Thread: Fighting Ward - is the risk worth the reward? (please excuse the unintentional rhyme)

Someone mentioned in this thread that Ward is avoided, which I know as does and any other boxing fan.

But why? Is it maybe because people don't get enough money to risk fighting someone who knows how to win? I mean Ward isn't promoted great, that is no secret, so I'd assume that there isn't as much money in his fights. But I could be mistaken.

I mean how many times have we seen people take fights they have no chance of winning just because there's a huge payday for them?

This is all speculation but I can't help but feel more people would be open to fighting ward if the money was right.

Who has avoided him? He's fought and beat all the top guys at 168? Seems pretty pointless in him sticking around so I wonder why he hasn't moved up and fought the top guys in that division.

Who would want to fight ward at his weight? He is the best no one can beat him at super middle so GGG or Martinez will not move up, the top light heavies will not move down and get what Dawson received. ward will not move and is content to pick his pay cheque.

Originally Posted by Master

Who would want to fight ward at his weight? He is the best no one can beat him at super middle so GGG or Martinez will not move up, the top light heavies will not move down and get what Dawson received. ward will not move and is content to pick his pay cheque.

Somewhere down the road fights have to be made. And by the way HBO has been acting as of late, there are NO sacred cows. No sacred cows in terms of brand loyalty. If Ward doesn't generate even his own salary from HBO, HBO will part ways... then what's he gonna do? He had better fight this year, and be in a good named fight too. Nothing less than Chavez Jr., Pascal, Bute, B-Hop, Kovlalev, Stevenson, GGG, Quillin, Martinez OR Froch 2 would do. At least give us Andre or Anthony Dirrell... at least... even Felix Sturm would Arthur Abraham. Someone with a damn pulse who people can identify with.

The Ring's top 168 pounders:

Super Middleweight

Limit: 168 pounds

RingTv image CHAMPION: Andre Ward
CHAMPION
Andre Ward
Country: U.S.
Record: 27-0-0 (14 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: C | Last Week: C | Weeks On List: 248
Title: RING, WBA super middleweight
RingTv image Carl Froch
Carl Froch
Country: U.K.
Record: 32-2-0 (23 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Weeks On List: 399
Title: IBF
1
RingTv image Mikkel Kessler
Mikkel Kessler
Country: Denmark
Record: 46-3-0 (35 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Weeks On List: 60
2
RingTv image Robert Stieglitz
Robert Stieglitz
Country: Russia
Record: 46-3-0 (26 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 3 | Last Week: 3 | Weeks On List: 232
Title: WBO
3
RingTv image George Groves
George Groves
Country: U.K.
Record: 19-1-0 (15 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 4 | Last Week: 4 | Weeks On List: 236
4
RingTv image Arthur Abraham
Arthur Abraham
Country: Armenia
Record: 38-4-0 (28 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 5 | Last Week: 5 | Weeks On List: 224
5
RingTv image Thomas Oosthuizen
Thomas Oosthuizen
Country: South Africa
Record: 22-0-2 (13 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 6 | Last Week: 6 | Weeks On List: 143
6
RingTv image Sakio Bika
Sakio Bika
Country: Cameroon
Record: 32-5-3 (21 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 7 | Last Week: 7 | Weeks On List: 356
Title: WBC
7
RingTv image James DeGale
James DeGale
Country: U.K.
Record: 17-1-0 (11 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 8 | Last Week: 8 | Weeks On List: 36
8
RingTv image Andre Dirrell
Andre Dirrell
Country: U.S.
Record: 21-1-0 (14 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 9 | Last Week: 9 | Weeks On List: 13
9
RingTv image Marco Antonio Periban
Marco Antonio Periban
Country: Mexico
Record: 20-1-1 (13 KOs)
Ranking:

This Week: 10 | Last Week: 10 | Weeks On List: 4
10

That's a good point about the risk and reward. I think it's a double edged sword with Ward.

Obviously, the risk is enormous. Ward is a top 3 talent in boxing today, and not only is he going to be extremely difficult to beat, there's also a strong possibility that he's going to make you look like shit (like slickers like Mayweather, Hopkins, Pernell, ect did).

On the reward side, unfortunately there's probably more money out there fighting opposition like Froch or JCC Jr, who are much softer opponents but who have more of a fan base.

But that's looking at the short term. We have to remember that Ward has more credibility within the boxing world than anyone outside of Mayweather. You beat Ward, and your stock skyrockets, which means bigger future purses and earning potential.

Bottom line IMO is that if you're a boxer - or an athlete in general - your ultimate goal should be to be the best in your field. If you really are worth a fuck, you should be gunning for the top guy to try to take his spot. Ward is undeniably the top guy, so anyone who's avoiding him is a straight up clown in my eyes.

Originally Posted by Master

Who would want to fight ward at his weight? He is the best no one can beat him at super middle so GGG or Martinez will not move up, the top light heavies will not move down and get what Dawson received. ward will not move and is content to pick his pay cheque.

Martinez at super mid is just ridiculous. He's a tiny middleweight. Canelos more likely to go to super mid then Martinez

Chavez Junior is avoiding him. He'll be happy to keep fighting people like Vera and Bika and picking up his cheques without getting battered by Ward. Ward will eventually move up and I think Kovalev has enough boxing ability to beat him. Ward definitely won't be able to get away with holding and spoling so much against bigger men.

Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

Chavez Junior is avoiding him. He'll be happy to keep fighting people like Vera and Bika and picking up his cheques without getting battered by Ward. Ward will eventually move up and I think Kovalev has enough boxing ability to beat him. Ward definitely won't be able to get away with holding and spoling so much against bigger men.

Which is why he wont move up and is why he is calling out smaller men like GGG and Floyd.

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

Chavez Junior is avoiding him. He'll be happy to keep fighting people like Vera and Bika and picking up his cheques without getting battered by Ward. Ward will eventually move up and I think Kovalev has enough boxing ability to beat him. Ward definitely won't be able to get away with holding and spoling so much against bigger men.

Which is why he wont move up and is why he is calling out smaller men like GGG and Floyd.

To be fair to Ward he has never called out Floyd and in probabilities GGG, he is not the type to do that.

It blows my mind, the notion that Ward is scared of 175 because he thinks he'll lose. The guy is one of a hanful at most of the best fighters in the world. Thinking he'll avoid a challenge isn't a reflection of Ward. It's a reflection of the person saying such things. Seriously, go to a gym, learn one thing about how fighters think so the preposterous notion can die.

If a fighter is avoiding a fight it's because of management. If a fighter seems tongue tied when the other fighter comes up it's because management told them what was going to happen but not how to explain it.

I can't even imagine how cowardly regular people are supposed to be if fighters were 1/10 as cowardly as boxing fans claim they are.

Originally Posted by Ron Swanson

It blows my mind, the notion that Ward is scared of 175 because he thinks he'll lose. The guy is one of a hanful at most of the best fighters in the world. Thinking he'll avoid a challenge isn't a reflection of Ward. It's a reflection of the person saying such things. Seriously, go to a gym, learn one thing about how fighters think so the preposterous notion can die.

If a fighter is avoiding a fight it's because of management. If a fighter seems tongue tied when the other fighter comes up it's because management told them what was going to happen but not how to explain it.

I can't even imagine how cowardly regular people are supposed to be if fighters were 1/10 as cowardly as boxing fans claim they are.

That surely applies to Golovkin too then?