Would Joe Smith Jr. be an acceptable opponent for Ward's interim fight before Kov

The guy came out of no where and upset Fonfara....I havent seen enough of him, but he mad a splash into the division. It would be wise for Ward to get an interim fight in. He has until the end of July and Smith just had a short night. What do you guys think? Sure. Won the New York Golden Gloves (showing that he's got at least decent boxing skills), is a right handed fighter and 6' tall (matching the look to get from Kovalev), and seemingly can punch (Fonfara doesn't go down and out easy). Would Star Boxing take that fight? Not sure.

His legs were wobbly, he shelled up and threw a punch in the direction of his opponent. He wasn't even looking where he was throwing. This kid has never even fought a 12 rounded in his career. His best opponent outside of Fonfara is some 80th ranked dude on boxrec. He'll get his ass kicked by anyone in the top20, even JCC Jr. i'll rather see it than assume...sometimes all a fighter needs is a chance....ive seen some guys get better when things got tougher....Look at Badou Jack, I bet no one thought he'd be one of the top guys at 168, I know I didnt.

I hate that term "lucky punch" these guys are professional athletes...they train to land punches....so he landed by mistake? he threw the punch attempting to land it...thats not luck His legs were wobbly, he shelled up and threw a punch in the direction of his opponent. He wasn't even looking where he was throwing. This kid has never even fought a 12 rounded in his career. His best opponent outside of Fonfara is some 80th ranked dude on boxrec. He'll get his ass kicked by anyone in the top20, even JCC Jr.

Any opponent will do the trick. Whatever it takes so Ward has no excuse but to face Kovalev. But I doubt Ward will fight Kovalev in 2016.

NO need to do that now, wait for the winner of Stevenson vs Williams!

OP, why you want to ruin Joe career already , let the guy enjoy his short moment of success, it's not going to last long anyway I hear ya, just threw his name out there...who you think would be a good interim opponent

Why are people calling Smith's punch lucky? There is no lucky punch in boxing, it's called spatial awareness, you use your imagination to "guess" where their head will be. Fonfara was getting nailed with right hands in the Chavez fight, he's not hard to hit, Smith knew it and capitalized.

No. He was getting pummeled around the ring in the first 30 seconds and landed a blind, lucky punch. This kid was bad and is still bad. I hate that term "lucky punch" these guys are professional athletes...they train to land punches....so he landed by mistake? he threw the punch attempting to land it...thats not luck

ok, he gets destroyed by anyone. If you want to say he is a monster just to see Ward picking him apart, then that is you and i would call it an agenda. If Ward fights him, he is fighting nothing. I don't have no agenda son. I'm a huge fan of both. Smith proved to be a real hitta by knocking Fonfara's head off. He deserves a big fight after coming into enemy territory and winning impressively. Adonis the pimp won't fight Irish Joe. Kovalev and Ward are Warriors they'll be willing fight him. KOvalev is fighting that dude next month but Ward is free. It makes sense for Ward-Smith Jr.

He's been trained to punch and he went out there and threw a punch and it landed and then he threw a bunch more punches and they all landed. Lucks not a real thing honey child. ok, he gets destroyed by anyone. If you want to say he is a monster just to see Ward picking him apart, then that is you and i would call it an agenda. If Ward fights him, he is fighting nothing.

No. He was getting pummeled around the ring in the first 30 seconds and landed a blind, lucky punch. This kid was bad and is still bad.

Ward might not fight at all, since he wants way too much money for a tuneup fight. If he fights, it might be Skoglund from Sweden. Very unexperienced guy, never fought someone with a name and he also won't even have a proper camp to prepare for Ward.

OP, why you want to ruin Joe career already , let the guy enjoy his short moment of success, it's not going to last long anyway

Pascal would be better off name value, but he hasn't done anything in forever. So Pascal for name value in Canada, Joe Smith would do in Oracle....because dunno who else he would or could fight I was leaning towards Pascal until the pointless Kov rematch...i think he just beat the remains he had of being a elite light heavyweight away...his struggles with Yunieski before and all those fights with Hopkins, Froch and other good fighters 168-175. He needs a vacay imo

Pascal would be better off name value, but he hasn't done anything in forever. So Pascal for name value in Canada, Joe Smith would do in Oracle....because dunno who else he would or could fight

if joe wont demand more than a 500k purse then it could be easily be made

Great thread OP. Ward-Smith Jr hadn't even crossed my mind,I've been thinking about Stevenson-Smith Jr. Ward vs. Irish Joe would be a brilliant tactical fight of skill vs. power. I'd have to ride with Dre like always but Smith can crack something fierce so Ward would have to be on point defensively.

I really don't see any other way to look at it. Kov vs Ward is what we all want and probably the best fight to be made in boxing. He could fight Charlie Z next month for all I give a f.ck bwahahahahaha, I could stand for another one of his patented drubbings lol

sorry but that guy got lucky. No head movement, slow on his feet. Watch the fight again. He's been trained to punch and he went out there and threw a punch and it landed and then he threw a bunch more punches and they all landed. Lucks not a real thing honey child.

This guy is a bull butnot much more. Obviously got heavy hands and he did finish him off well but just look at how he charged out at Fonfara in the first minute - and got caught a couple of times as well. Think he would take a beating from any decent LHW with good skills. Time will tell. Exactly... any of those punches from Kovalev, Beterbiev or Stevenson would not have give him the chance of a lucky over hand counter... Ward wouldn't even have been close to get hit anyway... Kudos to Smith though taking the opportunity...