Andre Ward ''I've Earned The Right To Fight At Home''

[BMWM3P]

The only thing he's earned is a ticket to Germany. Baby Hopkins knows his dirty tactics wouldn't be tolerated anywhere, he would have to fight clean and gets his ass kicked. Plus he doesn't have a fanbase outside of Oakland.

[Walt Liquor]

Pretty good article on andre. He's a pretty interesting read, I disagree about him "making adjustments" in the bika fight. So he made adjustments cuz bika was tired? He kept talking about bika being so hard to deal with then saying how he only fights one way. He could have made the fight much easier allegedly.

If he's worried about being labeled as boring he should have fought bika from the outside, not all that tying up and holding. Bika is gonna make the fight a showcase fight for you if you box him. Holding and wrestling ain't gonna do it.

Ward is a badass and a bomafide draw, but I don't know if he's as smartca fighter as everyone is trying to get me to believe he is. His style isn't anywhere near as fluid and unpredictable as it seemed to be before the super six. Abe will be an easy fight for him, the finals will not, I look forward to road warrior v froch and winner v ward in a big way.

[Sweet Jesus]

The only thing he's earned is a ticket to Germany. Baby Hopkins knows his dirty tactics wouldn't be tolerated anywhere, he would have to fight clean and gets his ass kicked. Plus he doesn't have a fanbase outside of Oakland.

There are maybe 5 boxers active today that have fanbases outside of their hometowns.

[Walt Liquor]

People sht on Ward for fighting in Oakland,but i hear barely anything about Butes refusal to fight anywhere outside of Canada.Thats why Vegas is great for boxing it generally is a neutral site for fights giving no one a distinct home advantage.

The difference is this:

ward is in a tournament where he is the only fighter that has had the advantage of fighting on his home turf every fight. In that same tourney, hometown fighter has gotten every decision. Also, ward has a very tough style the could cause a lot of problems with different ref's.

Both are draws, but the guys bute has been fighting since the ko of andrade are guys he could take out fighting with one arm chopped off in sweetpea87's chicken coop in Modesto.

Bute has one horriffic instance of home cookin, other than that, his left is judge jury and executioner.

[Tom_Tocca]

Gotta hope that Ward vs. AA will be at least in late March, being staged in LV.

AA disappointed big time vs Froch but IMO he can do better than that (not to say he would have beaten Froch at his best). If he can at least show up in a more motivated way to deliver vs. Ward I will cheer him dispite him winning or losing (more likely)...

[Rome-By-Ko]

AT Ward..Oh this is for Ward as well..Leave ya hometown and prove ya self ya big Baby...How did he earn to fight at home??Did he win a bunch of fights on the road??

[IMDAZED]

Fighting at home definetely helps. If the crowd consistently boos when fouls and borderline fouls occur any human referee would enforce the rules. If the crowd is silent the referee wont be as observant of these issues. Ward benefits from that no question.

And I think Ward IS a dirty fighter. Leading with your head the way he does is a foul. It's not like he does it somewhat accidental. No it's part of the way he fights. Ie. He's a dirty fighter.

I don't think Ward is dirty. Rough, yes. Dirty? No. But I agree on everything you say regarding fighting at home. It would be interesting to see if he'd be able to adjust if he's forced to get away from some of those tactics in a venue outside of Oakland.

[Walt Liquor]

I don't think Ward is dirty. Rough, yes. Dirty? No. But I agree on everything you say regarding fighting at home. It would be interesting to see if he'd be able to adjust if he's forced to get away from some of those tactics in a venue outside of Oakland.

it depends on if you consider leading with your head dirty. that's really the only questionable tactics of his as far as dirt goes. everything is is just bullying and if you don't like it, find a way to stop it.

[Uturn]

What has he 'earned' to supposedly fight in his own backyard again? This guy resembles Joe Calzaghe more and more. Ward should snap out of this nonsense if he wants to gain recognition overseas.

[Hitman932]

The bottom line is Ward has to win away from home at some point to win the Super 6.

Whereas Bute will continue to fight in Montreal for the forseeable future.

When Ward says he "earned the right to fight at home" in this article I take it to mean he earned that right against Green and Bika because they were nobodies and he should have been facing more noteworthy fighters anyway.

I don't get the impression at all that Ward thinks he has earned the right to fight at Oakland in his future bouts.