Andre Ward not even thinking about WBC Champ Adonis Stevenson nor becoming Undisputed

[-Kev-]

Ward's reasoning is correct.

I think some of the moves he’s made over the last couple of years, he has a belt, he’s earned the belt and he’s defended it and you’ve got to respect that but I just think he had the opportunity to get in the mix and I just think he didn’t take that opportunity for whatever reason. Honestly he’s not really a guy that I think about,” Andre Ward said.

True, although Adonis chose to go with Haymon and stay with Showtime, this is all true. Stevenson made some moves that lead him to be frozen out of Kovalev/Hopkins winner.

“I think he’s coming to the party late. He’s had several years … and for whatever reason, I’m not involved in every part of their business, but it didn’t work out and I think you have to beat the best to be best and Sergey was the best in his division and I beat him and now I’m the best in this division.”

Also true. Stevenson vs Kovalev not happening was Duva and HBO's fault for not wanting to work with Showtime, but in the end, again, it was A.S. who chose to go with Haymon/SHO. And yes, Ward came up from 168 after his surgery, removed the rust with Smith, a good fighter in Barrera, and Brand and then fought Kovalev almost in no time at all after his injury/promotional issues.

If the fight can happen, I would like to see it. But I don't know what's all the fake little fan pressure on Ward to fight an HBO fighter. He has Kovalev coming up, and I see people talking about Ward vs Stevenson and Beterbiev, and not Kovalev vs Stevenson and Beterbiev.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Are you being serious? You can say what you want about Kov, Ward, Pascal, etc. You lost me when you included Hopkins. Hopkins doesn't duck anyone....

You don't remember him leaving Showtime to go to HBO to fight Kovalev for less money than he was gonna make fighting Stevenson on Showtime?

[Outwest Exp 355]

Kovalev already ducked Stevenson. He's not gonna fight him either. Stevenson has been ducked by Ward (at 168), Kovalev, Hopkins, and Pascal.

They ducked the purse bid but they had their reasons. Kovalev was willing to fight Stevenson on the cheap before. I don't think he's afraid. However I think Duva screwed up by not siding with Haymon and leveraging more money out of HBO. But I guess that's what lightweight promoters do. Anything to get off of NBCSports lol.

[Outwest Exp 355]

Kovalev and Duva already ducked the purse bid. At this point there is a much higher chance that Ward fights Stevenson then Kovalev.

The reason is simple, once Ward schools Kovalev in the rematch, you haters will be looking hard for someone to kill Ward for you, and Stevenson will be the only one available. So you clowns will put pressure on Ward to fight Stevenson and the fight will become big as a result, with Ward getting called a duck left right and centre.

He'll have no choice but to take the fight.

If Kova were to win (unlikely), yawl will just make excuses for him not to take the Stevenson fight like you been doing all along. Anything to protect your boy.

WTF are you talking about? I'm no Kovalev fan I just think it's the easiest fight to make for Adonis. I'm a Stevenson fan dumbass.

[FLY TY]

Translation: Stevenson's left hand is too dynamic and I want no parts of that. That's why I hope Kovalev wins decisively. And it wouldn't take 5 to 6 mil to get Stevenson in the ring either.

Lol.


Ward's in no danger of losing to a 1 handed fighter.

[Eff Pandas]

LOL this f#cking guy & Stevenson cracks me up every time.

Respect on looking out for your brother or employer or whatever is going on here. You're loyal I'll give you that so I'm rooting on you getting a job with a more respected fighter in the future.

[LoadedWraps]

By John Dennen - June 16, 2017
ANDRE WARD knows he and Sergey Kovalev are fighting for supremacy in the light-heavyweight division, with the WBO, WBA and IBF titles on the line in their rematch on Saturday (June 17). Despite holding the WBC title Adonis Stevenson does not factor into the equation. After a series of soft defences over recent years he is far out in the cold.

“Right now that’s not something that’s really on my radar. Stevenson, I think he’s a good fighter, I think he’s got a lot of buzz in Canada but I think some of the moves he’s made over the last couple of years, he has a belt, he’s earned the belt and he’s defended it and you’ve got to respect that but I just think he had the opportunity to get in the mix and I just think he didn’t take that opportunity for whatever reason. Honestly he’s not really a guy that I think about,” Andre Ward said. “I think he’s coming to the party late. He’s had several years … and for whatever reason, I’m not involved in every part of their business, but it didn’t work out and I think you have to beat the best to be best and Sergey was the best in his division and I beat him and now I’m the best in this division.”

“As far as Stevenson I really don’t have even an opinion about him,” he added. “I respect him, he’s a champion but that’s as far as I go.”

He also warned Stevenson not to bother him after the fight. “He can come but just respect my space, man. Don’t get in the ring, I don’t do that stuff. He can come, I don’t stop him coming, he should come,” he said.
Rather than dwelling on the tantalising possibility of unifying all four belts in the division, it is all about this fight. “I’m on a mission to get in the ring, defend my belts and glorify God and go home and kiss my wife and kids. That’s the mission,” Ward said.

While Ward wouldn’t rule out trying to win a title in a third weight class, his days at super-middleweight are behind him. As he prepares to make 175lbs today, he said, “It’s not a struggle but it’s not easy. In the middle of that, that’s where I’m at now. I’ve got to be aware of what I’m eating. If I just let myself go I can get up into the mid 90s easy. If I’m diligent which I am in training camps I shouldn’t have any problems. No sauna, no sweatsuits nothing like that. But last couple of weeks you’ve got to be mindful and you should be aware of what you’re putting in your body and how much.

“I’ll never go back down. Once you go up, you can’t come down. Unless you can go up out of your weight class to take an opportunity but if you build yourself up and go to another weight class I think that’s a cardinal sin, you can’t come back down. MMA guys do it and they seem to have success and I don’t know how but for boxers it’s never worked out ever, it’s not a good thing.”

“I know what I’ve accomplished, I’m secure in that. I feel like I have a good grip on what I try to bring to the sport,” he said. While Ward doesn’t have much left to prove, fighting in Europe is one of his goals. He thinks about it “all the time”.

He added, “I’ve been wanting to do that for years. That’s a whole other beast out there. I love it, I respect it, I’ve been out there several times I would love to partake in something like that. I’ve got close a couple of times, it just didn’t happen, [Carl] Froch and guys like that, talking the O2, Wembley, it just didn’t work out. I’d love to, definitely. Anything’s possible.”

Source: http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/andr...nis-stevenson/

It's hilarious to hear Ward talk about Stevensons "recent activity" considering before the Kovalev fight, Ward hadn't done chit in YEARS.



And he's setting up his excuses for when he loses by stoppage to Kovalev, so he doesn't have to face an equally if not more devastating puncher in Superman.

[bluzi]

Ward's reasoning is correct.



True, although Adonis chose to go with Haymon and stay with Showtime, this is all true. Stevenson made some moves that lead him to be frozen out of Kovalev/Hopkins winner.



Also true. Stevenson vs Kovalev not happening was Duva and HBO's fault for not wanting to work with Showtime, but in the end, again, it was A.S. who chose to go with Haymon/SHO. And yes, Ward came up from 168 after his surgery, removed the rust with Smith, a good fighter in Barrera, and Brand and then fought Kovalev almost in no time at all after his injury/promotional issues.

If the fight can happen, I would like to see it. But I don't know what's all the fake little fan pressure on Ward to fight an HBO fighter. He has Kovalev coming up, and I see people talking about Ward vs Stevenson and Beterbiev, and not Kovalev vs Stevenson and Beterbiev.

You must be crazy , before Ward stepped up to fight Kov we had 1000 threads about Stevenson vs Kov , the matter of fact is the everyone wants to see the best fighting the best , and if Ward comes out with the belts tomorrow then HE is the man we need to see with Adonis , if its Kov then its Kov vs Adonis we want , simple.

[Outwest Exp 355]

Lol.


Ward's in no danger of losing to a 1 handed fighter.

He will when that one hand is so dynamic you know it's coming and can't do **** about it. But he will never fight him so it doesn't matter.

[Derranged]

Kovalev already ducked Stevenson. He's not gonna fight him either. Stevenson has been ducked by Ward (at 168), Kovalev, Hopkins, and Pascal.

Stevenson ducked Kovalev when the fight would've been much easier to make. Just stop it already....

Edit: It was a business move, neither fighter is afraid of the other.