Froch vs. Ward - Saturday fight/chat thread

[Rantcatrat]

Did anyone else find that broadcast ridiculously pro-Ward? I'm not sure I heard one compliment about Froch nor one criticism of Ward. How about someone suggesting that Ward should try and get his man out of there for once? This is prizefighting, isn't it?

Three posts ago, you said, "At the end of the day, scoreboard." Ward's ultimate goal is not to "get his man out of the there"; it's to win the fight.

As for Willie Pep, he's widely regarded as one of the all-time P4P greats, and he's got a knockout percentage not much higher than 25%. So...

I think you're missing my point. I'm not suggesting Ward isn't good. Scoreboard - Ward beat Froch, the third best super middleweight out there to most people. Recall that prior to the fight, I said Ward should beat Froch on the cards.

Ward's lack of punching power is what makes him less marketable and less fun to watch, like Paulie Malinaggi, but on a different level. This is prize-fighting too. Hopkins couldn't get Pavlik out of there but his punches took a big toll. Ward's punches didn't take a big toll; Froch just couldn't hit him. Do you understand the difference? Not all defensive fighters don't have power. Mayweather is defensive, but Mayweather knocks people out. Its a big part of the reason he is popular.

If you're just talking about Ward's appeal and marketability, I agree. Personally, I enjoy his fights a great deal, but I get it that many people don't. It wasn't clear to me whether you were only talking about that, or if you were further suggesting that this somehow undermines his greatness; it's this latter point that I would disagree with.

Oh NO way, does it undermine his greatness. He has a great future as a boxer. The problem I see has to do with his marketability and appeal to the average fan. Dibella tweeted about a comment he overheard in the bar after the fight: "I'd rather see Gatti/Ward than Andre Ward." Now, that may just be a casual fan's comment, and not a boxing fanatic like some of us are in this forum, but there's something to be said for it. I think we'd agree that there is something special about being able to get your opponent out of there in terms of entertainment value. Ward can still be entertaining without doing it, but he would more entertaining if he could add it. Right?

[Beanz]

Did anyone else find that broadcast ridiculously pro-Ward? I'm not sure I heard one compliment about Froch nor one criticism of Ward. How about someone suggesting that Ward should try and get his man out of there for once? This is prizefighting, isn't it?

Three posts ago, you said, "At the end of the day, scoreboard." Ward's ultimate goal is not to "get his man out of the there"; it's to win the fight.

As for Willie Pep, he's widely regarded as one of the all-time P4P greats, and he's got a knockout percentage not much higher than 25%. So...

I think you're missing my point. I'm not suggesting Ward isn't good. Scoreboard - Ward beat Froch, the third best super middleweight out there to most people. Recall that prior to the fight, I said Ward should beat Froch on the cards.

Ward's lack of punching power is what makes him less marketable and less fun to watch, like Paulie Malinaggi, but on a different level. This is prize-fighting too. Hopkins couldn't get Pavlik out of there but his punches took a big toll. Ward's punches didn't take a big toll; Froch just couldn't hit him. Do you understand the difference? Not all defensive fighters don't have power. Mayweather is defensive, but Mayweather knocks people out. Its a big part of the reason he is popular.

If you're just talking about Ward's appeal and marketability, I agree. Personally, I enjoy his fights a great deal, but I get it that many people don't. It wasn't clear to me whether you were only talking about that, or if you were further suggesting that this somehow undermines his greatness; it's this latter point that I would disagree with.

Oh NO way, does it undermine his greatness. He has a great future as a boxer. The problem I see has to do with his marketability and appeal to the average fan. Dibella tweeted about a comment he overheard in the bar after the fight: "I'd rather see Gatti/Ward than Andre Ward." Now, that may just be a casual fan's comment, and not a boxing fanatic like some of us are in this forum, but there's something to be said for it. I think we'd agree that there is something special about being able to get your opponent out of there in terms of entertainment value. Ward can still be entertaining without doing it, but he would more entertaining if he could add it. Right?

It is not just in the ring, pre and post fight in his interviews Ward just comes across as dull and unexcited about anything himself. it is difficult to motivate the public to get behind you when you portray yourself as being prayed for by saints, and so easily offended etc. If he smiled now and again and showed a bit of passion, more non boxing fans will get interested. He has a great skill set but seems to lack that finishing instinct. He may not be the biggest puncher but there are ways of stopping people early with pressure in more concentrated bursts, and he needs to add that to his armoury to get more neutral punters on board. Ward seems so afraid of be labelled negatively that his SOG persona has seriously taken any excitement out of his marketability. On the one hand his promoter says "behold his Viciousness" and then Andre says "oh i couldn't call myself the destroyer or anything" the public is confused.