if Froch beats Groves then the rematch will be an option, but I think he and Goosen should try and tempt Golovkin up to 168 or, if that fails, go after Stevenson for the Light-Heavyweight title. I'd be so disappointed if Ward ends up waiting on the sidelines again for six months or more and ends up fighting, say, Chavez Jr.

Goosen may not be delivering Ward huge arenas to fight in, but he is free to switch in between HBO and Showtime as he pleases, so effectively there is no opponent who is off limits for Ward.

I would rather see Froch and Ward beat a couple of the aforementioned before facing off for the light heavyweight title.

Froch- Chavez and Kovalev
Ward- Golovkin and Stevenson

There are suddenly quite a few options again in the 168lb region and fortunately what we know of the pair they won't shy away from a challenge. I can't think of any other top two in a division who have so consistently fought the best out there.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:I would rather see Froch and Ward beat a couple of the aforementioned before facing off for the light heavyweight title.

Froch- Chavez and Kovalev
Ward- Golovkin and Stevenson

There are suddenly quite a few options again in the 168lb region and fortunately what we know of the pair they won't shy away from a challenge. I can't think of any other top two in a division who have so consistently fought the best out there.

So basically Froch will get retired by Kovalev?

I very much doubt that, I think Froch beats everyone other than Ward at 168-175lbs, knocking out Cleverley is one thing knocking out the iron chinned Froch is a whole different prospect. Aside from power Froch is superior to both Stevenson and Kovalev in every department.

Very impressed with Ward, he gets labelled dull and boring but his last 3 fights he's looked excellent but perhaps more importantly in his last 2 he has been in exciting watchable fights. This is only his 2nd fight on hbo since the super6 so as long as he stays injury free and keeps performing like this his following should grow. I'd like to see a Froch rematch but don't think Froch wants it and the longer it goes the less likely I see that happening.

Ward is just too good, for his own good he beats everyone easily up to Cruiserweight without hardly needing to break sweat and it does not make great entertainment.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:I very much doubt that, I think Froch beats everyone other than Ward at 168-175lbs, knocking out Cleverley is one thing knocking out the iron chinned Froch is a whole different prospect. Aside from power Froch is superior to both Stevenson and Kovalev in every department.

Stevenson has better hand speed and power.

Froch is slow and cumbersome.

Kovalev has power, similar to GGG, movement.

As for Froch beaten everyone other than Ward, there's a chap called Hopkins -who schools Froch.

I tend to ignore Hopkins from all of this because he will suddenly get old and it could be in any fight. You must have been watching a different fighting if you think Froch is slow and cumbersome, he's not a speed merchant but he's a lumbering oaf either. I can't get too excited about Kovalev until I see him in with one of the elite, he looks eminently beatable to me as does Stevenson. The thing is it's not about who's more powerful it's about who can take the other guys punch the better.

"As for Froch beaten everyone other than Ward, there's a chap called Hopkins -who schools Froch."

No he doesn't [IMO], Hopkins only does that with boxers who allow him to fight at his own pace, Froch wouldn't.

Froch would probably beat Hopkins at this stage. Stevenson, Dawson or Kovalov would be tougher fights for him and a lot more entertaining.

It would be great to see him VS Mayweather, what a fight, shame they are not a weight or two closer.

I can see where people are coming from with regard to Ward, he is not very easy on the eye, there's no smoothness & an awful lot of rough-housing. Although I do admire him because he's a great boxer, I would rather watch Mayweather as I just find him more aesthetically pleasing.
An awful lot of talk about him & Froch moving to LH to fight the likes of Stevenson, Kovalev etc but neither of them are particularly big @ SMW.
Froch v Ward next year hopefully in UK [although I doubt it & believe Ward would win anyway].

Kovalev is the only one with even a remote chance of beating Ward simply because of his withering power, i still would make Ward the overwhelming favourite if they fought though.