In a fair fight with an honest referee Golovkin would KO Andre Ward

[beenKOed]

If the fight were in Oakland with a crooked home referee who would permit Andre Ward to use illegal tactics (hit while holding, use deliberate head butts, hit off the break and repeatedly clamp GGG's arm) I think Ward would win a decision, perhaps a TD after a cut from deliberate head butt.

But in a fair fight with an HONEST referee preventing Ward from fouling, matching SKILL against SKILL, I think Gennady Golovkin would knock out the bigger man Andre Ward.

In Oakland, Ward would probably get the benefit of the doubt just as Floyd would in Vegas.
Holding and hitting happens in every fight. Being held while you are hitting happens in every fight too, actually that is what is usually going on.
Get in the ring with someone for a few rounds, when they have you on the ropes or are in close and hurting you to the body or head in the middle of the ring, please don't grab them. Lol.
It's instinctive, sir! Not holding goes against everything you brain is telling you. Holding is part of boxing and happens repeatedly in most fights. When there's no holding you have Gatti vs Ward or Alvarado vs Rios.
I agree with you, excessive holding, hitting on the break, or letting (wink, wink) someone run into you head, or following your head on the way inside piss me off too.
When someone is pounding you, it's very hard to not hold, that's why everyone is so good good at it, no training is necessary.
Ward is hard to hit, and if you do hit him how is his chin? I don't know if he's ever been down as a pro or as an amateur.