Comments Thread For: Press Tour Over, Ward Reflects on Froch and October 29

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Thomas Gerbasi - There were probably a thousand and one things Andre Ward would have rather been doing on the day after an extensive three day media tour that took him to England, New York, and finally back home to Oakland, California. But on Thursday morning, the WBA super middleweight champion was back on the phone, back at work, and back to talking about one of the biggest fights of his career and of 2011 – his October 29th showdown with WBC champ Carl Froch.

“It was pretty exhausting,” Ward told BoxingScene. “I was already in Chicago for the Friday Night Fights telecast I was a part of (in Indiana). I was away from home for three days prior to the trip and it was just unbelievable to be able to go to the UK and turn around in one day. It’s something I’ll probably never do again…in life. (Laughs) That day right there was 14 total hours of flying, and the next day we were in New York, and we finished last night in Oakland. So it was just a whirlwind, but I embrace that it’s part of the game and it’s part of big fights. That’s what you gotta do, so all in all I embraced it and had a good time.” [Click Here To Read More]

[SAJ10]

Like I said on an earlier thread.

Can you honestly expect Froch to say - well done Ward you dominated Kessler and I lost to him.

I struggled with an very inexperienced Dirrell at home.

Of course not - he's going to blame the headbutts for the Kessler win and say he's coped with Dirrell with ease.

How you cope with ease to a S/D at home, in a fight many people thought he lost I have no idea. I really can't believe he expects to make such comments and people to not go - hang on, I saw that fight, wtf is he talking about.

But there you go...

I understand Froch using his superior power to Ward's as an advantage to get the W. But, like I said before - Froch credits Kessler with being a hard puncher yet he didn't hurt or rattle Ward, sure Ward didn't offer uo his chin that many times but he got tagged and was bothered at all.

AA the same caught Ward with some good shots and he stood up to it and fired back. Ward isn't just going to stand there and give yiu free shots but I think this thing about if he gets caught on the chin he's going, I don't agree with.

He's taken good shots from Kessler, Green and arguably the biggest puncher of them all in AA and was still there at the final bell.

And the thing about Ward's punching power - I think it's safe to say Froch hits harder out of the two, but, if Ward's power is so insignificant then why didn't Kessler and AA just walk through his feather duster punches?

It's one of the most widely accepted facts in boxing, that if a guy can't punch enough to make you think twice then you'll just walk through it and get your own off.

Ward won't knock Froch out with one shot but he clealry punches hard enough to earn anybody's respect.

Otherwise Kessler - who beat Froch would have walked through Ward.

[Kesslerfan#1]

Such a dissapointing tourney...fancy stretching it out over two years??!!
I know big fights are hard to make but geez its not pac vs mayweather.
Hope Froch and Ward have a great fight and bring some respect into whats otherwise been a dissapointing tournament IMO.

[LeadUppercut]

Originally Posted by Kesslerfan#1

Such a dissapointing tourney...fancy stretching it out over two years??!!
I know big fights are hard to make but geez its not pac vs mayweather.
Hope Froch and Ward have a great fight and bring some respect into whats otherwise been a dissapointing tournament IMO.

The only way to shorten the tourney would be to have a Super-4, which would not be as definitive. I kind of agree though, 2 years is too long to tie up these guys, but a 4-way tourney will only work if the top 4 fighters are included.

For example.....

At BW, the tourney winner will not be the best in the division.

At SMW, he will be.

[ShoulderRoll]

The idea of the tournament is good, they should just have it be single elimination instead of round robin.

2 years is too long.

[LeadUppercut]

Originally Posted by ShoulderRoll

The idea of the tournament is good, they should just have it be single elimination instead of round robin.

2 years is too long.

Good idea, but that is brutal man, no second crack, go hard, or go home.

Would the top 6 guys in a particular division, all be keen on that idea ?

That is one hell of a tough competition.

I can imagine say, numbers 6-15 being real keen for that opportunity, but I am not sure if numbers 1-5 would be champing at the bit?

Good point though, it was the round robin aspect that extended the tourney.

You could include the top 8, it would make some great fights, the winner would need to win three straight, so the comp would take about a year.

Hard to put together though.

[bonefide]

I'm not sure what ur talking about, buddy, but the super 6 was fantastic. All those great fighters getting great exposure plus fighting other great fighters back to back for 2 years?
look at Bute, all he fights are tomato cans and bums. I have a feeling thats what would've been going on with most of these fighters without the super 6. So BIG THUMBS UP TO SHOWTIME & ALL THE FIGHTERS FOR GETTING INVOLVED WITH THIS!!! Hope we keep getting great fights, all throughout boxings also.

[mshap]

who was Bute supposed to be fighting these past 2 years, since the so-called super 6 were not available? - agree that the 'points' system for this tourney was a bad idea -- should have been 1 loss and you're out -- kept a guy like Abraham, who was basically discredited early on, having good money fights which he didn't deserve -- fights that were shoved down our throats

[LeadUppercut]

Originally Posted by bonefide

I'm not sure what ur talking about, buddy, but the super 6 was fantastic. All those great fighters getting great exposure plus fighting other great fighters back to back for 2 years?
look at Bute, all he fights are tomato cans and bums. I have a feeling thats what would've been going on with most of these fighters without the super 6. So BIG THUMBS UP TO SHOWTIME & ALL THE FIGHTERS FOR GETTING INVOLVED WITH THIS!!! Hope we keep getting great fights, all throughout boxings also.

Agreed, it was a resounding success, despite the controversies surrounding Taylor/Kessler/Abraham/Dirrell/etc.

The best fighting the best, some great fights, and clarification.

Who could ask for more ?

I dont really mind how long it took to finish either, but I can understand that some of the (top) guys in any particular division may not want to be tied up contractually for 2+ years.

Tournaments like this should happen in every division, but if the comp is too difficult to make contractually, and it does not involve the top guys, then it will not have the same luster.

[youngswish23]

Yeah super six was great idea. It had the top Smw in world, mostly champions fight each other back to back like that. Big credit to all the fighters that fought in the tournament.