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

[New England]

No I'm saying it doesn't really matter how good or **** a guy's resume is.

If he's the biggest money fight out there for you, you should take it.

You don't think Ward regrets not making that easy bank???

in hindsight, he and his team are probably wishing they didn't wait for bute to fight froch. i don't think they were expecting a 3/1 favorite to get stopped. they may have wanted bute to be in a hard fight, they may have wanted ward's hand to heal, and they may have been looking to move to HBO. i think it was a bit of all three. it would have been a fine fight for them, and made them some good money.


recognizing that is different from calling andre ward a duck for not fighting bute immediately after the super six.

people wanted to see ward in there with a big puncher. bute looked like the big bad wolf after knocking out some cans with body punches. he wasn't on some great run. he just was knocking people out.

if bute had better wins and a better head of steam, and ward still avoided him, then it would be a blatant duck. if he beat froch, and ward still didn't fight him, it would be a duck. none of that happened.

bute waited out the tournament for a free shot at the winner. people who don't like ward are looking back on it and saying that he ducked bute.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

I do, because that's what I actually do when I read posts on BoxingScene. But there isn't much more for us to "discuss" here.

I do find it funny that we're asking what Bute's best win is and how he didn't "earn" a fight. Whilst, at the same time, Andre Ward is willing to verbally fellate Chavez Jr to secure a fight with him.

What is Chavez Jr's best win again?

Yeah, I think Ward has learned his lesson and would actually agree with me here.

[MDPopescu]

He broke his hand during the Froch fight and that was the injury he was recovering from when Bute and Froch signed to fight.

No, Ward broke his left hand during training camp, before the Froch fight. During that fight, Ward said he could not use his hand starting with the 4th round.

[Rome-By-Ko]

I do find it funny that we're asking what Bute's best win is and how he didn't "earn" a fight. Whilst, at the same time, Andre Ward is willing to verbally fellate Chavez Jr to secure a fight with him.

What is Chavez Jr's best win again?

Yeah, I think Ward has learned his lesson and would actually agree with me here.

Chavez win over Andy Lee was better then any win on Bute resume..

[LacedUp]

The world wanted Chisora-Haye....lol stop it bro. That fight was on BoxNation - was it even televised in the US?

Martinez was never on PPV. Chavez Jr wasn't either unless you count obscure Top Rank PPVs. Bute's fights were already on PPV in Canada and the fight would have sold out a football stadium there.

If the world didn't want it how could Haye make 3 times as much money in one night than Ward had ever done in one night? Yeah they wanted it. How many millions had watched the two get it on at the presser?

It was on EPIX, ARD, BoxNation etc.

[LacedUp]

No I'm saying it doesn't really matter how good or **** a guy's resume is.

If he's the biggest money fight out there for you, you should take it.

You don't think Ward regrets not making that easy bank???

I think he regrets it, but it was nowhere near top 3 across boxing.

[New England]

No, Ward broke his left hand during training camp, before the Froch fight. During that fight, Ward said he could not use his hand starting with the 4th round.

he should have just fought bute with a broken hand, then. it's a f#Cking hand. you have two of them. no excuses, dre.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Chavez win over Andy Lee was better then any win on Bute resume..

Really now? Andy Lee is a better win than Glen Johnson, Sakio Bika or Andrade?

Oh and Andy Lee is a middleweight. What is Chavez Jr's best win at 168?

[BattlingNelson]

Chavez win over Andy Lee was better then any win on Bute resume..

Bute was absolutely the best SMW after the s6 that Ward hadn't beat. That cannot be up for debate.

[MDPopescu]

bute had two opportunities to enter the SS. he was approached to join the tournament before it started. he was again approached to replace jermain taylor.


he wanted to wait out the tournament for a free shot at the winner.

i have no doubt that ward would have fought him if he actually beat froch.

Any links for these above?

(It must have been very secret offers/negotiations as long as nothing transpired through the media at that time...)