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According to Dan Rafael, Alexander Brand has been accepted by HBO as Andre Ward's Nov 21 opponent.
Super middleweight Alexander Brand Monsalve of Columbia is age 38 and has fought one good opponent in his career: Badou Jack, who he lost to a few years ago.
Andre Ward will have him go up from 168 to 175 for this fight.
Does Brand have a chance? Is this a mismatch? Why didn't Ward choose a light heavyweight, why make Brand move up in weight?
Ward is compounding his crass inactivity with now picking absurd opposition for his fights.
As far as I'm concerned, he's fast fading from boxing's consciousness.
F*ck Andre Ward.
Wow! where to start. I've gone on record many times to say how I admire Ward as a commentator and he seems like a really nice bloke.
I also admire Ward's ability and that he's potentially the best Boxer on the planet post Floyd. But the very fact that we have to use the word "Potential" for a guy in his mid 30's who has been hands down the best in his division for years and years tells us everything we need to know .
I though that the Paul Smith fight was the one to "Blow off the cobwebs", do they need blowing off again? why are his people chasing meaningless mismatches forcing guys to go up in weight at 3 weeks notice? Why does he have to piggy back onto the Cotto - Canelo fight ? can he not make a card off his own back?
I really want the guys on this forum who slag GGG off just because they are Ward lovers to explain exactly what the fuck is going on here.
please do not use the old "it's his management, or promoters Blah,Blah," because he's changed that team and it's still the same old shit so you have to go to the common denominator.
I get really angry with this guy because I really can't think of anyone who is completely wasting his talent as much as he is.
Still , I suppose he's slowly building to the Kovalev fight in 12 months time that's taking place in Never, Never Land! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
whats does it achieve?
no fan will be happy, nobody in the boxing business will take anything from it, ward will not gain anything in the ring by in skill or experience
counter productive more than anything
Can only think its to shake off any ring rust...That's about it.
Again! "And the new shake off the ring rust and blow off the cobweb champion is............"Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
To start to shake of the ring rustQuote:
Originally Posted by erics44what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
Sadness. For all his inactivity, Ward has never actually looked "rusty". He's also not the type of fighter who looks that much better against journeymen than he does against elite fighters, so he won't benefit from this type of gimme any way I can see.
He just might have some insecurities, he could of taken a few hits in the gym and doesn't want it to happen on the main stage.Quote:
Originally Posted by p4pking
I agree!Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
That was the ring rust on his left leg. This is for his right leg.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam SeddonTo start to shake of the ring rustQuote:
Originally Posted by erics44what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
Quote:
Originally Posted by rossThat was the ring rust on his left leg. This is for his right leg.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam SeddonTo start to shake of the ring rustQuote:
Originally Posted by erics44what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
Its sounding like a Kovalev showdown in 2016, so they wont put him in any risky fights till then.
I agree with this too. He's between a rock and a hard spot. No matter what he does, it looks wrong to somebody. The thing is, it's mostly his fault!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam SeddonQuote:
Originally Posted by rossThat was the ring rust on his left leg. This is for his right leg.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam SeddonTo start to shake of the ring rustQuote:
Originally Posted by erics44what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
Its sounding like a Kovalev showdown in 2016, so they wont put him in any risky fights till then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beenKOedI agree with this too. He's between a rock and a hard spot. No matter what he does, it looks wrong to somebody. The thing is, it's mostly his fault!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam SeddonQuote:
Originally Posted by rossThat was the ring rust on his left leg. This is for his right leg.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam SeddonTo start to shake of the ring rustQuote:
Originally Posted by erics44what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
Its sounding like a Kovalev showdown in 2016, so they wont put him in any risky fights till then.
It also is giving Ward an opportunity to fight on a PPV card.
This is the first of a three fight deal with HBO. The third fight is Kovalev. I wonder if he'll actually fight a genuine 175 pounder in the second fight? Cautious inside and outside the ring, isn't he? Boring boring boring boring.
Alexander Brand has lost to Badou Jack interesting.
They were looking at three potential opponents, Brand is the best of the three, in my opinion. He has some power which is his only practically nonexistent, slime to none chance. ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by Master
Its hard to make excuses for the supposedly best fighter in the world but as already mentioned these first two fights are shaking off the rust and then he gets down to business.Quote:
Originally Posted by erics44what was the paul smith fight for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tam Seddon
Ward really needs to make waves and get another ko or tko in this bout...bring on kovalev
This is actually embarrassing. Newsflash..the rust was self imposed. Ya just can't have it both ways. Over 4 years he drains a lt. heavyweight to have a showcase. Beat a robot with a dumb hat in a fight that looked half cat boxing/ half sumo wrestling and faces obscurity types in annual CW farces. Ward is beginning to come off very hand held.
He's lucky he has any fans left at all. Its really hard to put together or understand whats happened here since he won the S6. That cant be what he meant when he said, "I'm going to be bigger then Robinson?"Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
I've actually come to the conclusion that the guy does not like boxing and like Taylor admitted, the only reason he got into it was for was fast big money. I guess nobody explained to him that he first needed to fight the big fights. Unlike Jermaine who actually had a grasp of that fact even though he disliked the sport.
Try to imagine what a guy like Burley would have done with the opportunities this guy has had or Langford before him? His disrespects these guys. His sense of entitlement makes my skin crawl and considering his unbelievable talent it starts to peel off. I'm also pissed off at the guy for purely selfish reasons. We dont get a chance as boxing fans to witness the special ones that have that little something extra. Next year will be half a century for me following this sport and I think I've witnessed about 10 real standouts and perhaps 5 or 6 in the same league skill wise as him. They fought everybody. When a guy with his kind of talent sits out, one feels kind of robbed or violated as a fan. I dont find him boring, I've always enjoyed the technicians but his shtick is a party crasher. Its like he's waiting everything out.
On a related note, I dont like HBO picking peoples opponents. The waters are muddy enough. Its a weird boxing era. Rigo gets stripped and black balled for being to good. Golovkin gets shafted what will end up 3 times by frauds, Kov and Stevenson cant finalize a division, the welter weight division watches itself rot with a bunch of primadonnas, Wlad and Wilder cant get any ink and Ward sits out playing musical chairs.I think its foolish and naive unfortunately to believe that Ward/Kovalev is some kind of sure thing or end game in some 3 fight deal
It's Ward that should've been stripped, instead of Rigo.
Fact is Rigo has fought twice as often as Ward over the last 3 years.
Ward may have the most recent fight, if you want to count that "classic" vs. Paul Smith.
In fact, beginning in 2012, when Ward beat a frightfully drained Chad Dawson, Ward has not done much of anything, has he.
But he gets a pass from many, because he's well..... Andre Ward.
I agree with you except about Rigo and HBO not being serious about about Ward/Kovalev.Quote:
Originally Posted by IamInuitHe's lucky he has any fans left at all. Its really hard to put together or understand whats happened here since he won the S6. That cant be what he meant when he said, "I'm going to be bigger then Robinson?"Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
I've actually come to the conclusion that the guy does not like boxing and like Taylor admitted, the only reason he got into it was for was fast big money. I guess nobody explained to him that he first needed to fight the big fights. Unlike Jermaine who actually had a grasp of that fact even though he disliked the sport.
Try to imagine what a guy like Burley would have done with the opportunities this guy has had or Langford before him? His disrespects these guys. His sense of entitlement makes my skin crawl and considering his unbelievable talent it starts to peel off. I'm also pissed off at the guy for purely selfish reasons. We dont get a chance as boxing fans to witness the special ones that have that little something extra. Next year will be half a century for me following this sport and I think I've witnessed about 10 real standouts and perhaps 5 or 6 in the same league skill wise as him. They fought everybody. When a guy with his kind of talent sits out, one feels kind of robbed or violated as a fan. I dont find him boring, I've always enjoyed the technicians but his shtick is a party crasher. Its like he's waiting everything out.
On a related note, I dont like HBO picking peoples opponents. The waters are muddy enough. Its a weird boxing era. Rigo gets stripped and black balled for being to good. Golovkin gets shafted what will end up 3 times by frauds, Kov and Stevenson cant finalize a division, the welter weight division watches itself rot with a bunch of primadonnas, Wlad and Wilder cant get any ink and Ward sits out playing musical chairs.I think its foolish and naive unfortunately to believe that Ward/Kovalev is some kind of sure thing or end game in some 3 fight deal
Rigo gets stripped and black balled for thinking he is too good to fight!
HBO is gambling on a huge payoff with Ward/Kovalev, the end game is serious PPV profits!
I don't think HBO is trying to pick opponents as much as approve them. I know there is a fine line there but there is a difference.
In a way he's still very much inactive and to be honest has gone backwards. The saying is you're only as good as what you've done lately and Ward has done fook all over 4 years. This says he is content to in effect not compete..to coast. I can't stop thinking of when HBO had three fight 'deals' in what was supposed to lead to Kovalev- Stevenson before supermuppet jumped ship and opted out. Ward beginning to remind me of Wilder in that he just sits on the sideline, trying to shortcut his way to a mega fight with the divisions recognized top dog. I think the welterweights are doing great and there it is stacked with potential great fights.Quote:
Originally Posted by IamInuitHe's lucky he has any fans left at all. Its really hard to put together or understand whats happened here since he won the S6. That cant be what he meant when he said, "I'm going to be bigger then Robinson?"Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
I've actually come to the conclusion that the guy does not like boxing and like Taylor admitted, the only reason he got into it was for was fast big money. I guess nobody explained to him that he first needed to fight the big fights. Unlike Jermaine who actually had a grasp of that fact even though he disliked the sport.
Try to imagine what a guy like Burley would have done with the opportunities this guy has had or Langford before him? His disrespects these guys. His sense of entitlement makes my skin crawl and considering his unbelievable talent it starts to peel off. I'm also pissed off at the guy for purely selfish reasons. We dont get a chance as boxing fans to witness the special ones that have that little something extra. Next year will be half a century for me following this sport and I think I've witnessed about 10 real standouts and perhaps 5 or 6 in the same league skill wise as him. They fought everybody. When a guy with his kind of talent sits out, one feels kind of robbed or violated as a fan. I dont find him boring, I've always enjoyed the technicians but his shtick is a party crasher. Its like he's waiting everything out.
On a related note, I dont like HBO picking peoples opponents. The waters are muddy enough. Its a weird boxing era. Rigo gets stripped and black balled for being to good. Golovkin gets shafted what will end up 3 times by frauds, Kov and Stevenson cant finalize a division, the welter weight division watches itself rot with a bunch of primadonnas, Wlad and Wilder cant get any ink and Ward sits out playing musical chairs.I think its foolish and naive unfortunately to believe that Ward/Kovalev is some kind of sure thing or end game in some 3 fight deal
Ward is not PfP #1 taking this fight. I thought PfP lists were who is the best right now, not a few years ago.
What can I do, other than join the consensus: rubbish fight.
Just read something about this being the 1st of a 3 fight deal exclusively on HBO culminating with a Kovalev showdown 12 months from now. That's great , and I hope it comes off.
But now, surely either he should be stripped or relinquish his titles , because he is never going to defend them at SMW as he is moving up.
Andre Ward officially added to Cotto-Canelo bill - | Boxing News - boxing news, results, rankings, schedules since 1909
Excerpt from the article:
"As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya."
Let's be honest. This is the real reason why Ward gets shoved down our throats despite his crass inactivity and now his shameless cherry picking.
Cleans out the SMW division in a tourney, now he acts as if he wants no part of being a champion. Total turnaround. Bad management maybe?Quote:
Originally Posted by TitoFan
Quote:
Originally Posted by SlimTraeCleans out the SMW division in a tourney, now he acts as if he wants no part of being a champion. Total turnaround. Bad management maybe?Quote:
Originally Posted by TitoFan
Bad management, and getting caught up in his own hype. When you've been anointed the next great American p4p hope... and are part of this "lineage" as shown above... makes it easier to sit back and think the world owes you something. Add to that his moniker which rubs many people the wrong way... and it's not difficult to blow the guy off entirely.