Wow! Andre Ward retires!

[imp]

Primes vs Primes how would Andre Ward stack up vs the greats? So we're looking at his career in the 168 and 175 weight classes.


Roy Jones Jr.
Bernard Hopkins
James Toney
Joe Calzaghe
Michael Spinks
Archie Moore
Bob Foster

Jones and JC are the only fighters that Ward will struggle with..

Jones chin was invisible back then and JC workrate, heart and handspeed is a problem for any era.

JC and Ward retired undefeated so there is no blueprint to beat them.

Jones can be beaten and has been knocked out numerous times..post prime.

[Alpha]

Sergey Kovalev
Adonis Stevenson
Artur Beterbiev
Oleksandr Gvozdyk
Eleider Alvarez
Sullivan Barrera

Something like this for me. If the World Boxing Super Series continues to be successful we might get more divisions included. Fingers crossed.

[Spicoli]

Didn't see that coming but it's not like he hasn't put himself in time out before. In the same sentence he sights his body leading to lack of desire which just sounds bit backwards but it's his career. Plenty of guys out there to challenge and immediately after beating Kovalez he started talking about heavyweight etc. Hindsight being 20-20 you can see long term was no longer his focus.

[ruthless rocco]

what a bitch pussy!

[GAME]

Kinda glad he's gone. I was never fan of his holding, head butting and low blows. Plus he would never leave home like everyone else did

a skillfull fighter but now he's out the picture the division will be more exciting . Adonis is the other stay at home champ holding a belt hostage but hopefully he's on his way out too. Time for the new breed

[X]

Primes vs Primes how would Andre Ward stack up vs the greats? So we're looking at his career in the 168 and 175 weight classes.


Roy Jones Jr.
Bernard Hopkins
James Toney
Joe Calzaghe
Michael Spinks
Archie Moore
Bob Foster

But you're missing the best light heavy of all time ....... Ezzard Charles.

..... who is just too busy for Ward, can fight just as dirty, and whose hands are too fast for SOG

[Gandalf]

What a surprise!

I won't miss him very much. Tedious fighter with a tedious attitude to regular fighting and his last two fights saw him lose and then low blow his opponent into submission. Sums him up completely for me. Butts and low blows were his best weapons really.

[mikeeod]

I'm wondering how long the retirement will last, to be honest. I just get the feeling that either Ward was frustrated with a lack of big names to fight, or he wants out of his current contract. If his body really is letting him down, then I'm glad he made the decision. That being said, I don't see putting on a great performance vs Kov, calling out Joshua, and then retiring out of the blue. One more point: regardless of who you THINK beats Ward, there is no denying that the guy should be ranked as the top 168 pounder ever.

[Master]

I'm wondering how long the retirement will last, to be honest. I just get the feeling that either Ward was frustrated with a lack of big names to fight, or he wants out of his current contract. If his body really is letting him down, then I'm glad he made the decision. That being said, I don't see putting on a great performance vs Kov, calling out Joshua, and then retiring out of the blue. One more point: regardless of who you THINK beats Ward, there is no denying that the guy should be ranked as the top 168 pounder ever.

He is up there with Joe Calzaghe.

[Primo Carnera]

I'm wondering how long the retirement will last, to be honest. I just get the feeling that either Ward was frustrated with a lack of big names to fight, or he wants out of his current contract. If his body really is letting him down, then I'm glad he made the decision. That being said, I don't see putting on a great performance vs Kov, calling out Joshua, and then retiring out of the blue. One more point: regardless of who you THINK beats Ward, there is no denying that the guy should be ranked as the top 168 pounder ever.

He is up there with Joe Calzaghe.

Probably had a thread to itself in the past, but as much as I like and rate Calzaghe, Ward beats him prime for prime.

[Gandalf]

Nah, Calzaghe beats him 8-4 in a dull, dull, dull, dull fight full of low blows and cuts. You cannot outwork Calzaghe or neutralise him over 12. The only thing stopping Calzaghe is his hands. Calzaghe would have boxed Kovalev's ears off too as it seems he is a 4 round fighter a bit like Pascal. You cannot have gas tank issues against Calzaghe and you can't put him away with limited output like that. Same with Ward, he just wouldn't beat Calzaghe with 30 punches a round. Impossible.

[GaMo]

Calzaghe ducked Ottke, Froch, Pavlik and Taylor. He also scrapped by an old Hopkins so there’s no way he beats a prime Ward. Calzaghe struggled with Bika and Kessler while Ward made both those fights look easy. Ward would UD Calzaghe without much trouble. Kovalev would knock Calzaghe out early and easily.

[Master]

Calzaghe ducked Ottke, Froch, Pavlik and Taylor. He also scrapped by an old Hopkins so there’s no way he beats a prime Ward. Calzaghe struggled with Bika and Kessler while Ward made both those fights look easy. Ward would UD Calzaghe without much trouble. Kovalev would knock Calzaghe out early and easily.

Joe did not duck those fighters he had better offers and he did not struggle he beat them convincingly.

At light heavyweight he was past his prime.

[GaMo]

Calzaghe ducked Ottke, Froch, Pavlik and Taylor. He also scrapped by an old Hopkins so there’s no way he beats a prime Ward. Calzaghe struggled with Bika and Kessler while Ward made both those fights look easy. Ward would UD Calzaghe without much trouble. Kovalev would knock Calzaghe out early and easily.

Joe did not duck those fighters he had better offers and he did not struggle he beat them convincingly.

At light heavyweight he was past his prime.

Pavlik was unbeaten at the time and was willing to move up to fight Calzaghe but Joe decided to fight an old Hopkins instead. Ottke was the champion for years at 168 and Calzaghe was never willing to go over and challenge for the titles (instead he defended the shitty WBO belt at home) He obviously avoided Froch.

[Master]

Calzaghe ducked Ottke, Froch, Pavlik and Taylor. He also scrapped by an old Hopkins so there’s no way he beats a prime Ward. Calzaghe struggled with Bika and Kessler while Ward made both those fights look easy. Ward would UD Calzaghe without much trouble. Kovalev would knock Calzaghe out early and easily.

Joe did not duck those fighters he had better offers and he did not struggle he beat them convincingly.

At light heavyweight he was past his prime.

Pavlik was unbeaten at the time and was willing to move up to fight Calzaghe but Joe decided to fight an old Hopkins instead. Ottke was the champion for years at 168 and Calzaghe was never willing to go over and challenge for the titles (instead he defended the shitty WBO belt at home) He obviously avoided Froch.

There you go re-writing history to suit your own agenda.

By the time Joe fought Hopkins he had beaten 2 undefeated fighters Lacy and Kessler and then moved up to Light heavyweight to beat 2 legends Roy Jones and Hopkins. He was at the end of his career and retired.