I feel like Ward has the tools to neutralize Usyk, as fantastic of a fighter as I think Usyk is. I think he's the best cruiserweight in the world, but I remember the success Michael Hunter had against Usyk and now Huck although completely outclassed and not on Usyk level, styles make fights and Huck had his slight moments.
It is because of this I think Ward moves up, if he can get by Bellew(which I think he will) I think he beats Usyk as well.
Before people think I'm either trolling or that I'm just crazy, I remember predicting something in the past people laughed at me for.
Example: http://i.imgur.com/lNT56Yp.png
Time will tell if I was correct about GGG. Has only fought Jacobs and Jacobs beat him in my eyes and in the eyes of many others.
Can anyone remember Usyk clinching?...at all?
Ward bases his entire game around clinching, which is then called his 'great inside game' :lol1:
Some posters do.
If it works, then yes. No fighter in history haven't clinched. If you were a true boxing fan, you would understand that clinching is absolutely essential to the sport. It's a whole art to know when to clinch, how to do it, how to lock the opponent from throwing punches, etc.
True boxing fans enjoy 300 clinches in a fight lmao:rofl:
So where are these people for Deontay Wilder? or Demetrius Andrade? There's no hype for Thurman by the black posters, why? Robert Easter? Everyone is in agreement that Lomachenko beats Davis.
So where's the love for all these black fighters? Where are the "next fighter of the decade" threads for these good, young, black fighters?
There's like a 300 page thread for adrien broner being the next fighter of the decade gtfo here:rofl:
It's a big jump up in weight, and not just a jump up against any CW..but the best CW and one of the top fighters around today.
He'd be fighting a much bigger guy, who can box beautifully. Kovalev had early success with his jab and out-boxed Ward at times. Usyk does it all much better than Kovalev.
Ward would struggle to get inside against Usyk and his strength and ability to bully opponents wouldn't be a factor in this one. No clinches or inside game.
I think Usyk would stop Ward.
As the chairman of the Artur Beterbiev Marching and Chowder Society, I'd just like to say that Artur likely KOs Ward and probably Kovalev too. After that (or before, whatever) we'd like a rematch with Usyk, with a professional scoring system Artur would be 2-0 against him.
Fphk Yvon Michel :burnup:
Ward should have taken the L versus Kovalev in the first fight. What the fk is he gonna do against a much better fighter who's also 25 pounds heavier? More dick punches?
I mean I understand where you are coming from, I don't think Ward is really "deserving" of the paydays he's gotten in terms of how big of a draw he is.
BUT we must recognize that he did receive those purses to begin with. And it wouldn't make sense to make anything less than he was previously making at this stage of his career, with his resume and accomplishments, and as the #1 p4p fighter in the world.
In fact, him not being as big of a star today as his resume would say - he put a lot of this blame on his promoter. This is why he was trying to break free from that contract for so long and go a different route. He admits himself though, he may not be the most flashy or outspoken or give the media what they want, he refuses to be the guy they want him to be so he takes blame for it as well. He's even admitted to not liking spotlight also, but his resume and skills speak for themselves.
Personally, when he faced tough competition I enjoyed all of his fights, they were not boring to me. I think people are bit too hard on him in this regard, the man cleaned out a stacked division convincingly then moved up in weight and beat the best fighter in that division twice. Now he's trying to move up another division...and it's not like these are the lower weights which makes this a much easier in my opinion. He's a natural 168lb fighter...moving up in weight is harder to do in these divisions. From 168 to crusierweight (199) is a HUGE leap imo.
With all this being said, against the right opponent and for a big enough fight, I personally feel he is deserving of at least one more payday.
I'm not saying he didn't deserve the purse that he received, but were they even much over @2 million? Given that, would/could he command much more than that to come out of retirement? I really don't see him moving up to those big boys.
He was outboxed by a limited as hell Kovalev who practically has only two punches in his entire locker (Jab, straight right) and has no inside game.
Usyk is not only much bigger but has vastly superior footwork, ring generalship, combinations and counterpunching, a southpaw to boot.
How does Ward beat him? With lowblows and rabbit punching? Huck already tried that.
Usyk would beat the **** out of Ward.
You forgot gift decision too, but yeah / end thread
Ward doesn't have much to go on in terms of commanding big cash to come out of retirement. He is very far from being PPV star, having only two under-performing PPVs, against the same opponent to speak of.I mean I understand where you are coming from, I don't think Ward is really "deserving" of the paydays he's gotten in terms of how big of a draw he is.
BUT we must recognize that he did receive those purses to begin with. And it wouldn't make sense to make anything less than he was previously making at this stage of his career, with his resume and accomplishments, and as the #1 p4p fighter in the world.
In fact, him not being as big of a star today as his resume would say - he put a lot of this blame on his promoter. This is why he was trying to break free from that contract for so long and go a different route. He admits himself though, he may not be the most flashy or outspoken or give the media what they want, he refuses to be the guy they want him to be so he takes blame for it as well. He's even admitted to not liking spotlight also, but his resume and skills speak for themselves.
Personally, when he faced tough competition I enjoyed all of his fights, they were not boring to me. I think people are bit too hard on him in this regard, the man cleaned out a stacked division convincingly then moved up in weight and beat the best fighter in that division twice. Now he's trying to move up another division...and it's not like these are the lower weights which makes this a much easier in my opinion. He's a natural 168lb fighter...moving up in weight is harder to do in these divisions. From 168 to crusierweight (199) is a HUGE leap imo.
With all this being said, against the right opponent and for a big enough fight, I personally feel he is deserving of at least one more payday.
We would have to see how Usyk-Bellew plays out first, as it seems like that's what is next.
I give Bellew a better shot then Gassiev. Also a win over Bellew would give Usyk a raise in status (in terms of draw power) to make the fight financially viable enough to possibly lure Andre Ward out of retirement. If Ward partners with Eddie Hearn, possibly even in the UK on ppv.
Ward doesn't have much to go on in terms of commanding big cash to come out of retirement. He is very far from being PPV star, having only two under-performing PPVs, against the same opponent to speak of.
Ward has had enough of the Eastern Bloc fighters. He may have two wins over Kovalev, but it was no cake walk for him. That's why he retired.We would have to see how Usyk-Bellew plays out first, as it seems like that's what is next.
I give Bellew a better shot then Gassiev. Also a win over Bellew would give Usyk a raise in status (in terms of draw power) to make the fight financially viable enough to possibly lure Andre Ward out of retirement. If Ward partners with Eddie Hearn, possibly even in the UK on ppv.
A tune up. Same way he fought a tune up before fighting Kovalev.
It was actually two tuneups because his lay off was longer that time, Barrera and then the other bum. Now I think he should be good with one. I'm not too well versed in the cruiserweight divsion outside of the main guys, so I don't have anyone in mind atm.
that's another problem...he'll want to get paid well to face some low level opponent nobody's heard of. he's not gonna step in with anyone rated near the top 10 to test the waters. after making the kind of $$$ he did for the kovalev fights, I have a hard time seeing come back for a bigger risk and a pay cut. these are the type of situations we want to see as fans, but they rarely materialize.
I don't even think Ward is the best at 175. I picked him to win the super 6, so it isn't like I'm not a fan or don't appreciate his talent but I think he retired for a reason.
who does he face as his first opponent at cruiser?A tune up. Same way he fought a tune up before fighting Kovalev.
It was actually two tuneups because his lay off was longer that time, Barrera and then the other bum. Now I think he should be good with one. I'm not too well versed in the cruiserweight divsion outside of the main guys, so I don't have anyone in mind atm.