Andre Ward's path to PPV stardom ... ?

[Finito2K]

Who said anything about GGG?

[Pigeons]

Ward-Dawson #7 cable fight in 2012 (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxing...6022--box.html).

Ward-Rodriguez #11 cable fight in 2013 (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/despite...204009683.html).

[fanofslug]

Ward's a consummate boxer but I wouldn't watch him for free. He is BORING! I don't watch anyone with KO ratio less than 60-65 per cent! I've realised that if a boxer's KO ratio is less than 60 per cent then invariably he's not worth watching, unless he's facing someone with a higher KO rario. I haven't been wrong yet. I don't have time to admire the oh so beautiful skills on display. I have a life to live!

[Vasyl’s dad]

PPV star? He isn't even a subscription tv star. Get off basic cable first.

[Finito2K]

The Kovalev fight is the last bout on Ward's deal with HBO; with that out of the way, Roc Nation(representing Ward) and GYM(representing Stevenson) can come together, look for the broadcaster that delivers the best deal to the fighters, and follow the best possible deal (like any sensible promoter would do).

400k-600k(depending on the opponent and hype for the show) PPV homes will see Ward fight on Cotto's show, 200k-400k PPV homes will likely see Ward take on HBO's 175 boogeyman, and 300k-500k PPV homes will likely see Andre Ward unify the 175 weight class for the first time since Roy Jones Jr did it.

An active, American, Olympic gold medalist, who is now again active, and is earnestly a wholesome good guy has far bigger crossoever potential than you seem willing to give any credit for.

1. Chances are any PPV headlined by Miguel Cotto will do solid numbers regardless of who's appearing on the co-feature.

2. Ward-Kovalev is the kind of main event that used to headline HBO's World Championship Boxing. A platform that reaches a bigger audience than PPV.

3. 200-400k buys for Ward-Kovalev in their PPV debut? Canelo-Cotto did 350K and those two are established draws.

Pernell Whittaker was an Olympic gold medalist. His crossover appeal = 0.

[-PBP-]

His layoff was a setback. I'd be shocked if he hits 1.2m like he used to. I'm expecting 900-1m with a relatively unknown opponent.

It all depends on what kind of magic Jay Z can do. He needs to get young African Americans back into boxing. Can he get Ward that mainstream attention with his status in the world of entertainment? He needs to tap into a new group of fans because the Mexican and Euro fanbases that dominate boxing right now won't gravitate towards Ward.

At age 32 it might be too late. Floyd was built up as a teenager right out of the Olympics.

[NaijaD]

Can't see Ward ever being a PPV star sadly, his style isn't casual friendly, even some true fans of the support are turned off by his style.... and the state of the sport makes it even harder to become a star now.

GGG, who was as hyped up as anyone, with a fan friendly style couldn't do it either, is back on regular HBO and is likely to stay there without a Canelo fight.

Ward just has to settle for having a good legacy in the sport.... There were many talented boxers before him that never became PPV stars. He's still making good money as it is. We are not likely to see any Mayweathers or Pacs for a while.

[Scipio2009]

I just can't see Ward fighting 4 times in less than 12 months. If he does, it's all down to the level of his performance. If he goes 9 rounds with a journeyman, his PPVs will suck.

His best bet is to beat Kov in an entertaining affair.

why not? It's not like Ward not fighting has had a massive chunk to do with injuries (though that was some of it); Ward was on about a 3 fights per year pace during the Super Six, with the pace being at about 4 fights per year in the build up before the tournament. You add that now, fighting at light heavyweight, he's not really taking much weight off of his body.

Getting onto the Cotto card would be the sketchiest of the turnarounds (at only two months), but he'd still have 5 months to the Kovalev fight, and then another 4 months for a proverbial fight with Stevenson.

With Ward's fitness being what it seems to be, a three-month stretch between fights, for a guy who no longer has to really cut weight, isn't all that impossible.

[Scipio2009]

1. Chances are any PPV headlined by Miguel Cotto will do solid numbers regardless of who's appearing on the co-feature.

2. Ward-Kovalev is the kind of main event that used to headline HBO's World Championship Boxing. A platform that reaches a bigger audience than PPV.

3. 200-400k buys for Ward-Kovalev in their PPV debut? Canelo-Cotto did 350K and those two are established draws.

Pernell Whittaker was an Olympic gold medalist. His crossover appeal = 0.

1) Cotto's card doing a solid number, helps Roc Nation develop Ward, on PPV and in New York [Ward only just turning 32, with the time off largely not having to do with any injuries and still staying in the gym, would have me figuring that he has 2-3 prime years of fighting left in him, before the body starts to go. From Roc Nation's standpoint, that's anywhere from 6-9 top fights that they've got from Ward]

2) Ward-Kovalev is the kind of fight that would headline on HBO Championship Boxing, but with HBO now unwilling to pay for meaningful big fights, the fight inherently moves to PPV

... the fact that you earnestly seem to believe that Cotto-Alvare only did 350k in PPV buys let it set in that you're just here to troll. have fun with that.

[El Jesus]

whats odd is ward is largely the exact opposiste of floyd in personality but he "has no personality" you guys gotta pick one