How Popular is Ward?

[US Dirk Killer]

Heard he can't even sell out his home venues. Was reading on twitter that local gyms were handing out tickets to the event.
Also what're his viewership like?

Saw somebody talking about Mike McCallum and how he had to be a traveling champ.... if Ward can't bring in the views and the people, will he have to do that?
Or is it just the case of his promoter and things get better when he goes to Arum?

[ShoulderRoll]

I have no doubt that Bob Arum would do a better job of building him up. Goosen is kind of a second rate promoter to be honest.

[New England]

ontario california is a seven hour drive from oakland. it's almost 1000KM, for the perspective of you english guys. you need to get a hotel room if you want to go there from oakland. some states are f#cking big, dog. that wasn't a fight in his hometown for sure.


he can sell around 10,000 tickets at the oracle arena in oakland.


ward's very popular on HBO. his ratings are always good. they're also clearly banking on him being one of the driving forces for american boxing when mayweather retires, whether that's appropriate or not.

[New England]

I have no doubt that Bob Arum would do a better job of building him up. Goosen is kind of a second rate promoter to be honest.

ward's been in court trying to get out of that contract with goosen. he lost.


you raise a terrific point. andre ward should be with arum or GBP. goosen just doesn't invest enough to raise ward's profile. the only issue there is that he won't fight anybody who isn't with TR or GBP if he signs with either guy, so you can kiss golovkin goodbye.

[Hougigo]

ontario california is a seven hour drive from oakland. it's almost 1000KM, for the perspective of you english guys. you need to get a hotel room if you want to go there from oakland. some states are f#cking big, dog. that wasn't a fight in his hometown for sure.


he can sell around 10,000 tickets at the oracle arena in oakland.


ward's very popular on HBO. his ratings are always good. they're also clearly banking on him being one of the driving forces for american boxing when mayweather retires, whether that's appropriate or not.

****** California and being big... not as bad as Texas though.
Why was it in Ontario though? I just realized it wasn't in Oakland

[ladiesman217]

I have no doubt that Bob Arum would do a better job of building him up. Goosen is kind of a second rate promoter to be honest.

Hell, Banner and Main Events would do a better job. Goosen sucks.

[Hougigo]

I have no doubt that Bob Arum would do a better job of building him up. Goosen is kind of a second rate promoter to be honest.

IMO... still comes down to the traveling.
Most of the big SMW names are overseas. so does he go over or, if he goes to Arum, bring them somewhere stateside?

If he goes to LHW, won't be as bad as Canada is just north with Bute, Stevenson and Pascal. Kovalev fights in the states and Hopkins is a non-factor because of the whole friend thing.
Other than that...nothing really going on at LHW

[-PBP-]

Probably above average in terms of his peers being other African American fighters.

[New England]

****** California and being big... not as bad as Texas though.
Why was it in Ontario though? I just realized it wasn't in Oakland

i have no idea why they put it in ontario california, but i'm never above speculating! low site fee perhaps? casinos always have low site fees, but i'm not sure if the ontario venue was a casino. goosen keeps his costs low, and the HBO money is almost always the same, wherever the venue. scheduling conflicts at oracle / hbo could have factored in as well.

[AgainstTheRopes]

He's gaining popularity here in the Bay Area with every fight. He drew over 8,000 for Dawson and there was actually plenty of buzz in thr media which wasn't bad for a nontraditional market.