If Ward beats Stevenson.

[GhostofDempsey]

Nope. Three fights at LHW doesn't place him in the ATG category at that weight. Stevenson is not a great win anyway, and Kovalev got robbed in their first fight. Top 25 as a SMW, but that's it.

[WhatDisButtonDo]

No. He hasen't had enough fights at LHW to be rated. He's a top 15 SMW.

[maenyfresh]

Nope. Three fights at LHW doesn't place him in the ATG category at that weight. Stevenson is not a great win anyway, and Kovalev got robbed in their first fight. Top 25 as a SMW, but that's it.

If Kov had beaten Ward twice and then go on to beat Stevenson as well, would you place him top 25 LHW ATG?

[Kigali]

If Kov had beaten Ward twice and then go on to beat Stevenson as well, would you place him top 25 LHW ATG?

He'd rank Kova #1 ATG

[GhostofDempsey]

If Kov had beaten Ward twice and then go on to beat Stevenson as well, would you place him top 25 LHW ATG?

Still no. Three fights doesn't get him there, especially not against that level of opposition. Let him clean out the division against Gvozdyk, Beterbiev, Jack, maybe Bivol at the end of it, then we can start talking ATG status as a LHW.

[Madison Boxing]

no chance. his two wins over kovalev were highly controversial, the guys a fraud.

[Vlad_]

no chance. his two wins over kovalev were highly controversial, the guys a fraud.

[Kigali]

no chance. his two wins over kovalev were highly controversial, the guys a fraud.

Ward owns Kovalev

He was turning his back to him and looking to quit.

Get over it an move on.

[maenyfresh]

Still no. Three fights doesn't get him there, especially not against that level of opposition. Let him clean out the division against Gvozdyk, Beterbiev, Jack, maybe Bivol at the end of it, then we can start talking ATG status as a LHW.

Thing is Ward seems to be wanting to chase legacy and greatness, so he doesn't want to wait around at LHW for everyone to grow balls to eventually fight him. Remember he was the top guy at LMW (after cleaning it out) and still nobody wanted to fight him, Froch even ducked a rematch with him (he basically became a Rigo of that division).

I would think it would be better to beat the consensus top 2 guys at LHW and take out one or more of the cruiser weight champs to solidify his legacy. If he tried to clean out LHW, all the young boys will try and avoid him until he gets old. And if he does get to fight and beat them all, people will just say that the division was weak or that they were unoroven GUARANTEED. Honestly nobody seems to really want it with Ward at LHW except for Stevenson.

[GhostofDempsey]

Thing is Ward seems to be wanting to chase legacy and greatness, so he doesn't want to wait around at LHW for everyone to grow balls to eventually fight him. Remember he was the top guy at LMW (after cleaning it out) and still nobody wanted to fight him, Froch even ducked a rematch with him (he basically became a Rigo of that division).

I would think it would be better to beat the consensus top 2 guys at LHW and take out one or more of the cruiser weight champs to solidify his legacy. If he tried to clean out LHW, all the young boys will try and avoid him until he gets old. And if he does get to fight and beat them all, people will just say that the division was weak or that they were unoroven GUARANTEED. Honestly nobody seems to really want it with Ward at LHW except for Stevenson.

Ward stalled his own career with lawsuits and diva behavior. He had a chance to negotiate a fight with Froch in the U.K. but he refused Nottingham as a location. Not that Froch wanted a rematch anyway, but at that time Ward was bickering with promoters and networks and not easy to work with. He's not a fan-friendly fighter and he thinks he is worth more than he really is. It's an ego thing.

Problem is, there aren't any great names at CW either, so even a move there with a few good wins doesn't do much for his legacy. His legacy was built upon the 168 lb, tournament. That said, I'm sure he goes down as an ATG for his entire body of work when writers and historians look back on his career, but it will be his fights at 168 that will stand out most.