HBO's packaging of Andre Ward is DISGRACEFUL!!!

[Beanflicker]

That's the sad thing about these networks and boxing promoters: they're lazy. If something is a tough sell, they don't seem to want to make the effort. They'd rather jump on what they deem to be "sure things". They don't seem to have any idea how to build stars. If a guy is a natural personality and can draw heat himself, they can jump on and accentuate it. But a soft spoken technical fighter they have no clue what to do with.

Bob Arum did the same thing with Mayweather. He was aggressive in trying to get Mayweather big fights, but he didn't see Mayweather as a draw whatsoever. Mayweather leaves him and becomes the biggest draw in boxing history.

[Vendettos]

That's the sad thing about these networks and boxing promoters: they're lazy. If something is a tough sell, they don't seem to want to make the effort. They'd rather jump on what they deem to be "sure things". They don't seem to have any idea how to build stars. If a guy is a natural personality and can draw heat himself, they can jump on and accentuate it. But a soft spoken technical fighter they have no clue what to do with.

Bob Arum did the same thing with Mayweather. He was aggressive in trying to get Mayweather big fights, but he didn't see Mayweather as a draw whatsoever. Mayweather leaves him and becomes the biggest draw in boxing history.

It is fair if you ask me.

Ward is a bore, a horrible fighter to watch and no one enjoys his fights that much.

He's a benchmark, fighters like Amir Khan and TysonFury go out to have a fight because they want to excite fans, when I'd bet Khan would have beaten Garcia (because he was comfortably and clearly ahead), and Fury wouldn't have been dropped the few times he was if they had fought in the style Ward does, but they have good to watch tear ups because nobody, especially a fighter wants to be known as unexciting.

They don't want to market him because people like me don't wanna watch him. I have no interest in watching a free Andre Ward fight let alone paying for one.

He needs to step out and tear it up for a fight and maybe earn the kind of backing he wants.

[Ant Live]

It's clear you like fighting and not "boxing". And it's nothing wrong with that. But to say Ward fights is boring, I have to question that. His last 7 to 9 fights, he been dismantling people to a point where other fighters is not considering him as an opponent. And his weight division is stacked! And it's not like he's KOing people. He's skillfully destroying people. A great watch for me.

And that's my OPINION

[erics44]

It's clear you like fighting and not "boxing". And it's nothing wrong with that. But to say Ward fights is boring, I have to question that. His last 7 to 9 fights, he been dismantling people to a point where other fighters is not considering him as an opponent. And his weight division is stacked! And it's not like he's KOing people. He's skillfully destroying people. A great watch for me.

And that's my OPINION

i wouldnt call wards style boxing, hes mastered the art of moving in quickly, hitting and smothering in one movement, and he does little on the inside

i like fighting, i like boxing, i especially like a fighter who can and is willing to do both

i dont like wards style at all and it doesnt suprise me he doesnt sell tickets

[Fenster]

Don't feel too sorry for him. HBO gave him $1.9 million for fighting Rodriguez. The viewing figures didn't even make the top 10 most watched fights at the end of the year. That's some seriously good wedge for a guy with no fans.

[Ant Live]

Don't feel too sorry for him. HBO gave him $1.9 million for fighting Rodriguez. The viewing figures didn't even make the top 10 most watched fights at the end of the year. That's some seriously good wedge for a guy with no fans.

I'll take 2 million a fight without complaining if need be for the rest of my career, until the 10 million fight come around. But who would be his opponent? Even if he moves up or down in weight, he still probably won't get that.
1. GGG
2. Stevenson
3. B-HOP
4. Kovalev

Even if floyd took him up on his offer an meet him at 160, Ward would probably only get somewhere upwards 8 to 10. Saying that, keep winning and make 2 per fight. Better then losing and making 500K

[Rantcatrat]

Don't feel too sorry for him. HBO gave him $1.9 million for fighting Rodriguez. The viewing figures didn't even make the top 10 most watched fights at the end of the year. That's some seriously good wedge for a guy with no fans.

I'll take 2 million a fight without complaining if need be for the rest of my career, until the 10 million fight come around. But who would be his opponent? Even if he moves up or down in weight, he still probably won't get that.
1. GGG
2. Stevenson
3. B-HOP
4. Kovalev

Even if floyd took him up on his offer an meet him at 160, Ward would probably only get somewhere upwards 8 to 10. Saying that, keep winning and make 2 per fight. Better then losing and making 500K

If he got paid $2MM to face Rodriguez, I bet he makes more against the light heavyweights.

[Rantcatrat]

Don't feel too sorry for him. HBO gave him $1.9 million for fighting Rodriguez. The viewing figures didn't even make the top 10 most watched fights at the end of the year. That's some seriously good wedge for a guy with no fans.

I agree. It's Berto money.

I'd like to see him step up to Stevenson, Kovalev, Hopkins or Pascal, while he waits for GGG to leave 160. Dismantling that string of guys would do a lot for his marketability.

[FinitoElDinamita]

If I was a promoter, I wouldnt let ward anywhere near my office..

He's very boring and has no personality either.. this is business and he is not marketable..

[bradlee180]

Sports are entertainment that the people pay their hard-earned money for, so maybe ward should try focusing on being more entertaining and exciting in his sporting events instead of focusing solely on winning in the shittiest, dirtiest, borefests in world-class Boxing today. The only guy that managed to become a Draw despite wall-to-wall borefests is mayweather, and that's only because he started getting arrested for woman-beating and he started spewing loads and loads of pure bull$#!t that the press ate up.

[porkypara]

Am I the only one who likes watching Ward fight?

[IamInuit]

Don't feel too sorry for him. HBO gave him $1.9 million for fighting Rodriguez. The viewing figures didn't even make the top 10 most watched fights at the end of the year. That's some seriously good wedge for a guy with no fans.

Good point. Last two were anorexic light hevs to boot. All his fights at home etc etc. The Goossen feud is getting a little long winded also. Pay him the ten million like Floyd did Arum and move on. There is nothing left at 168 really. What are you waiting for?

[IamInuit]

Its bad enough that fighters have one slave owner but two. These pseudo omnipotent broadcasters and especially HBO are deciding who fights each other. Sadly they want to go back to wearing togas and throwing bread around.

[IamInuit]

Ps- Ward needs to shit or get off the pot.

[walrus]

I like Ward but a lot of his style does at times make him a bit boring.