Been hearing and reading this lately from a few different sources, felt the need to state my opinion:
Floyd Mayweather has fought and moved up from 130lbs, 135lbs, 140lbs, 147lbs and the
highest weight he has fought at is 154lbs. If Ward is so much “better” than Mayweather then why is he so reluctant to move up just ONE weight class to take on either Adonis Stevenson (Light Heavyweight Champ) or Sergey Kovalev? Why cant this #2 pound for pound beast jump up 7 lbs as (Floyd has done many times)and fight and beat these top level fighters? These are the most exciting fights which can be made for him right now. Stevenson has called him out specifically and Kovalev would fight him with no hesitation. Mayweather haters are simply using Ward as a proxy to attack Floyd. This is ridiculous, and Ward would tell you this himself.
As opposed to what? easy fights they know they can win? This is a sport genius not a fanclub. I want the best to fight each other and the best to win. You have a problem with this?
"Ooo, I didn't understand the words I read and have to give an Internet stranger "bad reputation" and call him names. OOoooooo."
lol My lord. You need to reread my comment or review 168's last five years. Because the best at that weight class did fight each other. And the best did clearly win. That is the sport. And that did happen. If you have a problem with who the best is or that weight classes exist and need to see him move up in weight until he loses, then I have to tell you it's a sport, not a hateclub or a fanclub. I would give you some "bad reputation" in return but I'd rather not get invested in dumb sh*t like that. I mean look what it's done to you.
The reason it happens is because of what he's done. He cleaned out his weight class. He dominated the division and theres no one in it or at 160 who looks to pose any threat, at this point he's just hanging around. He has so much talent and should be able to clean out 175 too...that's why basically. He can hang around and dominate but....whats left is the dirt under the fridge after he's already cleaned most of the house.
He can do what he wants, but the main reason is he's established by a LONG shot that he's the best 168 lber there is, it's hard to name anyone at 160-168 who can beat him or even make it interesting.
It's always natural to be curious about a dominant guy moving up if he can but people genuinely act like Ward is obligated to not own the throne he earned. And I don't believe guys like Groves and Stieglitz and Periban and Jack and Oos and DeGale are dirt. Frankly I think they could do another six man tournament with those guys and it would twist people around completely on the deadness of the division and the worthiness of dominating it.
It's not a bunch of dirt leftovers. There's talent in it. It's just that the hope for someone to push Ward isn't there. I don't have a problem with people being curious about him moving up but it's the constant discrediting of his division mixed with the pretense that he needs to leave his house and try and go build a new one that burns my azz. It may not fit you in particular, BUT it does seem to be way more popular among guys with a negative butthurt opinion about Ward than guys who just want to see him challenge himself because they think he'll gain from it. Like an overwhelming majority of the posters who go on about Ward moving up are detractors from what I've seen. That's why I get ranty about it. I know some like you too and just believe in him moving up for him too. Which is cool.
Ward has been taking on all comers in his weight class though. And all it's invited is people frothing at the mouth for him to move up because all of a sudden on this guy dominating your division is not good enough. Why isn't it good enough? Because there's not enough chance of him losing when all things are equal. Mayweather took the best on for years. If people have a problem with him taking an easy fight with a money name on the back of his unification bout with an undefeated guy that a lot of people practically demanded until it was signed (when it became not good enough by way of magic) then that's their problem. He already slayed the dragon numerous times. I'm sorry they haven't lost. I know it hurts. But you have to fight through the pain.
The reason it happens is because of what he's done. He cleaned out his weight class. He dominated the division and theres no one in it or at 160 who looks to pose any threat, at this point he's just hanging around. He has so much talent and should be able to clean out 175 too...that's why basically. He can hang around and dominate but....whats left is the dirt under the fridge after he's already cleaned most of the house.
He can do what he wants, but the main reason is he's established by a LONG shot that he's the best 168 lber there is, it's hard to name anyone at 160-168 who can beat him or even make it interesting.
Why don't people respect a dominant one weight champ? You want it, come get it otherwise keep the name out your mouth. It's that simple. Ward is beating some fine fighters, no issues with him. If he moves up, great...if he doesn't...whatever.
I agree Ward should move up. So let's get that out of the way. And he's not better than Floyd so there is no argument for him being #1 at the moment.
But in all fairness, Floyd didn't CLEAN those divisions out which is what Ward has done at 168. His run at 140 was basically nothing.
Which is a shame in my opinion, he looked fierce at that weight, and could have carved out a HOF worthy resume for the division. Unfortunately he was after that De La Hoya money ( which I cannot blame him for).
Anyway Ward is a strange case. After the super 6 tournament many eyes were on him, but he failed to capitalise on that. Since he has either been inactive or fighting substandard fighters.
Ward's resume at 168 is way better than Mayweather's entire resume. Ward has barely fought people out of their prime, cant say the same for Floyd.
:haha: :haha:
Wards resume isn't even better than Mayweathers 130 resume.
There was a thread on this the other week.
Team Ward wanted a double header in Oakland before making the bout in September, whereas Team Bute wanted home and away bouts. Froch was willing to do the home and away bouts so that fight was signed.
Yet Ward said numerous times "Bute needs to prove himself" and all this rubbish.
Ward wouldn't fight him so Froch did it's as simple as that.
Yeah, because Ward wouldn't.
There was a thread on this the other week.
Team Ward wanted a double header in Oakland before making the bout in September, whereas Team Bute wanted home and away bouts. Froch was willing to do the home and away bouts so that fight was signed.
Andre Ward has never fought Bute who was IBF champ;saying Ward cleaned out 168 is like saying Bradley cleaned out 140 even fought he never fought Khan.And Bradley beat peterson who beat Khan.So don`t give me Bute lost so Ward didn`t have to fight him argument.
There wasn't much of a window to fight Bute. As soon as the Super 6 was over Bute fought Froch.
I agree Ward should move up. So let's get that out of the way. And he's not better than Floyd so there is no argument for him being #1 at the moment.
But in all fairness, Floyd didn't CLEAN those divisions out which is what Ward has done at 168. His run at 140 was basically nothing.
Andre Ward has never fought Bute who was IBF champ;saying Ward cleaned out 168 is like saying Bradley cleaned out 140 even fought he never fought Khan.And Bradley beat peterson who beat Khan.So don`t give me Bute lost so Ward didn`t have to fight him argument.
Ward is the best and most complete fighter in boxing imo.
Can he jump up and beat Stevenson/Kovalev? Who knows, but he doesn't have to if he feels 168 is his best weight.
Anybody who says the Dawson fight was "crap" is an idiot...so yeah case closed indeed. 20 20 hindsight is a wonderful thing aint it? Dawson came into that fight considered by many the finest fighter in the world. Because Ward made it look easy suddenly the win is crap? You can watch Ward methodically set Dawson up...no weight issue involved. So you could be bert Sugar's adapted son, or a boxing fan for 50 years, but to make a statement like that shows pure igorance.
Ward himself just shat on Pacs Dlh win for weight reasons. Pac was an underdog unlike Ward who ended up 4/1 fav over Dawson. Both guys were drained no doubt
Dude, what's even your argument? I fail to see how I'm backtracking when I'm saying the same things, I still stand firm saying he's overrated, but that doesn't mean I don't think he's a very good fighter or that he doesn't have good wins. The Chad Dawson win is crap, I don't care what anybody says. Also, stop grouping the Carl Froch and Chad Dawson victories together, I've already stated my opinion on both as they're completely different scenarios. I call him "overrated" in the sense that he hasn't done much since 2011, and it's really hard to argue that.
lol I'm not convincing? Haven't you only been watching boxing for about a year or two after being a hardcore MMA fan? Case closed.
Anybody who says the Dawson fight was "crap" is an idiot...so yeah case closed indeed. 20 20 hindsight is a wonderful thing aint it? Dawson came into that fight considered by many the finest fighter in the world. Because Ward made it look easy suddenly the win is crap? You can watch Ward methodically set Dawson up...no weight issue involved. So you could be bert Sugar's adapted son, or a boxing fan for 50 years, but to make a statement like that shows pure igorance.
Don't backtrack. You called him overrated then listed his victories. Just because Froch and Dawson have declined doesn't take away who they were when Ward fought them. That cheap weight drained argument was dismissed by Chad anyways. You don't like Ward, I get it. Your arguments just aren't convincing.
I agree. There seems to be a flavor of the month and this month it is haterade a la ward. As a matter of fact this site seems to have a distict anti-Ward Bias.
First off you made the point, correctly that Ward has shown no weakness.
I would add that what people consider dirty is in fact fighting inside...every fighter that fights inside gets called dirty now-a-days....Hopkins went through the same BS. Its boxing not Curling! Even guys like Froch who are tough fighters seem unequipt to handle Ward on the inside.
Ward exposed Dawson...end of story. Professional fighters like construction workers read blueprints! Ward laid the print down on Dawson. Barry Robinson did a decent analysis of this fight. Ward was very patient and methodical in setting up his shots. It was deliberate and had nothing to do with weight drain.
The way the judges are these days I don't blame Ward for being careful about fighting in Europe. Losing the goose egg might be part of taking risks but who wants to lose it to a horrendous decision?
People who think Ward is just physical are frankly...idiots. Watch Ward carefully and one can see method to his game. He does not use muscle he uses leverage and timing. he fights at a different range than Floyd.
Is Floyd better? yes. But Ward has some time to go, he may become incredible, or he may go up to 175 and get exposed. I don't think so, but it could happen.
The knock on Ward that he does not fight enough is fair enough.
Don't backtrack. You called him overrated then listed his victories. Just because Froch and Dawson have declined doesn't take away who they were when Ward fought them. That cheap weight drained argument was dismissed by Chad anyways. You don't like Ward, I get it. Your arguments just aren't convincing.
Dude, what's even your argument? I fail to see how I'm backtracking when I'm saying the same things, I still stand firm saying he's overrated, but that doesn't mean I don't think he's a very good fighter or that he doesn't have good wins. The Chad Dawson win is crap, I don't care what anybody says. Also, stop grouping the Carl Froch and Chad Dawson victories together, I've already stated my opinion on both as they're completely different scenarios. I call him "overrated" in the sense that he hasn't done much since 2011, and it's really hard to argue that.
lol I'm not convincing? Haven't you only been watching boxing for about a year or two after being a hardcore MMA fan? Case closed.
Can you read properly? Where did I criticize his victory over Froch? I clearly stated in my other post it's a very good win and easily the highlight of his resume.
Chad Dawson wasn't necessarily a "top guy" at the time anymore and looked like crap at 168 due to being weight drained. Yes, Ward didn't force him to do that and he took the best possible fight against a "name" fighter at the moment, but we shouldn't pretend that win is better than it actually is. Especially given the fact that Stevenson obliterated Dawson in one round at his actual weight class.
Don't backtrack. You called him overrated then listed his victories. Just because Froch and Dawson have declined doesn't take away who they were when Ward fought them. That cheap weight drained argument was dismissed by Chad anyways. You don't like Ward, I get it. Your arguments just aren't convincing.
You're criticizing him for beating top guys like Froch and Dawson? Sure, he had an injury and a stall in his career but I've never seen a fighter get so criticized without having shown any actual weakness.
Can you read properly? Where did I criticize his victory over Froch? I clearly stated in my other post it's a very good win and easily the highlight of his resume.
Chad Dawson wasn't necessarily a "top guy" at the time anymore and looked like crap at 168 due to being weight drained. Yes, Ward didn't force him to do that and he took the best possible fight against a "name" fighter at the moment, but we shouldn't pretend that win is better than it actually is. Especially given the fact that Stevenson obliterated Dawson in one round at his actual weight class.
Andre Ward is highly overrated IMO.
He hasn't had a good victory since 2011 against Carl Froch. Beating a shot and weight-drained Dawson and a nobody in Rodriguez shouldn't be held is such high regards. The guy is obviously stalling his obvious move up to 175 for whatever reason and instead seems hellbent on calling out MW's (Martinez, GGG, Chavez).
You're criticizing him for beating top guys like Froch and Dawson? Sure, he had an injury and a stall in his career but I've never seen a fighter get so criticized without having shown any actual weakness.