Why Does Andre Ward Not Move Up to 175lbs and fight Sergey Kovalev?

[M Bison]

What if they offer him a career pay day to fight Kovalev?

Can Kovalevs promoters afford that or... would they be willing to do it?

We don't know how much money Kov vs Ward would generate, to us they're the elite of the boxing world but to the casual most people they know is the obvious two of our current generation.

[IMDAZED]

So how is Golovkin ducking him?

I don't think GGG is ducking. Don't think he's in a rush to move up for the same reasons Ward isn't in a rush to move up: The fighters a division below bring in more coin.

[IMDAZED]

contracts aren't permanent, who's to say stevenson et al wouldn't become available at some point once ward moved up. hopkins for instance seems fairly confident right now that he can make the kovalev fight. if ward is set on waiting for golovkin then he could be waiting for a long time - options at 160 lbs will continue to open for golovkin as his drawing power increases, and it's not as if ward is such a big draw that anyone will go out of their way to fight him.

i don't think he's right to wait. inactivity will make him irrelevant and will presumably affect his skills too.

Well Stevenson is not available now so it doesn't matter. Plus, Ward is in litigation so I don't see him fighting for a while.

[Rustle Wilson]

Easy and simple answer here. GGG is an easier fight (on paper) and he has a bigger name. Kovalev just isn't that important and really hasn't done much @ 175 to make the fight worthwhile as of right now. He isn't even the definitive #1. If Ward moves up to fight anyone it'll obviously be Stevenson. Bigger money fight, with a more popular and proven opponent.

[King_]

get ready to watch it on ppv, man.


i've gone over this 100 times.

HBO paid ward two million to fight rodriguez. he will obviosuly want more for kovalev. HBO can't pay him much more than two million for one fight. they also have to pay kovalev, who is a draw himself on their network, and who commands solid money.


just get ready to pay $60 for it.

I have no problem with it on PPV. This is a PPV fight.


I mean if he doesn't fight Kovalev, is he just going to retire? Because there isn't anyone better for him to fight lol

[.:: JSFD26 ::.]

Glovokin > Ward > Kovalev

Buncha ducking not enough fighting.

[Hougigo]

He's in litigation right now. Don't see anything happening.

Ward? Did he use a third time?

[Hougigo]

I have no problem with it on PPV. This is a PPV fight.


I mean if he doesn't fight Kovalev, is he just going to retire? Because there isn't anyone better for him to fight lol

Ward kovalev? Not yet.... If kovalev fights Hopkins and eins, only then is it PPV

[M Bison]

Ward kovalev? Not yet.... If kovalev fights Hopkins and eins, only then is it PPV

Agreed, its PPV sales wont do well at all If they tried it.

Its neither Ward or Kovalevs fault though, they've just not been advertised properly so casual fight fans will actually know who is who.

[KOVALEV]

Because 168 is a richer division, because he is Champ there and still makes weight comfortably, because its the smarter option for himself. Let say he goes up to 175 and beats Kovalev then what no credit Kovalev will be touted as overhyped just as Mattysse, or if he loses then what Glass Jaw/Hypejob/Lost the fire? The money fights are at 168 the opponents are at 168.

Kovalev Stevenson Dawson or JCC Jr, Froch, Groves/Degale, and possibly GGG at some point.

Its the smarter option and the $$$ option.

I think the better question is why should he have to move up? Really I don't understand.

The real criticism should be activity not weight.