As a Ward fan if he doesnt rematch Kovalev then he tarnishes his career

[Jewish-Reptile]

For me it doesn't matter how close this fight was, it's still a loss at the end of the day. Plus I also try to rate potential of a fighter at the current moment, that's why TC and Lomachenko are higher on my p4p list than aging Kovalev - his last performances were not that impressive.

I'm confident that Andre Ward will end up in Hall of Fame. I can say that TC and Loma have the potential to become hall of famers. Kovalev? Not so sure about, he's aging and he doesn't have a lot of time to improve his resume, and nobody needs him without belts - he's high risk/low reward, I think boxing fans will forget about him in 2-3 years.



This fight was supposed to be for 1 p4p spot of my list, but they're both showed some flaws that night, and p4p leader supposed to be a level above the rest of the boxing world, that's just my opinion

Well I don't agree with the potential goes towards ranking a p4p fighting I believe it is all about accomplishment in the present, to date, recent. You dig ?

I think nothing was ever certain and a close fight may very well attribute one of them not being leagues above the other, bare in mind hnestly what has Gonzalez achieved that Ward has not, for me Ward is leagues ahead of Gonzalez. Maybe I just refuse to recognise his accomplishments as Ward has truly fought the best of the best not the best of the rest.

Kovalev has been on a tear, showcased against Ward he can cut it neck and neck with the very best, ultimately falling narrowly short, who has Lomachenko fought and defeated to suggest he's on a level above Kovalev last I saw he lost to Salido a very technically limited fighter who really won by out hustling this current man claimed to be an heir to the throne, when Ward out hustled Kovalev I never saw Salido being given the kudos and pound for pound ranking Ward is given or Loma for that matter after he's regrouped and got back to winning ways he has shown their is a blueprint to beat him for Ward no such thing exists.

By your own rationale Lomachenko lost, a loss is a loss right ?

[-PBP-]

The problem is the fight flopped at the box office. Who can stage the fight and make a profit with Ward's purse demands? He would have to take a pay cut but why TF would he do that?

[g27region]

Well I don't agree with the potential goes towards ranking a p4p fighting I believe it is all about accomplishment in the present, to date, recent. You dig ?

For me, it's accomplishments mixed with the current potential of a fighter
If it was only about accomplishments I'd have Klichko and Pacquiao at the top of my list. If it was only about the potential I'd have a lot of unknown fighters in my p4p list

who has Lomachenko fought and defeated to suggest he's on a level above Kovalev

See, I was calling Lomachenko unproven before Walters fight, even called him a "bum" few times before. After Walters fight I really can't do that anymore even if I wanted to. The thing is, at some point a lot of fans thought Walters is the biggest challenge to Lomachenko. Boxing fans were saying Lomachenko has to beat Walters to prove himself and that's what he did. Fans were saying Kovalev has to beat Ward and Stevenson to prove himself. Stevenson fight didn't happen, and he lost to Ward.

By your own rationale Lomachenko lost, a loss is a loss right ?

At least, Lomachenko made himself relevant again with his fights. It was his second pro fight and it was obvious he had plenty of opportunities even after that loss. It was just beggining of his pro career and he's having a good win streak right now. Kovalev doesn't have same opportunities and far from being rookie in a pro boxing. That's the difference. If he can prove me wrong with winning some relevant fights in the future I'll rate him higher. But I think everybody will forget about him soon. Boxing world doesn't need fighters like Kovalev anyway (never liked him as a person, he represents Russia in a negative way, hot headed, ignorant and undisciplined) and he's not a hall of fame material

[NEETzsche]

The problem is the fight flopped at the box office. Who can stage the fight and make a profit with Ward's purse demands? He would have to take a pay cut but why TF would he do that?

Because even with a slight pay cut it'll still pay more than any other fight, and it will certainly pay more than retirement

[-PBP-]

Because even with a slight pay cut it'll still pay more than any other fight, and it will certainly pay more than retirement

Ok. Now be realistic. You know how Ward is. You think he will settle for less, as the champion in this round of negotiations? The same guy that sat out 2 years and is already one of the hardest people to negotiate with?

[NaijaD]

Because even with a slight pay cut it'll still pay more than any other fight, and it will certainly pay more than retirement

Exactly.... Wards purse demands are not reasonable given the PPV numbers. He's not going to find the money elsewhere so why stall?

Ward just needs to make a decision as soon as possible, Kovalev said he's ready to start camp so it's Ward we're waiting for. If he's going to make unreasonable demands then retire and be done with it.

[soul_survivor]

YOU THINK HE AINT, Thats exactly how it is.

That's still hilarious

[billeau2]

It will happen but Kovalev may have to take less than last time for Ward to get the number he wants which last I checked was 5m, I don't see both reaching the numbers they got last time and it may be best for Ward to beat Beterbiev on a Canadian show cast before a rematch to generate bigger numbers down the stretch for a Kovalev rematch. Beterbiev vs Ward as a PPV in Canada may increase interest for an American PPV rematch. Ward will likely get 5m again, I don't believe he will in an immediate rematch not even with Kovalev forfeiting a large portion of his cut last out.

Let's not confuse things, Ward will only fight for what he feels is his worth. He took 18 months of his career out to break free of a contract he felt did not pay him his worth, ultimately he failed but it shows you the lengths upon which he will go to to get what he feels is just. Ward is slowly becoming an anti hero, that type of fan base f@gots tune in to hope you lose, with talk like this all I believe he is dohng is alienating them further, it's all psychological but I'm of the belief this is more a message to Kovalev than the fans.

Larry should know better than to post this stuff, for me he is one of the posters I hold in high regard on this site and their is some typical fan boy shyt here without really having read between the lines.

Ward's sense of self entitlement figures into this no doubt. its a familiar archetype, for example larry Holmes, who always begrudged the media because they compared him to Ali... Or Jones, feeling like he should be paid more to fight. Mayweather was part of that as well, except when he fought oscar something magical happened for him.

There are other things that are irksome. usually when a promoter who does good work, someone like Arum or King, both horrible human beings, has a fight to promote, the promoter makes their presence known, and by extension, the fight is promoted. You just don't get the sense people who are supposed to be making this fight ugly, in the face, are working. Thats my sense and that scares me because the numbers need to be good enough for this to happen.

It is possible another fight for Ward will help. The reasons for this are numerous and include: Ward getting exposure, WArd perhaps relishing the role as the heel (ducking Kovalev), etc. Maybe so.

[billeau2]

Exactly.... Wards purse demands are not reasonable given the PPV numbers. He's not going to find the money elsewhere so why stall?

Ward just needs to make a decision as soon as possible, Kovalev said he's ready to start camp so it's Ward we're waiting for. If he's going to make unreasonable demands then retire and be done with it.

What you are saying is not false, but if you think clearly about it, you can see why there are problems. Ward's purse demands are part and parcel of having certain expectations. one expectation is that the people you give a lot of the revenue to... Promote the fight so that the fighter takes home reasonable money. Five million dollars for an elite fighter...after taxes, paying assorted team members, etc is not that much money. It does not matter what the numbers say...at some point the people responsible for making the numbers jump have to do their job.

I often joke because Dante master of death, deadly martial artist lol, (real name John Keenan and he was a hair dresser!) to promote what was the first full contact tournament for martial arts perhaps in this country, around the 1960's literally walked a bull down the busiest street in Chicago telling people he would be taking the Bull's horn off with a knife hand strike.

Don King and Arum, even at their age, would do the same thing and more!!! if it took it to bring interest to a fight. I just don't see the promoters here doing anything!!! 5 million is not a lot of money, this fight could be handled a lot better, regardless of Ward's demands.

Tell people that ***** has money on Kovalev! walk a bull...do what it takes to promote the fight and we may not have this problem.

[Weltschmerz]

The contract was written, he accepted AND IT WAS A RAZOR CLOSE FIGHT!!! a true champion wants to erase all doubts..retiring off of that is laughable and disgraceful..Seriously win or lose the next fight you will be held in high respect (by reasonable boxing fans) and if you lose we get a trilogy...Man up and push forward champ..all this retirement talk is making you look very bad

Well well, lots of respect that you said this.