If Andre Ward is genuinely retired...

[SBleeder]

Where does he stand all-time? Top 150? Top 200? Top 100?

Where does he rank all-time at 168 (obviously not the deepest division historically)?

[Sadiqkingofko]

At 168 #1, #2 is Froch, #3 is Calzghe

[billeau2]

The sands of time must shape the landscape. I love Ward and will always be a fan of his, realistically?

To me as far as athletic ability he was very average. he had good strength, ok speed.

His fundamentals were exceptional and perhaps ATG level, very accurate puncher, good power when motivated, excellent reflexive adjustments, could fight at all ranges, Ward set traps and employed sophisticated set ups with ease and was excellent defensively.

Ward could do a lot of things, could beat you a lot of ways...He has that ATG level thang where, his actions make the other guy fall short, so that if he was fighting Roy Jones for example, and if he won, Jones would not be able to get to Ward because Ward's body attack and distancing would prevent Roy from jumping in with the hook, etc. im speaking totally hypothetically here to make a point, not talk about this match up. This is what Ward did to Dawson...watch the tape lol.

Ward fought the best comp he could and made it look easy beating the best out there in his division and this is where he rings ATG to me. Unlike Floyd and Jones, Ward fought the best of his class when they were the best and made it look easy.

When I think of a similar type of fighter lets look for a moment at Charley Burley...i know i know, we only have that one fight on tape, but if one watches Burley he is defensively brilliant, accurate as a sniper with his punches, does not waste any energy, and makes the opponent fight at his speed. I think Ward has a similar command of the fundamentals and operates a lot like Charlie.

I don't know where he will wind up, lets see who comes a cropper while he is gone... But I think Ward was a fantastic fighter in many respects...never the pure athletic pedigree of a Pernell Whitaker, or Jones, but a guy who made some of the other athletic guys across the ring, get real uiet...guys like Froch who was such a killer before Ward tamed him lol.

[Anthony342]

Was going to ask about Ward myself. Where does he rank at 175 during his era or 2016-2017 when he fought at that weight?

[OctoberRed]

Would Ward rank higher at 168 than Roy Jones?

[JAB5239]

At 168 he's probably number one. The division just isn't very deep. All time? This is a tough question. Probably in the top 200. His stock may go up depending on what Kov can accomplish without him in the division. There have been a ton of guys with stacked resumes though and Ward, with as few fights as he's had was not lucky enough to fight and beat the type of comp SRL did to really make an impact with so few fights. Jmo.

[Anthony342]

What about at 175?

[Jennets Holey]

The sands of time must shape the landscape. I love Ward and will always be a fan of his, realistically?

To me as far as athletic ability he was very average. he had good strength, ok speed.

His fundamentals were exceptional and perhaps ATG level, very accurate puncher, good power when motivated, excellent reflexive adjustments, could fight at all ranges, Ward set traps and employed sophisticated set ups with ease and was excellent defensively.

Ward could do a lot of things, could beat you a lot of ways...He has that ATG level thang where, his actions make the other guy fall short, so that if he was fighting Roy Jones for example, and if he won, Jones would not be able to get to Ward because Ward's body attack and distancing would prevent Roy from jumping in with the hook, etc. im speaking totally hypothetically here to make a point, not talk about this match up. This is what Ward did to Dawson...watch the tape lol.

Ward fought the best comp he could and made it look easy beating the best out there in his division and this is where he rings ATG to me. Unlike Floyd and Jones, Ward fought the best of his class when they were the best and made it look easy.

When I think of a similar type of fighter lets look for a moment at Charley Burley...i know i know, we only have that one fight on tape, but if one watches Burley he is defensively brilliant, accurate as a sniper with his punches, does not waste any energy, and makes the opponent fight at his speed. I think Ward has a similar command of the fundamentals and operates a lot like Charlie.

I don't know where he will wind up, lets see who comes a cropper while he is gone... But I think Ward was a fantastic fighter in many respects...never the pure athletic pedigree of a Pernell Whitaker, or Jones, but a guy who made some of the other athletic guys across the ring, get real uiet...guys like Froch who was such a killer before Ward tamed him lol.

if that was true he wouldnt of had to rely on headbuting and clinching and lowblowing and having a ref and judges in his pocket

[JAB5239]

if that was true he wouldnt of had to rely on headbuting and clinching and lowblowing and having a ref and judges in his pocket

Can you show ANY proof he had refs and judges in his pocket? Not conjecture, but actual proof.

[OctoberRed]

if that was true he wouldnt of had to rely on headbuting and clinching and lowblowing and having a ref and judges in his pocket

Holyfield and Hopkins had dirty tactics of their own, so did many, many others.

Kovalev went from a feared killer to a crybaby. I thought he dropped the ball in the rematch.