Reality Check Time #1: Andre Ward

Earl Hickey

Andre Ward is a good fighter, he might even be very good, but he is not "great" as yet.

He has good wins, but he has faced no great Variety of styles.

Mikkel Kessler, good win, albeit in his back yard and involving several headbutts. Kessler is a good fighter, but if you can negate his jab and avoid his straight shots he is simple to de-construct.

Allen Green, another good performance, totally outworked and outhustled Green who is a big puncher, though very limited. For me it's a big minus that despite his dominance, Ward never looked like getting the notoriously fragile Green out of there.

Arthur Abraham, Arthur was too small to compete at 168lbs any-more, his confidence was also shot from the beatings he took from Dirrell and Froch. Ward did what he had to in outpointing Ward, but it's not a great win by that stage.

Carl Froch, another good win, similar to Kessler. Although i saw this as not the best performance, Froch's worst night where he started ridiculously slowly and was far too wide with his shots, still Ward got the job done.

As you can see, Ward has done pretty well against some good fighters, however he has only fought "away" from home one time, and that was still in America, he has also never fought a quick fighter, all of them have been limited in their own way.

Going into the Dawson fight we will really find out what Ward has, an I for one see it as a 50-50 fight that could go either way.

Conclusion:

Andre Ward is good, but not yet great.

gmc_rfc_06

He's a great fighter in my book, with a very good resume.

A few more big wins and he becomes a great fighter with a great resume.

M0NZ0N

He dominated the Super Six and cleaned out 168 in a time when the division is stacked.

What more does he have to do?

Earl Hickey · 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0NZ0N

He dominated the Super Six and cleaned out 168 in a time when the division is stacked.

What more does he have to do?

Beat a fighter who isn't slow and actually MOVES in the ring

He has his chance with Dawson, if he loses, to a weight drained dawson, then we will know won't we.

Styles make fights

Ward has only fought slow style fighters.

PBP

He''s fought slow, stationary fighters but the best fighters at 168 are slow and stationary so it's not really his fault. I like the Dawson matchup but would rather it be at 175.

Earl Hickey

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0NZ0N

He dominated the Super Six and cleaned out 168 in a time when the division is stacked.

What more does he have to do?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamBam13

i'm intrigued by a dirrel vs ward match up

I myself think that is a very interesing fight.

Personally I think Andre and Anthony Dirrell and even Lucian Bute and George Groves, stylistically give ward more problems than the guys he has fought

Danny Gunz

Ward is a good boxer and seems like a really nice guy.

I just hate when fighters go into fights without the intention of finishing the other guy.

Fetta

One of my top 3 P4P. With a win against Dawson hes a bonafide star.

boxingking500

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Gunz

Ward is a good boxer and seems like a really nice guy.

I just hate when fighters go into fights without the intention of finishing the other guy.

here...here..

Earl Hickey

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fetta

One of my top 3 P4P. With a win against Dawson hes a bonafide star.

How can he be Pound for Pound top 3?

he's "sort of" dominated an ok division and that's it.

Pac man
Marquez
PBF
Martinez

all of these guys have moved through weight divisions and beaten better competition than Ward.

I'd even rank the Klitschkos higher as they have faced more variety and been more dominant.

Ward is fringe top 10 for me

gmc_rfc_06 Undisputed Champion Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Glasgow Posts: 2,786 Rep Power: 11 Points: 1,005,025,788.25 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 1,005,025,788.25 Donate	He's a great fighter in my book, with a very good resume. A few more big wins and he becomes a great fighter with a great resume.

M0NZ0N Escopeta Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 482 Rep Power: 2 Points: 44.02 Bank: 8,705,849,436,462.27 Total Points: 8,705,849,436,506.29 Donate	He dominated the Super Six and cleaned out 168 in a time when the division is stacked. What more does he have to do?

PBP Undisputed Champion Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 6,341 Rep Power: 16 Points: 1,000,080,242.24 Bank: 2,140,869,288,579.43 Total Points: 2,141,869,368,821.67 Donate	He''s fought slow, stationary fighters but the best fighters at 168 are slow and stationary so it's not really his fault. I like the Dawson matchup but would rather it be at 175.

Danny Gunz Smokin' Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: iladelphia Posts: 11,375 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 50 Points: 84,815,170,812.90 Bank: 176,514,028,335.65 Total Points: 261,329,199,148.55 Donate	Ward is a good boxer and seems like a really nice guy. I just hate when fighters go into fights without the intention of finishing the other guy.

Fetta I heart Manny Pacquiao Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 4,100 Rep Power: 11 Points: 1,105,087,707.35 Bank: 1,342,302.81 Total Points: 1,106,430,010.16 Donate	One of my top 3 P4P. With a win against Dawson hes a bonafide star.