Remember when Ward didn't want to fight bute and said hes going to 175?

[Redd Foxx]

Ward may of beaten Froch in the super six but Froch has done more to clean up the division than Ward ever has.

I was trying to figure out where this Ward hate was coming from because no one really believes that he ducked Bute. Then that mention made it clear; butthurt Froch loyalists who can't get over the face that Andre beat him.

I don't know why guys on this site have to choose sides like children. If you can't appreciate Ward's expectations talents then what are you doing even watching the sport??

[Bushbaby]

I'm not agreeing entirely with the op. But I do think Andre Ward has caught that duck fever. 168 has nothing for him and he does seem to want no part of Kovalev or Stevenson. And this is coming from a huge Ward fan.

[MDPopescu]

I was trying to figure out where this Ward hate was coming from because no one really believes that he ducked Bute. Then that mention made it clear; butthurt Froch loyalists who can't get over the face that Andre beat him.

I don't know why guys on this site have to choose sides like children. If you can't appreciate Ward's expectations talents then what are you doing even watching the sport??

The answer is part of your post.

Ward is very gifted, very intelligent, etc... But he actually doesn't want to fight anymore!
The best part of Ward's career was in the Super Six -- when he was forced to fight a list of opponents...

[LacedUp]

I highly doubt Ward ducked him.

Furthermore, I think Ward was right not to fight him. When the super 6 guys were fighting one tough fight after another, Bute was fighting the Jesse Brinkley's of the world-

[BostonGuy]

I'm not agreeing entirely with the op. But I do think Andre Ward has caught that duck fever. 168 has nothing for him and he does seem to want no part of Kovalev or Stevenson. And this is coming from a huge Ward fan.

168 has a lot to offer Ward - Stiglitz, Groves, Froch (rematch), Degale, Anthony Dirrell, et al. Ward fought and beat the best at 168 years ago but since then he's fought Rodriquez and dead at the weight Dawson

[Tom Cruise]

I highly doubt Ward ducked him.

Furthermore, I think Ward was right not to fight him. When the super 6 guys were fighting one tough fight after another, Bute was fighting Jesse Brinkley's of the world-

Ward vs. Bute was THE fight at 168lb at the time. It should have happened

[bojangles1987]

I highly doubt Ward ducked him.

Furthermore, I think Ward was right not to fight him. When the super 6 guys were fighting one tough fight after another, Bute was fighting Jesse Brinkley's of the world-

He didn't.

Bottom line: There was never a point where the fight could happen. Ward could have said, "I am scared of Lucian Bute and will retire before I fight him," and it wouldn't matter. There was never a time where the fight could have been made, but didn't.

[LacedUp]

Ward vs. Bute was THE fight at 168lb at the time. It should have happened

Was it though?

Or was Bute being hyped to an almost Jeff Lacy esque standard?

[bojangles1987]

Ward vs. Bute was THE fight at 168lb at the time. It should have happened

Ward won the Super Six, and was injured. While he was injured, Bute and Froch agreed to fight. Bute got destroyed.

So no, it never could have happened, unless you wanted Ward to drop out of the Super Six for Bute.

[bojangles1987]

I'm not agreeing entirely with the op. But I do think Andre Ward has caught that duck fever. 168 has nothing for him and he does seem to want no part of Kovalev or Stevenson. And this is coming from a huge Ward fan.

It's not really duck fever, but he's so desperate for a money fight and is wasting his prime in the process. It's really unfortunate. He's my favorite fighter, but he needs to get his ass in the ring and fight.