Andre Ward

[Primo Carnera]

This guy is clearly up there with the best on the planet, but how inactive can a fighter be before they become irrelevant? I saw him in an interview say he's got some legal issues to sort out, but he said that wouldn't delay his next fight.
The crazy thing is that they're aren't even rumours about who he's fighting next, there's nothing. I reckon it's just a total waste of a career.

[Ron Swanson]

That's why I really wanted GGG to step up to him but "we're focused on 160" right until the moment Bum Jr offered that payday then "we're focused on 160" was proven to be complete BS. Can't blame a guy for looking to get paid but it would be nice if fans would acknowledge that "we're focused on 160" was a load of sh#*.

This is where the business of boxing sucks. Andre doesn't bring money so nobody wants to take a loss and smaller future earnings for the same amount they can get against an opponent they will beat increasing future earnings. Andre is too good for his own good.

[mrbig1]

This guy is clearly up there with the best on the planet, but how inactive can a fighter be before they become irrelevant? I saw him in an interview say he's got some legal issues to sort out, but he said that wouldn't delay his next fight.
The crazy thing is that they're aren't even rumours about who he's fighting next, there's nothing. I reckon it's just a total waste of a career.

You are wise my friend. He won the super six and beat everyone they put in front of him. He is clearly the best SM in the world by far. What good is that if he's not fighting. He may have to be striped of his title if he doesn't fight soon.

[erics44]

if andre ward never fights again it wont make any difference to me

yawn

[Maravilla2012]

No one gives a fuck about Ward.

[zhubin]

Stylistically/skill set wise he is a nightmare for anyone...yet he doesn't have the personality to overcome his particular style of fighting and sell tickets. Along with Rigo...the ultimate high risk/low reward fighter. I don't see GGG fighting him...i think size is just too big an issue with that fight. A Ward vs. Kovalev fight could be intriguing...just not sure if Ward would move up (with his options being so limited, don't think he will have a choice but to move up in weight).

[Primo Carnera]

if andre ward never fights again it wont make any difference to me

yawn

This is one of the things that I can't get my head round. Everyone is entitled to an opinion , but in my book I reckon he's great because he's so skilful. It's happened loads of times before where fighters only get the true recognition they deserve when it's too late. I reckon with him it's more about his stubbornness where he feels he's getting shafted , but if played the long game, fought more regularly, beat a few more guys and got his rep up there, then the money would come flooding in.

[Kirkland Laing]

The last thing I read he was talking about retiring. I think it's just a job to him.

[FinitoElDinamita]

He is on the Rigo boat.. too good and too boring for his own good.

Borrrrrrrrring.. Rigo is more exciting though..

[Master]

Ward is a quality fighter probably trying to get rid of Goosen.

[ykdadamaja]

He should just fight... anyone.... just get on TV again. Go back to your roots.

[IamInuit]

Ward is a quality fighter probably trying to get rid of Goosen.

That is exactly what he is doing. And he is framing his arguments in the very same way that both Floyd and Oscar used to get out of their contracts with Arum. Trouble for Andre is, I'm not sure that a change of promoters will do anything.This is an era of instant gratification unless you happen to be that guy from Vegas and both boxing networks on this continent seem to be playing to that crowd. Pugilism be damned the great masses only have an attention span for about 4 rounds.

His rather large sense of entitlement isn't doing him any favours either. He must have taken the accelerated course outline at Winky Wright university. He's been feeding off that S6 tournament like Felix Strum fed on the Oscar fight. His entire career thus far has been the enabler from venue, to judges, to refs and even weight. How he managed to get home field advantage being one of the newcomers for that tourney still boggles my mind. And he's firing Goossen? I'm amazed that Andre can get through his front door with the head that he has on him.

He wont go to fight Carl in England for the most money he's ever made and then shit on him for fighting Groves. He then says he might fight Groves after the first go. He yacks again at Carl considering a Chavez fight and then talks about a Chavez fight himself. He claims he could not make 160 for 3g but also claimed he could make it for Floyd. 3g offers him a catch and a 50/50 split and he says no and that it must be 168. He's by far the most talented guy in his division and one of the most talented in boxing so I wonder why he always seems to need the deck stacked. Now he's blaming the man that brought the cards to play.

Andre Wards biggest problem is Andre Ward.

[jehoshaphat]

Ward is a quality fighter probably trying to get rid of Goosen.

That is exactly what he is doing. And he is framing his arguments in the very same way that both Floyd and Oscar used to get out of their contracts with Arum. Trouble for Andre is, I'm not sure that a change of promoters will do anything.This is an era of instant gratification unless you happen to be that guy from Vegas and both boxing networks on this continent seem to be playing to that crowd. Pugilism be damned the great masses only have an attention span for about 4 rounds.

His rather large sense of entitlement isn't doing him any favours either. He must have taken the accelerated course outline at Winky Wright university. He's been feeding off that S6 tournament like Felix Strum fed on the Oscar fight. His entire career thus far has been the enabler from venue, to judges, to refs and even weight. How he managed to get home field advantage being one of the newcomers for that tourney still boggles my mind. And he's firing Goossen? I'm amazed that Andre can get through his front door with the head that he has on him.

He wont go to fight Carl in England for the most money he's ever made and then shit on him for fighting Groves. He then says he might fight Groves after the first go. He yacks again at Carl considering a Chavez fight and then talks about a Chavez fight himself. He claims he could not make 160 for 3g but also claimed he could make it for Floyd. 3g offers him a catch and a 50/50 split and he says no and that it must be 168. He's by far the most talented guy in his division and one of the most talented in boxing so I wonder why he always seems to need the deck stacked. Now he's blaming the man that brought the cards to play.

Andre Wards biggest problem is Andre Ward.

Do you have a link where Golovkin's team offered Ward anything? I've seen many interviews where Golovkin's team said they were focused on middleweight, not ready for the Ward fight yet, Ward has to concede, etc. And I'm sure you're aware that everybody would concede to making a weight for Floyd. Golovkin said they would go down to 154 for Floyd but turned down Lara at 154 because they are committed to 160. BHop said he would go down to freaking 160 for Floyd, Canelo went to 152, Marquez instantly went from lightweight to 144 for Floyd, Khan passed on Alexander and is moving up to chase Floyd, etc etc etc. Everybody is going to make an exception for the lottery ticket even if they find out they are weight drained it is still worth the attempt. I'm not trying to come at you wrong but I feel Golovkin is really getting a pass after his team fooled everybody into thinking he was this boogeyman and everybody from 154 to 175 was scared. Both Lara and Ward called GGG's team on it and they turned both down saying they want to try to clear out 160 first. Now they are immediately going to 168 for what looks like an easy payday of a punching bag in Jr. At the very least they outright lied. What is your take on that? I think he is the real deal still but he is not the boogeyman they marketed him as. But anyway, back to the thread's specific point. I think Ward is saying one thing as a certain portrayal but really trying to ride out of his deal. He is adamant about getting out so I think he is not going to push to make much more money for Goosen. They have more court ahead as well. But his deal with Super 6 getting those home bouts I saw an interview back then where Ward said he would be willing to take short money and fight whoever(why he got stuck with the #1 Kessler to start) if he got the home bout. And I also saw an article where Jermain Taylor basically wanted the biggest money but he would fight whoever and on their turf.

[ruthless rocco]

Dude fought 4 months ago... What's the problem you sucky whiny boxing fans?

[IamInuit]

Ward is a quality fighter probably trying to get rid of Goosen.

That is exactly what he is doing. And he is framing his arguments in the very same way that both Floyd and Oscar used to get out of their contracts with Arum. Trouble for Andre is, I'm not sure that a change of promoters will do anything.This is an era of instant gratification unless you happen to be that guy from Vegas and both boxing networks on this continent seem to be playing to that crowd. Pugilism be damned the great masses only have an attention span for about 4 rounds.

His rather large sense of entitlement isn't doing him any favours either. He must have taken the accelerated course outline at Winky Wright university. He's been feeding off that S6 tournament like Felix Strum fed on the Oscar fight. His entire career thus far has been the enabler from venue, to judges, to refs and even weight. How he managed to get home field advantage being one of the newcomers for that tourney still boggles my mind. And he's firing Goossen? I'm amazed that Andre can get through his front door with the head that he has on him.

He wont go to fight Carl in England for the most money he's ever made and then shit on him for fighting Groves. He then says he might fight Groves after the first go. He yacks again at Carl considering a Chavez fight and then talks about a Chavez fight himself. He claims he could not make 160 for 3g but also claimed he could make it for Floyd. 3g offers him a catch and a 50/50 split and he says no and that it must be 168. He's by far the most talented guy in his division and one of the most talented in boxing so I wonder why he always seems to need the deck stacked. Now he's blaming the man that brought the cards to play.

Andre Wards biggest problem is Andre Ward.

Do you have a link where Golovkin's team offered Ward anything? I've seen many interviews where Golovkin's team said they were focused on middleweight, not ready for the Ward fight yet, Ward has to concede, etc. And I'm sure you're aware that everybody would concede to making a weight for Floyd. Golovkin said they would go down to 154 for Floyd but turned down Lara at 154 because they are committed to 160. BHop said he would go down to freaking 160 for Floyd, Canelo went to 152, Marquez instantly went from lightweight to 144 for Floyd, Khan passed on Alexander and is moving up to chase Floyd, etc etc etc. Everybody is going to make an exception for the lottery ticket even if they find out they are weight drained it is still worth the attempt. I'm not trying to come at you wrong but I feel Golovkin is really getting a pass after his team fooled everybody into thinking he was this boogeyman and everybody from 154 to 175 was scared. Both Lara and Ward called GGG's team on it and they turned both down saying they want to try to clear out 160 first. Now they are immediately going to 168 for what looks like an easy payday of a punching bag in Jr. At the very least they outright lied. What is your take on that? I think he is the real deal still but he is not the boogeyman they marketed him as. But anyway, back to the thread's specific point. I think Ward is saying one thing as a certain portrayal but really trying to ride out of his deal. He is adamant about getting out so I think he is not going to push to make much more money for Goosen. They have more court ahead as well. But his deal with Super 6 getting those home bouts I saw an interview back then where Ward said he would be willing to take short money and fight whoever(why he got stuck with the #1 Kessler to start) if he got the home bout. And I also saw an article where Jermain Taylor basically wanted the biggest money but he would fight whoever and on their turf.

Good stuff.


I'll try to find some links I came across but point taken. Fighters say all kinds of things and do the other but Ward to me has dropped the ball on his career and I do think that he believes he's the next coming of Floyd and cant understand why the red carpet is still not laid out. He may have a "SOG" complex.The thing is my friend is that he has not really done much since the S6 to deserve the acclamation he thinks he should have. The Dawson circus kind of did for me tbh and then almost immediately afterward he spoke of possibly going to 175. I know Dawson offered but still. Again he's a great fighter but he's wasting away and his ego almost casts a scent through my monitor. I believe he's been pampered and wants it to continue and that Goossen probably told him it cant be done anymore and he is going to have to leave his comfort zone. A Vegas fight with Kovalev or a Quebec date with Stevenson after their mandatory fights should be what he's calling for. 168 is a ghost town. Whats he waiting for? The Goossen thing has been ongoing for over a year and he's fought.