Comments Thread For: Andre Ward: I Have To Make Decision Soon - Retire or Do Rematch!

[NaijaD]

this guy needs to shut up and take the rematch.

iu understand that he's probably trying to leverage more money or a favorable split, but ffs dude you can't expect your boss to take a loss on every fight if you threaten to retire. if you don't plan to have a future in boxing there's no reason for a promotor to invest.


might be an element posturing, but it's still a bad look and i do think he'll retire at this stage over taking a step back and fighting on regular premium cable.

I like Ward too but it is a terrible look if he decides to retire, I'm not with all this posturing for money.... the strength of your legacy is essentially on the line with the rematch. He got more than enough money the first time around and unfortunately the PPV figures did not back up his purse. He can't expect to get more, I don't care how much Roc Nation have.... you don't set out to lose money in any business.

I sincerely hopes he commits to the rematch sooner rather than later.

[tokon]

If he retires, I will almost guarantee at some point he will make a comeback. Might be a smart way to avoid rematch.

Yes but to do that will be a really bad look for Ward IMO.

Ward is a clever guy, a good analyst, with a lot of self belief; tougher than some give him credit for.

I think this "retire if it doesn't make sense financially" is a negotiating tactic.

Whilst I do think Ward lost the first fight (and that Ward almost certainly knows this too!), he definitely adapted better and finished the stronger. I think he wants that second fight and believes he can win. He also wants paid well and is trying to secure that.

[hyeduk]

If it's gonna be more difficult for him, then do the rematch and stop begging promoters to stage the fight in Oakland with 3 judges and referee from the U.S. Be a man!

[Eff Pandas]

I'm cool with him retiring. In general I think when you are thinking retirement you should just retire in the fight game. The last sport you wanna compete in for just money when you got a nice pile of money already is a getting hit in the head sport.

I like Ward. I find him to be a talented and skilled cat, but on the entertainment scale he's like a 3 outta 10 for me. I've often compared him to Bhop who I have extremely similar feelings about. So to me the sport of boxing isn't losing much if Ward calls it a career although for Ward I think his legacy will suffer and what he ultimately was capable of will remain a unanswered question.

[SugarRaRobinson]

Ward, please retire. People are tired of your grab and hold style, but more so of your whining and complaining.

Nothing more sickening than a repeated false narrative. Ward hasn't fought that way since the super 6

[The plunger man]

The dilemma he has is that he's not made enough from the sport to live financially sound for the rest of his life and the other dilemma is he has to fight an angry out for revenge kovalev who wants his belts back....wwrd knows he cant beat him in the rematch ...and he lost the first fight as well and he knows it 😜

[The plunger man]

I'm cool with him retiring. In general I think when you are thinking retirement you should just retire in the fight game. The last sport you wanna compete in for just money when you got a nice pile of money already is a getting hit in the head sport.

I like Ward. I find him to be a talented and skilled cat, but on the entertainment scale he's like a 3 outta 10 for me. I've often compared him to Bhop who I have extremely similar feelings about. So to me the sport of boxing isn't losing much if Ward calls it a career although for Ward I think his legacy will suffer and what he ultimately was capable of will remain a unanswered question.

. Very good post pandas :-)

[Eff Pandas]

He got more than enough money the first time around and unfortunately the PPV figures did not back up his purse. He can't expect to get more, I don't care how much Roc Nation have.... you don't set out to lose money in any business.

That's not how it works. Almost always when you are agreeing to a rematch you are agreeing to a certain payday or payday range for the rematch. I'd be willing to bet Ward has a contract that says he gets equal or greater guaranteed money then the first fight along with a equal or greater PPV cut. If Roc Nation, Main Events and HBO can't agree on a deal that assures Ward of that the rematch clause won't even be binding so he's unlikely to need to retire if money is the issue with making a rematch.

Although I'd likely agree Ward fighting and not fighting Kovalev or at least Stevenson next will be a bad look for him.

[mathed]

LMAO, LMAO......... thought the only thing on his mind was Kovalev?

[twosweethooks]

You MUST beat the champ and Ward did NOT come close.

If Ward pulls this Mayweather stunt of retiring to AVOID fighting Kovalev then he is no better that short shlt!!!

Best fight Kovalev or suffer the label Chicken for the rest of yer life !

You lost the first fight Ward and the second you will be KO'd