Comments Thread For: Andre Ward: If I Beat Sergey Kovalev, Then What?

[-PBP-]

Welcome to the unforgiving sport of boxing, where you just don't 'earn' the right to sit on your ass and make millions with easy fights you like. If that were the case then Roy would have never been brutally stopped a number of times and several of the sport's icons wouldn't have ended up broke while fighting to make ends meet. Ward beat Froch and Kessler, big whoop!, good wins but let's not get carried away and act like dude is already some ATG with an untouchable resume. Even Mayweather and Pacquiao are still out there fighting their asses off after garnering legendary records and careers that completely tower over Ward's. He needs to get back in the ring soon and earn his spot or continue to sit on the sidelines while everybody forgets him.

Froch was Ward's Pacquiao AKA the #1a in his division. He beat him already. What Mayweather and Pacquiao are doing is far worse then what Andre Ward is doing. They are clearly the 2 best welterweights in the world but they won't fight each other. Instead they've given us memorable fights against Guerrero, Ortiz, Clottey and Rios and charged us $75 bucks for them.

How can you talk about "earning a spot" when it comes to Andre Ward? If there is any fighter in the sport today that has "earned his spot" then he is it. People want to crown guys like Golovkin, Kovalev and Thurman Kings of The World and none of them have come close to cleaning out their divisions. If or when they get to Ward's level they will be doing the same thing.

And he hasn't been THAT inactive when you put things in perspective. Part of the layoff was due to injury. You can't fault him for that. Look at the career timeline since the Super 6:

December 2011 - Defeats Carl Froch. Suffers broken left hand.

September 2012 - Defeats Chad Dawson. Gets shoulder Surgery

January 2013 - Starts Rehab For Shoulder Surgery

March 2013 - Cleared for "Light Training"

June 2013 - Cleared to Resume Sparring

August 2013 - Offer is Declined by Edwin Rodriguez

September 2013 - Rodriguez Fight is Finalized

November 2013 - Fights Edwin Rodriguez

So in actuality, we're talking about a 7 month layoff since November 2013 which is due to promotional issues. People are making a way bigger deal about this then it really should be.

[Bigg Rigg]

I swear I don't even care this guy isn't fighting. He's boring to me and I'm perfectly fine with him not being on my boxing schedule.

[MikeRo1972]

I get where Ward is coming from. But he needs to go ahead and take what Goosen gives him (within reason) until he can legally get out of his contract, then jump to one of the big promotors. I get that Goosen sucks but he did get him into the Super 6 based solely on his Amateur/Olympic performance. Just fight whoever's next in line, don't sign any extensions, nor options until your contract is up. The PPVs will be there eventually. PPVs only do well when crossover fans buy the PPV... if you're only known to hardcore fans then what's the point of fighting on a PPV card? The masses will never get to know you fighting on PPVs. We get that he's a P4P talent, we get that he's cleaned out the division. Well, its a double edged sword. When you do that Big names will consider Ward too big a risk to fight, and all that's left is to fight mandatories versus no names. If that isn't to your liking then move up or down your division to look for the big names in other divisions. I know Ward isn't scared of no GGG nor Kovalev so if it's purely about the money then fight your way to your contract's end. Period end of story.

[hitman smax]

Ward vs Kovalev isn't a PPV?

Who is Ward kidding? I'll tell you how that fight goes PPV right now. Both fighters fight on the same card:

Kovalev vs. Fonfara
Ward vs. Pascal

Both fighters win and the PPV fight between Kovalev and Ward is set.

At this point, Kovalev is a bigger draw than Ward, so Ward needs the Pascal win more than Kovalev. At the same time, Kovalev can destroy Fonfara, a guy who gave Stevenson problems, and then a PPV even can be billed.

Kovalev is well on his way to becoming a PPV draw, no doubt about it.

[Boxing Goat]

I am not a racist but I can be prejudice, or at least very biased. For example I don't like fat women they just don't do anything for me. As far as the racist thing is concerned I only said it because you seem to have an obsession with the word because you seem use it quite often. May I suggest you look up the definition of the word because you seem a little confused. With that said, and please don't misunderstand me because they really could in fact be a racist. But simply supporting a certain group of fighters, even if it is defined by race, isn't enough to qualify anyone as being a racist.

I think most people don't actually know the meaning of being prejudice.

Everyone is prejudice and anyone who says otherwise is also a liar.

[Luilun]

Stop the talking and sign the contract Andre

[Edmond Dantes]

Fans are fickle and Ward is aware of this. That's why he's trying to get big fights and only big fights right now. So you say he would receive his regular check but get massive credit? I call false on the latter. He convincingly beat a who's who of super middleweights and watched every name fighter near him move as far away from his as possible. And what's the fan's reaction? "Suck it up and move up a division for little gain!" "Too bad for you ah-ha!" Just weirdness.

What's strange to me is that GGG is a viable opponent for Ward with potential for a decent purse in an MSG showdown. And could just as easily move up to fight Ward because he's sort of in a similar situation as him at 160. Yet the fans make excuses as to why he shouldn't do that and Ward should. Except one has accomplished much much more than the other who is given the benefit of the doubt. Yeah if I'm Ward at this stage, I'd be more concerned with a massive check for my family than getting "massive credit" from the fans.

Quoted for truth.

[Edmond Dantes]

Froch was Ward's Pacquiao AKA the #1a in his division. He beat him already. What Mayweather and Pacquiao are doing is far worse then what Andre Ward is doing. They are clearly the 2 best welterweights in the world but they won't fight each other. Instead they've given us memorable fights against Guerrero, Ortiz, Clottey and Rios and charged us $75 bucks for them.

How can you talk about "earning a spot" when it comes to Andre Ward? If there is any fighter in the sport today that has "earned his spot" then he is it. People want to crown guys like Golovkin, Kovalev and Thurman Kings of The World and none of them have come close to cleaning out their divisions. If or when they get to Ward's level they will be doing the same thing.

And he hasn't been THAT inactive when you put things in perspective. Part of the layoff was due to injury. You can't fault him for that. Look at the career timeline since the Super 6:

December 2011 - Defeats Carl Froch. Suffers broken left hand.

September 2012 - Defeats Chad Dawson. Gets shoulder Surgery

January 2013 - Starts Rehab For Shoulder Surgery

March 2013 - Cleared for "Light Training"

June 2013 - Cleared to Resume Sparring

August 2013 - Offer is Declined by Edwin Rodriguez

September 2013 - Rodriguez Fight is Finalized

November 2013 - Fights Edwin Rodriguez

So in actuality, we're talking about a 7 month layoff since November 2013 which is due to promotional issues. People are making a way bigger deal about this then it really should be.

Another good post

[WilkinsOlajuwon]

Ward vs Kovalev isn't a PPV?

Who is Ward kidding? I'll tell you how that fight goes PPV right now. Both fighters fight on the same card:

Kovalev vs. Fonfara
Ward vs. Pascal

Both fighters win and the PPV fight between Kovalev and Ward is set.

At this point, Kovalev is a bigger draw than Ward, so Ward needs the Pascal win more than Kovalev. At the same time, Kovalev can destroy Fonfara, a guy who gave Stevenson problems, and then a PPV even can be billed.

Kovalev is well on his way to becoming a PPV draw, no doubt about it.

neither ward nor Kovalev are anywhere close to being a PPV draw.

[The Hammer]

This clown's ego has gotten the best of him. I never fell for his holier than thou son of god bull****. Virgil Hunter's either. This primadonna doesn't deserve a PPV fight. Enough of all this "he earned it" garbage. He hasn't kept himself relevant enough for PPV. Not fighting and whining and complaining like a ***** won't get you anywhere Andre. If it wasn't for Kellerman and HBO blowing him during every broadcast, no one would think about him. He did it to himself.

THIS ^^^^

What would Ward have done back in the days when the 168 division didn't exist?

Why does he expect GGG to move up to 168 yet refuses to fight anyone at 175?

Ward is a selfish prima donna who has an exaggerated belief in his own importance. The truth is, he's a boring feather-fisted boxer who needs a home referee to permit him to foul.