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By B. Artest
BA: Earlier today boxingtalk broke the news about Andre Ward's knee injury and the bout getting postponed. What are your thoughts on this whole situation? "It's messed up. I really don't understand the whole situation. I told my advisor that something like this was going to happen over two weeks ago. Either him pulling out or having an injury, but all I know is if he were fighting Jermain Taylor or Sakio Bika, I'm sure he'd be good to go right now. I'm a fighter. I fight through bumps, bruises and injuries and we go through that. I fought Tarvis Simms with a bad right shoulder. If you're knee keeps getting hurt it could be something chronic and you're probably not going to be ready in six weeks. If your knee is swollen, just take a cortisone shot, stop bitching and get your ass in the ring."
BA: So you think there's a chance he won't fight you sometime in June?
Allan Green: "I honestly don't think he will ever get in the ring with me. I don't think this is a fight Andre Ward and his people ever wanted. He may want to keep his belt and get out of the tournament, but my whole thing is if you're not going to fight in the tournament, just be a man and bow out. Don't put me, the other fighters involved, and Showtime through all this bull****. I don't understand why on ESPN he said he was hoping to fight Jermain Taylor for his legacy. Why would you mention a guy who been knocked out in his last two fights as somebody who can do something for your legacy? He wants to fight guys like that instead of a live dog like myself. I seriously doubt me and him are going to end up fighting, but if he's not going to be in the tournament he needs to pull out now. Don't keep prolonging this and messing up everybody else's program."
BA: He hasn't lost a fight since he was 13, why are you so sure he doesn't want to fight you?
AG: "Because style make fights. Both of us are fast guys. I don't have to box too much unless I need to, but both of us are good boxers and I'm more physical. The thing that really seperates us is punching power. The game plan he had for Kessler won't work for me. His trainer seems like a real cerebral guy and I think his trainer knows better than that. I don't know if there's any validity to his injury. I'm not saying there is or isn't, whatever the hell is going on, if he's not going to continue in the Super Six he needs to get out now and schedule a fight with Jermain Taylor. Me? I was ready for his ass. I was thrilled he was going to be my first fight and I've been busting my ass in training camp getting ready."
BA: What was the first thing that went through your mind when you heard the news?
AG: "I was telling somebody in the gym that I was fighting on April 24 when my advisor called me and said I should stop telling people that, pack my bags and head back home because Ward isn't fighting on April 24. I wasn't surprised, but you don't want to know the first few words out of my mouth."
BA: As far as rescheduling, is going back to his hometown...
AG: (cutting in) "I don't think so. I was at first, but I don't have to, so I won't. I've already told my promoter he's got about two and half months now, so start working on a finding a different venue and I believe he will come through. I just don't know what kind of games their playing and I don't think they want to fight, so we'll see."
BA: Were Ward to bow out, who do you think would be the most logical replacement?
AG: "If you're going by what they've done, their accomplishments and you want to replace the title Ward would be running away with, it's the WBO champ Robert Steiglitz. Lucian Bute is obviously the better fighter, but he's tied up with another network right now, so I would have to say Steiglitz."
BA: Should he prove you wrong and get in the ring...
AG: (cutting in) "I would love for him to prove me wrong and step in the ring as soon as possible, so I could take his WBA belt. If I had it my way he'd take a cortisone shot and fight on April 24. I seriously doubt he's ever going to fight me, my whole thing is, I hope it's valid, because there's been a lot put into this from everybody involved and there's no time to play games and put a hex on the whole thing. If he's not going to continue on, fine, I respect that, but just bow out now. Don't keep putting everybody through this nonsense if you're not going to coninue in the tournament.
BA: Earlier today boxingtalk broke the news about Andre Ward's knee injury and the bout getting postponed. What are your thoughts on this whole situation? "It's messed up. I really don't understand the whole situation. I told my advisor that something like this was going to happen over two weeks ago. Either him pulling out or having an injury, but all I know is if he were fighting Jermain Taylor or Sakio Bika, I'm sure he'd be good to go right now. I'm a fighter. I fight through bumps, bruises and injuries and we go through that. I fought Tarvis Simms with a bad right shoulder. If you're knee keeps getting hurt it could be something chronic and you're probably not going to be ready in six weeks. If your knee is swollen, just take a cortisone shot, stop bitching and get your ass in the ring."
BA: So you think there's a chance he won't fight you sometime in June?
Allan Green: "I honestly don't think he will ever get in the ring with me. I don't think this is a fight Andre Ward and his people ever wanted. He may want to keep his belt and get out of the tournament, but my whole thing is if you're not going to fight in the tournament, just be a man and bow out. Don't put me, the other fighters involved, and Showtime through all this bull****. I don't understand why on ESPN he said he was hoping to fight Jermain Taylor for his legacy. Why would you mention a guy who been knocked out in his last two fights as somebody who can do something for your legacy? He wants to fight guys like that instead of a live dog like myself. I seriously doubt me and him are going to end up fighting, but if he's not going to be in the tournament he needs to pull out now. Don't keep prolonging this and messing up everybody else's program."
BA: He hasn't lost a fight since he was 13, why are you so sure he doesn't want to fight you?
AG: "Because style make fights. Both of us are fast guys. I don't have to box too much unless I need to, but both of us are good boxers and I'm more physical. The thing that really seperates us is punching power. The game plan he had for Kessler won't work for me. His trainer seems like a real cerebral guy and I think his trainer knows better than that. I don't know if there's any validity to his injury. I'm not saying there is or isn't, whatever the hell is going on, if he's not going to continue in the Super Six he needs to get out now and schedule a fight with Jermain Taylor. Me? I was ready for his ass. I was thrilled he was going to be my first fight and I've been busting my ass in training camp getting ready."
BA: What was the first thing that went through your mind when you heard the news?
AG: "I was telling somebody in the gym that I was fighting on April 24 when my advisor called me and said I should stop telling people that, pack my bags and head back home because Ward isn't fighting on April 24. I wasn't surprised, but you don't want to know the first few words out of my mouth."
BA: As far as rescheduling, is going back to his hometown...
AG: (cutting in) "I don't think so. I was at first, but I don't have to, so I won't. I've already told my promoter he's got about two and half months now, so start working on a finding a different venue and I believe he will come through. I just don't know what kind of games their playing and I don't think they want to fight, so we'll see."
BA: Were Ward to bow out, who do you think would be the most logical replacement?
AG: "If you're going by what they've done, their accomplishments and you want to replace the title Ward would be running away with, it's the WBO champ Robert Steiglitz. Lucian Bute is obviously the better fighter, but he's tied up with another network right now, so I would have to say Steiglitz."
BA: Should he prove you wrong and get in the ring...
AG: (cutting in) "I would love for him to prove me wrong and step in the ring as soon as possible, so I could take his WBA belt. If I had it my way he'd take a cortisone shot and fight on April 24. I seriously doubt he's ever going to fight me, my whole thing is, I hope it's valid, because there's been a lot put into this from everybody involved and there's no time to play games and put a hex on the whole thing. If he's not going to continue on, fine, I respect that, but just bow out now. Don't keep putting everybody through this nonsense if you're not going to coninue in the tournament.
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