Comments Thread For: Andre Ward's Perspective on Role Race Plays in How He is Covered

[jdp28tx]

Are u saying because a person reaches success, doesn't mean they can't face opposition, bias and be undermined off their race gender or religion?

Prejudice stops once u accumulate money?

Maybe he's made money in spite of racism

I thought this conversation is in context with his peers within boxing who some, also make millions, but don't face the backlash he does

I brought examples up earlier

Imaginary backlash. The press loves him, HBO loves him, Showtime loved him. Judges love him, Its all made up bull****, its called victimization. Boo hoo I am a victim. I know victims of racism and Ward is not a victim of racism, he is a victim of his own lack of character.

Also, he does not just express an opinion every now and then about how bad he is treated etc,. That is all he does. His tweets, interviews. He never has one without mentioning some sort of imagined slight he has received.

People do not like him because of his style of fighting and his personality. Are you really saying that the only reason that everyone does not like Ward is because they are all racist. That there can be no other reasons available other than racism??? What about black people who do not like him are they racists too?

[Bronx2245]

Ward is right about how one has to be careful of judging someone a racist, because you don't know their motivations. However, here's a head-scratcher: look at the coverage of Kovalev's demand for a rematch, and Jacob's demand for a rematch. If Ward retired, then he's a coward, even though it was Ward who moved up in weight, was undefeated, and an Olympic Gold Medalist (I believe the least U.S. fighter to do so)! The emphasis was that Ward must rematch Kovalev or he's a fraud! Now look at GGG's situation. He's not expected to give Jacobs an immediate rematch, and no one assumes that GGG is a coward. If he chose to fight a much inferior opponent like Saunders, there would be no consequences for that. Floyd had to fight Castillo twice, then Maidana twice, and people are still mad that he didn't fight Manny twice! Why is GGG different? I think it's because HBO consciously or unconsciously desires the Black fighter to be the villain (Ali, Tyson, Mayweather) and not the hero (Ward, Jacobs, Crawford)! They are pushing for the Eastern European fighters to be successful, hoping that will bring in more White viewers! They just aired 3 Eastern European fighters on one night, none of which has more than 15 pro fights. I've never seen anything like that, and I'm damn near 50! I've never seen a 3 fight all-Cuban card on HBO. Anyway, I don't know their intentions but the coverage of someone like Loma is much different than someone like Mikey Garcia or Terence Crawford! That's undeniable! Is Loma special? Yes! Is he anymore special than Mikey or TC? No! I guess as an American, something just doesn't seem right, and I'm trying hard not to see it as a race problem!

[jdp28tx]

All these racism claims that Ward is trying to use is nothing but opportunism. Just because the public thinks he lost the Kov fight he then extrapolates that to racism.

People think Kov wins= Racism in Wards opinion. That is what it all boils down to just because most think he lost to Kov he and all of his fans accuse everyone who disagreed with that bad decision of being racists.

What's ironic is the ones on this site always screaming about racism and throwing down the race card are the most racist. prejudice, misogynistic people on this forum They attack ***s, Latinos, Gays, Women. They say some of the worst things about the above noted. Hell just read what many supposed moralists say about Kathy Duva, call her a *****, horror, all sorts of things.

They are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.

[JJRod]

Many fans turned on Ward because of his actions taken outside the ring.

After the super six the expectations were set high for him. People wanted to continue seeing him fight the best. A huge showdown was set up by Showtime for him to fight Bute, at the time ranked number 2 at SMW, Ward declined.
Other mega fights were talked about, Ward didn't take them. He then spent years in court attempting to leave a legit contract.
When he finally got out of his contract people were anxious to see this guy back only to be disappointed when Ward asked for tune up after tune up.

While all that was happening Kov was on HBO kicking arse and taking names building his fan base one KO at a time.

[miked85]

Imaginary backlash. The press loves him, HBO loves him, Showtime loved him. Judges love him, Its all made up bull****, its called victimization. Boo hoo I am a victim. I know victims of racism and Ward is not a victim of racism, he is a victim of his own lack of character.

Also, he does not just express an opinion every now and then about how bad he is treated etc,. That is all he does. His tweets, interviews. He never has one without mentioning some sort of imagined slight he has received.

People do not like him because of his style of fighting and his personality. Are you really saying that the only reason that everyone does not like Ward is because they are all racist. That there can be no other reasons available other than racism??? What about black people who do not like him are they racists too?

Dude look at u said smmfh

No one is dealing in absolutes in this complex issue

But u r acting like race can not impact on how he's reviewed, marketed, embraced or not

Ward himself even acknowledged the complexity of the topic

Why are u painting him in extreme absolutes

[Ake-Dawg]

After reading the comments...I get why folks are calling Ward smug. It's the only way to speak negatively on the words he uses in response to questions. He is careful with his words and pointed in his opinions. He calls out people like Jubei and Szef and bigdramashow without saying anything derogatory towards them.

[jdp28tx]

Dude look at u said smmfh

No one is dealing in absolutes in this complex issue

But u r acting like race can not impact on how he's reviewed, marketed, embraced or not

Ward himself even acknowledged the complexity of the topic

Why are u painting him in extreme absolutes

You are acting like racism has impacted his career and there is 0 evidence to support such a theory. 0 evidence.
When you make claims of racism you have to back it up with evidence and hard facts and nothing of that sort has been shown. All that has been supplied is innuendo, conjecture, and stereotyping.

He is no Jack Johnson.
If Ward is so concerned about racism then why does he not use his wealth and celebrity to actually defend those who have been victims of racism. For example, why does not he join Black Lives Matter. I will tell you why because he is a selfish self-centered jerk. he is the Michael Jordan of boxing (not talent wise). If he cares so much about racism why does he not follow in Ali's footsteps? He won't do it because it is all about him.

[SplitSecond]

There is a recent 20 minute interview out there, im not, sure this is the one, where he touches on this.

I will just say he has a very warped mind. Like most african americans, they call everything and everyone racist and create rifts.

Has anyone elseelse though of, the and hate guys like are Pacquiao and Golovkin get?

These two are an example of fighters who do everything to pander to the fans., inside and outside of the ring, they are respectable individuals in the public, give off friendly vibes and show up with entertaining the paying public in mind.

Mayweather has been burning bridges and pissing people off in the business for a very, very long time and both him and ward have said they dont care about the fans (and who believes wards claims of not needingbeing to fight theand rematch, hes not doing it foe his fans, LOL, but he's getting paid even more than the first time). They say thingsthat like, that, and because theyhe beat some guy everyone thought they were underdogs to, they excpect the royal treatment from then on. Entitlement. Golovkin and Pacquiao get inxplicable hateto. There is literallya nothing Golovkin can dobe right as has beenbeen shown numerous times in the past (every fight he is exposed, every fighter is a bum, every opponent he is ducking, he's a media fabrication). Pacquiao is faced with the same issue, only difference is his name has seemingly become synonymous with a juicer, its apparantly a fact that Pacquiao juiced. You are really dragging someones name through the mud when you got a former american juicer (who tested positive) on espn ranting on about how you are for sure a juicer and now must not be on the juice because you have slowed down at the age of 36.

This is obviously an american issue. Pacquiao and golovkin have affiliated with them and this is the result, ******ed race hating. And both those guys have it worse because they are not of their race/nationality, it is like I said, unprovoked, its just to protect their own, and they go about it thw only way they know how.

[miked85]

You are acting like racism has impacted his career and there is 0 evidence to support such a theory. 0 evidence.
When you make claims of racism you have to back it up with evidence and hard facts and nothing of that sort has been shown. All that has been supplied is innuendo, conjecture, and stereotyping.

He is no Jack Johnson.

Lmao the measure of racism is jack Johnson? That's it? So in other words u don't recognize covert racism and aggression?

Ok fine your perspective

But I want to warn you

Just because lynchings aren't happening doesn't mean racism is over

[SkillspayBills]

The fact that ESPN anointed GGG p4p number 1 after having a fight as close as Ward did AGAINST A MUCH LOWER CALIBER OF FIGHTER tells you all you need to know about the standards the media has for certain fighters. **** them and **** the people that support that line of thinking.