Quote Originally Posted by Freedom View Post
1) There can be no PED testing (no OST, no VADA)

- Kessler, Abraham and Rodriguez all wanted PED testing, Ward said "NO" during negotiations for Abraham and Kessler fights.

2) Fight must be at 168

- Regardless of whether you're a light heavyweight, super middleweight or middleweight. Dawson asked for 170, Ward insisted on 168.

3) Fight must be in in California

- Ward has never fought a contender outside of the USA and only once as a pro fought a live opponent outside California.

4) Referee must be from California

- maybe in certain cases a shady foreign referee or a nationalistic American referee like Steve Smoger would let Ward foul (hit while holding, hit off the break and deliberately head butt) but Andre Ward feels more secure with a California Boxing Commission referee
i agree that ward has been kind of a diva with certain things but in his defense, he has fought a lot of good fighters which is more important to me than everything else. its sad that great fighters fighting the best is the exception rather than the rule. anyways, i will give you reasons why all of those reasons dont matter too much.

1. i think that he should just give in to the PED testing but in his defense, unless boxing creates a harder standard of testing then he doesnt have to oblige. im sure that it is annoying having to always be waiting to be tested at any time.

2. i dont mind him staying at 168. dawson called him out and said that he could easily make 168 so ward accepted. until he moves up in weight, he has no reason to have to fight anyone at a higher weight. the better fighter (which is ward) will always have the bargaining power.

3. i like it when people fight in their hometowns because it fills seats. its better than if he fought somewhere else and the stadium was empty. and again, since he is the champion and the man to beat, he has the bargaining power and can make the fight in california.

4. i might care more about the refs being from california if they actually had an impact in the fight.

it all comes down to ward just dominating all of his opponents. if fights were close and the ref was helping ward or the judges were unfairly giving the fight to ward then i would agree, but he has shown me that none of these things really matter because he would have dominated either way.