Comments Thread For: Ward Rules at 168: Weekend Review and Ratings Update

[LeadUppercut]

Taking his mando and further building his drawing power in NoCal is smart and good long term business. It's also a competitive fight despite Ant. Dirrell's lack of experience. Bute-Froch is great stuff and a fine way to make a good fight bigger (assuming Bute wins, and I wouldn't assume that at all).

This has nothing to do with Bute needing to do more. He is far and away the biggest draw in class and far and away the next most deserving to face Ward. This is about building some more gate and Ward cashing a check or two without being locked into the Six's payment structure. As long as he doesn't fight Jesse Brinkley level guys (and let's not act like Bute couldn't find anything better than a couple of his foes) it's not the end of the world for this to simmer 8-10 months.

All good points.

"let's not act like Bute couldn't find anything better than a couple of his foes"

Ward's stay-busy fight was against an opponent ranked higher than anyone Bute has ever fought, that tells the whole story to me.

[Russian Crushin]

Who is more "deserving" at 168 and actually ready to fight Ward right now other then Bute?

He is Wards biggest threat people, stop defending it by saying he doesnt "deserve" it. In boxing money talks.

[LeadUppercut]

Who is more "deserving" at 168 and actually ready to fight Ward right now other then Bute?

He is Wards biggest threat people, stop defending it by saying he doesnt "deserve" it. In boxing money talks.

On paper, Bute may very well be " the most deserving ".

But if so, that is only because Ward has eliminated the competition, not because of anything that Bute has done.

e.g......

We know that Ward can beat Froch/Kessler, but we do not know if Bute can beat them.

Like I said earlier.....

Ward's stay-busy fight was against an opponent ranked higher than anyone Bute has ever fought, and that tells the whole story to me.

[LeadUppercut]

Russian, I agree that Bute could likely be Ward's biggest threat.

I just dont automatically rate him higher than say a Kessler/Froch rematch in terms of a threat to Ward, because both of those guys know the kind of adjustments they would need to make, they have an edge by fighting better competition and by already having a close-up look at Ward..... whereas we havent even seen Bute against a top fighter yet, and I dont know if he could beat Kessler or Froch.

[Dave Rado]

All good points.

"let's not act like Bute couldn't find anything better than a couple of his foes"

Ward's stay-busy fight was against an opponent ranked higher than anyone Bute has ever fought, that tells the whole story to me.

Gen Johnson was ranked higher when Bute fought him than either Bika or Green when Ward fought them, and was and is a tougher opponent than either. The ease with which he beat Johnson (who gave Froch all he could handle) makes his #1 contender ranking beyond dispute.

It is also beyond dispute that he was excluded from the Super 6, he did not exclude himself.

His opposition otherwise wasn't great but overall was reasonable, considering that the Super 6 fighters were barred to him.

And Froch wants Bute next, and Bute wants Froch next unless he can get Ward, so Bute-Froch will happen next. Assuming he beats Froch, which I would bet real money on, then as long as Bute-Ward happens by the end of the year I won't really mind, although I'd have much preferred to see it sooner.

If Ward had just said, I've had a tough tournament fighting the best opponents out there, I deserve to fight some tune-ups while Bute proves he's on my level by fighting Froch or Kessler first, and if he does that and wins, then I'll be more than happy to fight Bute later in 2012, that would have been subtly different, much more honest, and would have made it clear that he was planning to defend against Bute in the foreseeable future. I don't think anyone would have objected if he had said that. But all the "he doesn't deserve it" posturing is just silly. No other possible opponent deserves it half as much.

[LeadUppercut]

Bute is trying to do with Ward, what Pirog is trying to do with Martinez.....

..... walk around everyone, straight into a shot at the champ.

e.g.

Bute and Pirog have fought nobody, Froch has fought everybody.

Andre Ward is the " find " of the Super-6, but Carl Froch held the competition together. I got big respect for Froch.

[Russian Crushin]

Russian, I agree that Bute could likely be Ward's biggest threat.

I just dont automatically rate him higher than say a Kessler/Froch rematch in terms of a threat to Ward, because both of those guys know the kind of adjustments they would need to make, they have an edge by fighting better competition and by already having a close-up look at Ward..... whereas we havent even seen Bute against a top fighter yet, and I dont know if he could beat Kessler or Froch.

So i dont understand why not fight him

Kessler hasnt even fought in like 2 years. He just beat froch who is 1-2 in his last 3.

Bute is next. Yes he got there by a process of the top fighters being knocked off but thats how it works who you're left out of a 2.5 year tourney.

Its the same crap Berto did at 147.

[Dave Rado]

So i dont understand why not fight him

Kessler hasnt even fought in like 2 years. He just beat froch who is 1-2 in his last 3.

Bute is next. Yes he got there by a process of the top fighters being knocked off but thats how it works who you're left out of a 2.5 year tourney.

Its the same crap Berto did at 147.

Berto? WTF? Who did he beat?

[LeadUppercut]

Gen Johnson was ranked higher when Bute fought him than either Bika or Green when Ward fought them, and was and is a tougher opponent than either. The ease with which he beat Johnson (who gave Froch all he could handle) makes his #1 contender ranking beyond dispute.

His opposition otherwise wasn't great but overall was reasonable, considering that the Super 6 fighters were barred to him.

And Froch wants Bute next, and Bute wants Froch next unless he can get Ward, so Bute-Froch will happen next.

But all the "he doesn't deserve it" posturing is just silly. No other possible opponent deserves it half as much.

At 168? I dont believe you. Maybe, but I cant see how?

And that was an awful style match-up for Johnson. Froch was a much better match-up for those 42yo legs.

I agree that Bute is " deserving "..... on paper, and only to fight in Oakland

[Dave Rado]

At 168? I dont believe you. Maybe, but I cant see how?

Because Johnson had disposed of Green in style and had also given an excellent account of himself against Froch - both at 168.