Why is everyone ducking Ward?

The rematch was lined up against the Mayweather-McGregor announcement, which sapped all the attention up during the fight week hard sell, and it's not like a ticket for Ward-Kovalev 2 was going for cheap either. All I'm saying is don't say I didn't try to hip you to some knowledge. We'll see. I get not bringing in the casuals but he literally lost people who are more hardcore boxing fans from 1 to 2. I just don't see him ever doing 300K. But like I always say, time will tell.

I still say Stevenson destroys him I hope they get it on but first rumour has it Stevenson to fight Jack Maybe that's how to get Ward in the ring,bring two belts to the table Anyhow would be a much bigger fight than Kovalev vs Ward just for intrigue

I wish I had something to wager you with (even a friendly one) but Andre Ward is never going to do 300K PPV fighter in NA I'd bet. Now maybe against Joshua but he isn't even a big enough name here. I just don't see it. He had a compelling rematch and did less buys than the first fight. There were empty seats and they gave tickets away. The rematch was lined up against the Mayweather-McGregor announcement, which sapped all the attention up during the fight week hard sell, and it's not like a ticket for Ward-Kovalev 2 was going for cheap either. All I'm saying is don't say I didn't try to hip you to some knowledge.

Kovalev fought him twice with two controversial outcomes. There was no ducking though. Right after he moved up the fight was negotiated. Stevenson ducks literally everyone. He's always been way too big for Golovkin. I do think given his history of fouling and fishiness + being a ratings dud compared to how highly he ranks, he is a high risk/low reward opponent so most guys aren't going out of their way to get at him.

Andre Ward was able to draw $3.5m at the gate for the first Kovalev fight (the number for the rematch was only near $2.5m, but that likely had more to do with the tickets being mispriced). Andre Ward, on his name alone, is pretty darn close to being on the money, tbh (especially after each PPV was able to clean up more than $5m, before you count any of the other money). Ward-Stevenson will likely deliver a bigger payday than either of the Kovalev fights, but after that, you'd be looking at an undisputed light heavyweight champion who also happens to be the #1 fighter in the sport. The pay will come down after, but nothing disastrous ($2m guaranteed is nothing to sneeze at). vs Badou Jack in NYC (Barclays Center, unless MGM Resorts goes into the pocket for the fight), vs Beterbiev at Oracle, Tony Bellew in NYC/Las Vegas (unless Eddie Hearn puts up a monster offer to stage the fight at the O2 Arena in London). Any other fight at this point (James Degale moving up may be big enough to entice Las Vegas or Barclays to put up money), you stage at Ward's 20k-seat arena in Oakland. Ward's likely not going to get to Floyd money, but he's got the makings of a guy who could settle into being a 300k-400k PPV buys fighter in short order. I wish I had something to wager you with (even a friendly one) but Andre Ward is never going to do 300K PPV fighter in NA I'd bet. Now maybe against Joshua but he isn't even a big enough name here. I just don't see it. He had a compelling rematch and did less buys than the first fight. There were empty seats and they gave tickets away.

Ward does not fear anyone ? I beg to differ, many fights over the years and Ward being this super fighter never accepted for whatever reason. I like Ward but too many ifs and buts "There have been naysayers my whole career. If I shut him down over 12 rounds there would be naysayers. They finally got a fight that was close and they thought this could be the one to get him and it didn’t. So that made them mad. When I make a certain amount of money they get mad at that. I’ve stopped trying to prove naysayers wrong years ago. I’m immune to it. To be honest with you, I don’t even use that as motivation anymore. That’s not even part of the equation anymore because you’re not going to change that. It’s one thing for someone to critique you. But you’ve got chronic haters, chronic naysayers whose job in the boxing game is to do this year round. And I’m not interested in changing their mind." - Andre "The Boogeyman" Ward :headbang: :headbang:

Frankly there aren't a lot of good money options for Ward. Ward is probably never going to have a pay day like he did against Kovalev, possibly with Stevenson but I think Stevenson will want better terms than what K got. Maybe I'm wrong, but we'll see. Unless he goes for Joshua which is highly unlikely. Andre Ward was able to draw $3.5m at the gate for the first Kovalev fight (the number for the rematch was only near $2.5m, but that likely had more to do with the tickets being mispriced). Andre Ward, on his name alone, is pretty darn close to being on the money, tbh (especially after each PPV was able to clean up more than $5m, before you count any of the other money). Ward-Stevenson will likely deliver a bigger payday than either of the Kovalev fights, but after that, you'd be looking at an undisputed light heavyweight champion who also happens to be the #1 fighter in the sport. The pay will come down after, but nothing disastrous ($2m guaranteed is nothing to sneeze at). vs Badou Jack in NYC (Barclays Center, unless MGM Resorts goes into the pocket for the fight), vs Beterbiev at Oracle, Tony Bellew in NYC/Las Vegas (unless Eddie Hearn puts up a monster offer to stage the fight at the O2 Arena in London). Any other fight at this point (James Degale moving up may be big enough to entice Las Vegas or Barclays to put up money), you stage at Ward's 20k-seat arena in Oakland. Ward's likely not going to get to Floyd money, but he's got the makings of a guy who could settle into being a 300k-400k PPV buys fighter in short order.

The interviews I've seen Ward talk about Haymon he seems patronizing to the reality of those fights being made, with a grin. Hunter even said Ward could come down to 168 without Ward's acknowledgement... Andre Ward knows what it is; Al Haymon and James Prince will have to sit down and get the right deal done for the fight. Ward having an HBO deal before, and seeing how things fell apart on the last shot at a big fight (Ward, fighting the HBO fighter, wasn't going to just mess up his business either), what was said was said. Andre Ward will fight wherever he and his camp find the right deal, and that's about it, imo.

Froch,Kessler and big bad Kovalev all ducked fights or refused to put it mildly to fight Adonis Froch and Kessler refused and Kovi pulled out of a purse bid Barrera was scheduled to fight Adonis but couldn't get a visa into Canada or something to those whereabouts

Ward does not fear anyone ? I beg to differ, many fights over the years and Ward being this super fighter never accepted for whatever reason. I like Ward but too many ifs and buts Kovalev, Froch, Kessler, Dawson, Barrera, etc etc. Sheesh, I wish every 168-175 had ifs and buts like that.

Ward does not fear anyone ? I beg to differ, many fights over the years and Ward being this super fighter never accepted for whatever reason. I like Ward but too many ifs and buts

Ima huge Ward fan but I wouldn't go so far to say anybody's ducking him. Maybe demanding a lot of money or demanding he fight outside of Oakland but certainly not ducking. Wards not they type of fighter people want to duck. He's prob not going to beat you to a pulp and if you win your reputation skyrockets.

Ward is one of those guys who's really f#cking good, but no one really cares about how good he is, he's not entertaining to most people + doesn't get his opponents THAT paid vs the risk. Its a common problem in the sport of boxing. Its not really about people avoiding him so much as the risk isn't worth the reward. You are probably gonna lose & you aren't gonna get paid all that great for the L. Not right, but thats boxing these days when the business element of the sport is such a big part of fights being made or not made. Frankly there aren't a lot of good money options for Ward. Ward is probably never going to have a pay day like he did against Kovalev, possibly with Stevenson but I think Stevenson will want better terms than what K got. Maybe I'm wrong, but we'll see. Unless he goes for Joshua which is highly unlikely.

Why is everyone ducking Ward? Maybe they still want to be able to have children.

I feel like the goalposts keep moving when it comes to Ward. Andre Ward fears no fighter. Let that sink in for a second. That said, Andre Ward and Adonis Stevenson need to throw down. Hopefully Ward's new deal doesn't hamper that from happening.

I hope Ward stays in the 175 division. Obviously Stevenson is the biggest money fight but I wouldn't mind seeing him facing a couple of the younger guys. But I understand Ward is at the point in his career where he's going to want to make money and fight guys with something to bring to the table.

Like I have been saying for years:there's a reason why Emmanuel Steward loved Adonis. And by the way how come you never hear Ward mention Stevenson's name

GGG did not duck him. Ward made no effort to fight him and GGG is not obligated to move up another weight class. If you say GGG ducked Ward then you have to say Floyd ducked GGG and Martinez when they offered to come down to 154. Martinez even offered to come down to 150. Kovalev fought him twice, got robbed the first time and cheap shotted into submission in the second. Stevenson doesn't to fight anyone with a pulse. Aside from that, Ward has a reputation as a dirty fighter. He is high risk and low reward. He can't fill arenas and he can't sell PPVs. Kovalev missed his shot at superstardom. He would of been an instant viral super star, if at the post fight interview he could of said " he kept punching me in the dick so I knocked him out" But instead your here defending him becaus he quit.

Yeah but he was initially ducking him. That's the point I'm trying to make here. Will Stevenson man up and fight Ward? Got it twisted.. coWARD isn't returning Duckingson's calls. Why is that? He's still talking about Kovalev while viable opponents just get static on the other end of the line

I see Ward has many of you scared. Once he gets his hands on Stevenson it's over... Ward-Stevenson is going to be a heck of a fight, so don't count your chips just yet; will be interesting to see how Ward goes about defusing the 7-10 different schemes Stevenson had developed to deliver that left hand bomb.