Comments Thread For: Ward: Goossen Has Not Offered Fight Since December

[Hougigo]

Maybe 1 and 2 are right, but 3 is bogus reason. Hopkins has been GBP/Showtime, and Stevenson just left HBO. Besides, he shouldn't be forced to move up when he's not ready. Plus to move up just for Kovalev, which wouldn't be a PPV, is ******.

Yea.... I don't see that fight being PPV....yet.

Kovalev just made a splash on HBO headlining his first show hear.

They can fight, but PPV wouldn't be till next year after Kovalev was seen more and Andre as well, coming off of inactivity.

As of now, nowhere near PPV

[The Hammer]

Kessler was in a similar situation when he broke free from Mogens Palle. It's also in Goosens interest to stage a fight for Ward as he also is getting paid.

From what I gather from the interview, Goosen asked and received an offer for a Kessler fight in Denmark and turned it down without even showing it to Ward! That's pretty lame.

Instead Goosen is said to have tried to make the fight in the US, but that has resulted in zilch.

Hmmm......

As much as I detest Ward's dirty style and his reluctance to fight abroad, it saddens me to see him sitting around idle. I hope he gets a fight soon.

Because Ward refuses to fight outside the US?

I think Goossen is doing the best he can, but Ward is too demanding and selfish.

[BattlingNelson]

hard for a guy to talk to you about fight if you're suing him at the same time...

when it comes to making big fights ward hasn't got the right attitude.

1. he sees himself as the draw when in any big potential fight it would be his opponent ... froch/chavez/ggg who would be the draw. this makes negotiations instantly very difficult.

2. he calls out these guys occasionally but demands that they make all the concessions ... not just re weight (Dawson has to come down ... ggg has to go up etc) but also location ... I'll fight you ... in my home town.

3. He's not willing to move up in weight where there are big names ... hopkins/stevenson/kovalev waiting.

I think that based on the article, it is safe to add:

4: Ward overestimates his worth. A Kessler fight in Copenhagen is turned down and the networks will not pay a 'satisfactory' amount in the US.


That might be a big part of the problem. Ward think he is a draw like a small Mayweather. He isn't.

[BattlingNelson]

Because Ward refuses to fight outside the US?

I think Goossen is doing the best he can, but Ward is too demanding and selfish.

The article, as I understand it, said that the networks fee was not 'satisfactory'. Hence no fight in the US.

The purse for a fight in Denmark was just refused by Goosen without even showing it to Ward. That's pretty bad on Goosens part. Why not show it to Ward and have a collective laugh if it was as bad as it would appear?

[Check_hooks]

Isn't this like the 3rd time hes suing Goosen?

Would you do business with a guy that sued you 3 times and lost every time?

[MDPopescu]

I think that based on the article, it is safe to add:

4: Ward overestimates his worth. A Kessler fight in Copenhagen is turned down and the networks will not pay a 'satisfactory' amount in the US.


That might be a big part of the problem. Ward think he is a draw like a small Mayweather. He isn't.

Ward is much worse than Floyd...
Ward can mimic "the rough house inside boxing" all night long, and deny his opponent any means to punch clean...
Ward is a boxing style nightmare...
Only a mobile power puncher like Kovalev can (possibly) dispatch him...

[TyrantT316]

Easy for the internet fans to blame Ward, but these fighters are at the mercy of the promoters they sign with. The promoters are at the mercy of networks. A fighter can be willing to fight whoever, but they have to go by what their promoters allow and CAN do. They have to go by what the networks approve. They are also somewhat limited by what the alphabet title organizations allow them to do IF they want to keep a title. Those titles are many times the best leverage some fighters have. If you're Floyd, you don't need title. If you're Pacman, you don't need a title. If you're Wlad, you don't need a title. But when you're someone still trying to be some sort of household name, that title automatically says "I am somebody".

So I can see how hard it is to not receive good fights, good money and notoriety (like Rigo for instance who has his own promoters belittling him in public). Especially when you're young and it feels like you're prime years are being wasted.

Ward is not trying to just accept anything, he's making moves to make Goosen uncomfortable and possibly break away so he can flourish as he has too much talent to sit around and not get what his in ring talent deserves.

The one knock I might make against Ward is that yes it seems he may overestimate his worth. His talent and skills are worth $20 million a fight. But his drawing power is not anywhere near that as he's only a draw at home and doesn't have that "Mayweather Experience", must-see brand attraction about him. In the sports and entertainment world, you're paycheck is based on demand to see you.

He went from "Ward won't last in this Super 6" to being the dominant winner vs a good portion of the best SMWs. So his worth went up, but the focus should have been on keeping him active for the momentum. Not doubling his ticket price.

[MrRolltide91]

Just get back in the ring

[ShoulderRoll]

Just because he's suing Goosen doesn't mean that he can't be getting fights while the litigation runs its course.

[WilkinsOlajuwon]

The telling quote was when Ward said he wouldnt move up to fight kovalev because its not PPV

Ward thinks he can be in a PPV fight, and unless its against Canelo or Floyd, he wont be. That is the basis of his whole outlook. The man is an amazing fighter but he thinks he is worth more than he is. Goossen got him 2mm to fight La bomba on HBO. He is LUCKY that happened.

Its like being in a job you hate. You may have to eat **** for awhile to re-invent yourself and make a move.