Comments Thread For: Video: Virgil Hunter on GGG-Brook, Ward's Career, Crawford

[ruedboy]

It was interesting when Hunter talked about the mistake people make when they compare size difference in fighters.
He said density was the important thing.When Khan moved up in weight he never looked like his frame could handle the weight, he just didn't have the "density".
Brook looks like he has it. Alvarez looks denser than Golovkin and probably walks around at close to 190. Kovalev is another guy whose not heavily muscled but has that density as does Ward.

[MDPopescu]

*172 lbs.
And even though Smith was fighting at 168 before, he also fought higher than that previously, and he came in overweight into that fight. I would guess both fighters wanted it to be above 168.

Ward was inactive for 2 years.. when you're not fighting, the training is not the same. You do a little more weights, a little less cardio, and lo and behold you're dealing with extra 5 lbs of muscle. You could see the changes in Ward during the Barrera fight. He definitely moved a lot less, and he talked about it.. how when fighters age they learn to do more with less.

If I had to bet, I'd guess Ward could have made 168 in 2015. But it would not have been pleasant or easy.

... 172lb?... my bad...

... My (actual) point was that Ward came back as a LHW, in 2015, and immediately called out Golovkin at 168, in 2017 and after some 1-2 tune-ups... and, yesterday, Hunter stated that Andre Ward was "a scaled down light heavyweight."

... Now you tell me: who was actually bluffing back in 2015?

[aboutfkntime]

Ward's comeback fight in 2015 was at a contracted weight of 170lb... and not at 168 -- where Paul Smith was actually fighting...
Now figure out why by yourselves...

why " figure out why "..... ?

It is clearly obvious why, plus Ward even stated why himself.

Put your tin-foil hat away genius..... Ward was 31yo and he had been inactive for 18 months, so he was working his way back down to 168 over the course of 2-3 fights..... just to make it easier for him to get back into the groove, which is exactly what Mikey Garcia just did.

That is CLEARLY obvious, and perfectly normal.

Do you actually have anything important to moan about ?

Did the "Ward wouldn't dare fight Kovalev" line, lose some traction ?

[killakali]

virgil even said up 7 lbs ain't a big deal

[j0zef]

... 172lb?... my bad...

... My (actual) point was that Ward came back as a LHW, in 2015, and immediately called out Golovkin at 168, in 2017 and after some 1-2 tune-ups... and, yesterday, Hunter stated that Andre Ward was "a scaled down light heavyweight."

... Now you tell me: who was actually bluffing back in 2015?

I don't think either guy was bluffing, I think Ward/his management overplayed their hand.

Yes, Ward came back and fought at 172, and he was definitely heavier than he was in 2013.. but if they agreed with Golovkin's camp, I think he would have been able to make 168.

[aboutfkntime]

*172 lbs.
And even though Smith was fighting at 168 before, he also fought higher than that previously, and he came in overweight into that fight. I would guess both fighters wanted it to be above 168.

Ward was inactive for 2 years.. when you're not fighting, the training is not the same. You do a little more weights, a little less cardio, and lo and behold you're dealing with extra 5 lbs of muscle. You could see the changes in Ward during the Barrera fight. He definitely moved a lot less, and he talked about it.. how when fighters age they learn to do more with less.

If I had to bet, I'd guess Ward could have made 168 in 2015. But it would not have been pleasant or easy.

thanks for your honesty, I know you're not a Ward guy

Ward was in that middle-ground..... where he could still make 168 if he focused on SMW, but just as easily move up and start adapting to 175.

He said that Smith at 172 was just to see how he felt and blow out some cobwebs while getting back into the groove..... and then immediately following the Smith fight back in July 2015 Ward approached Team Golovkin and offered them a fight at 168..... so, thats all she wrote on the subject.

[Boxfan83]

Thanks Virgil for being honest.

Ward fans, you finally have it here, from Andre's trainer himself. Andre Ward at 168 was "a scaled down light heavyweight." Outside the gym, "if he did nothing," he would be 200 pounds. Even in the gym, he weighs 188 some days, 186 some days, 190 some days.

GGG in the gym weighs 170. Outside the gym I'm not sure he hits 180 either. So when both are in the gym, Andre Ward is naturally 15 to 20 pounds heavier. Outside the gym, Andre Ward is naturally 20 pounds heavier at least.

Those are the facts. After Kovalev-Ward, I still hope we see GGG-Ward, but the size advantage for Ward needs to be addressed. Canelo had to fight at a catch weight against Floyd, so this fight should probably be around 165, right? Or 166, two pounds below the limit, like Floyd vs Canelo. Otherwise you have a power puncher fighting a boxer 15 - 20 pounds heavier than him, and his main advantage, power, is lessened substantially by having to punch someone 15 - 20 pounds heavier. The reason Floyd-Canelo was interesting was because the smaller guy was the faster guy, the boxer, so he didn't have to rely on hurting a bigger fighter to win. But now the puncher would be 15 - 20 pounds smaller, which kind of defeats the purpose. A catch weight would definitely be in order here to have a fair playing field.

As a Ward fan, I have no problem whatsoever saying Ward is/was the bigger man. Its plain as day really BUT team GGG shouldve kept Wards name out of their mouth! If you cant hang with the big dogs dont bark because if you do you might just get bit. And besides you are basically asking for a 32 year old 190lb man to boil down to 165 for a man that weighs 170? wow! Talk about a fighter/team wanting use the scales to an advantage. Besides, honestly deep down I feel if Ward wouldve called their bluff and said hed boil down GGG's team wouldve drew another line in the sand and asked Ward to cross it, thats their game, the old Bugs Bunny trick...

[aboutfkntime]

MDpopescu....

stop fretting, Ward has moved on

lil'G can come out from under the covers now

[Ake-Dawg]

... 172lb?... my bad...

... My (actual) point was that Ward came back as a LHW, in 2015, and immediately called out Golovkin at 168, in 2017 and after some 1-2 tune-ups... and, yesterday, Hunter stated that Andre Ward was "a scaled down light heavyweight."

... Now you tell me: who was actually bluffing back in 2015?

Contracted at 172...he came in at 171 and was looking to come down to 168 for a Golovkin fight this year after ONE tune up. That tune up would have likely been Brand at 168 last November. Maybe 2017 was Loeffler not Ward. As of the scaled down comment from Hunter, he prefaced the comment with the phrase at this point.

[j0zef]

As a Ward fan, I have no problem whatsoever saying Ward is/was the bigger man. Its plain as day really BUT team GGG shouldve kept Wards name out of their mouth! If you cant hand with the big dogs dont bark because if you do you might just get bit. And besides you are basically asking for a 32 year old 190lb man to boil down to 165 for a man that weighs 170? wow! Talk about a fighter/team wanting use the scales to an advantage. Besides, honestly deep down I feel if Ward wouldve called their bluff and said hed boil down GGG's team wouldve drew another line in the sand and asked Ward to cross it, thats their game, the old Bugs Bunny trick...

Two errors in that. Golovkin was asked about Andre Ward as far back as 2012. That's when he was asked if he would fight Ward - and he said yes. Ward was not interested at that time, and then had promotional issues with Goosen. Since then, they kept talking about each other. If you're trying to blame Golovkin or his team for talking about Ward, that's hypocritical. They've talked enough **** about each other over the years.

Second, I've explained multiple times that the whole 164 CW crap happened after the fight was dead for months. It was not a demand and it was not an offer. It was an off-hand comment from Loeffler that took a life of its own. Both the nuthuggers and the haters latched onto it and twisted it to their own agenda.
When they were talking about that fight in early 2015, it was Ward's desire for tuneups that scattered that fight. I do not blame Andre for that, he was coming off a long layoff. That's just how it fell. Golovkin was in line for a Cotto shot, who was a lineal MW champ and a big payday. There's nobody on the planet who would have agreed to the Ward fight and risk a potential showdown with Cotto. In hindsight, if we knew that Cotto and Canelo would be full of baloney, he should have taken Ward's deal and fought him this spring. But that's hindsight - it's always 20/20.

As for the 'lines in the sand', that's not true in any shape or form. Golovkin's team has never made anyone jump through hoops to get a fight with him. He has never priced himself out, he has never insisted on a catchweight and he has always offered to meet the other guy half way. When he said he'd fight Floyd, he said he would meet Floyd at 154. When he got the fight with Gabriel Rosado, who was coming from 154, his camp offered a 157 CW, which Rosado rejected.

Sanchez talks a lot of crap and contradicts himself sometimes, and Tom Loeffler is 'too nice' when talking to other promoters, but overall, Golovkin's team is exemplary.