Oosthuizen-Ward in the works, but Tommy has to come down to 168 for big payday

[Freedom2013]

Andre Ward's promoter is offering Thomas Oosthuisen a big payday to weight-drain down to 168 and fight Ward.

Oosthuisen has had trouble making 175, he'll be in really bad shape at 168.

http://www.sundayworld.co.za/news/2015/ ... -r3m-fight

[crusader]

Many people call for GGG to move up because he's so dominant, but why aren't there nearly as many calls for Ward to do the same?

[Freedom2013]

Many people call for GGG to move up because he's so dominant, but why aren't there nearly as many calls for Ward to do the same?

Good question.

[ReggieDiggs]

Ugh. I was liking Andre better when he wasn't fighting at this point. Sh!t might as well fight Carl again.

Good opportunity for Thomas if for no other reason than the payday. Also been a fan of his. Boxers need to get on the Dolce diet & acquire Mr. Dolce for a camp or two if he's open to working with boxers. MMA guys lose insane amounts of weight without all that garbage bag on you while running on the treadmill bs boxers tend to see as the go to.

[punchoutsb]

Love to see Tommy win if this takes place. I'll be interested to see how many call for Ward to move up rather than asking lesser known title holders to drain down...

[ReggieDiggs]

Many people call for GGG to move up because he's so dominant, but why aren't there nearly as many calls for Ward to do the same?

Because those are hater fans that only demand certain guys move up. Put them on ignore. Not worth your time.

Now granted its always an option when you are exceptional at the weight you're at, but its stupid or just hating to be of the opinion its the only option.

[ikorolev]

I bet Ward could also beat Huck and Klitchko at 168.

[Baby Face Finster]

Oosthuizen isn't that good and a weight drained version stands absolutely zero chance against Ward. Oosthuizen couldn't even beat the very ordinary Brandon Gonzales. Seems like Ward wants all the advantages stacked in his favour. Absolutely pathetic.

[ElJefe]

GGG is the only interesting fight for Ward at 168. Could make himself a legend by beating Stevenson and Kovalev at 175. These sort of fights are a waste of time.

[davie]

Oosthuisen has had trouble making 175,

Has he?

He only just stepped up to LHW after years as a SMW and he's already struggling to make the weight?
There's got to be some kind of issue there.

[Freedom2013]

Oosthuisen has had trouble making 175,

Has he?

He only just stepped up to LHW after years as a SMW and he's already struggling to make the weight?
There's got to be some kind of issue there.

Remember, a year ago he was overweight by 13 pounds for a HBO light heavyweight fight against Eider Alvarez that was cancelled by Berman.

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/10 ... d-promotor

Then Oosthuisen was reportedly suffering from depression. However, after being inactive for a year, he came back to fight Grachev at 175 and is currently scheduled to fight at 175.

[hurricanemitch14]

Many people call for GGG to move up because he's so dominant, but why aren't there nearly as many calls for Ward to do the same?

Because those are hater fans that only demand certain guys move up. Put them on ignore. Not worth your time.

Now granted its always an option when you are exceptional at the weight you're at, but its stupid or just hating to be of the opinion its the only option.

Super Middle is good division.....sure I'd like to see Ward move up but its different with GGG because there is absolutely nobody at 160. Cotto is a JM at best and he aint fighting GGG. GGG only has 1 dude and thats Canelo and I think Golden Boy will keep him away from GGG. For the record I called for GGG to move down 154 also, since 1) GGG and his team said he can make the weight 2) there's several money fights at 154. He's 33 if he was 27 I wouldn't be saying shit.

[ikorolev]

There are only 3 money fights at 154: the same Cotto and Canelo plus of course Mayweather. Floyd isn't facing GGG, so we are left with just the two C's and GGG would fight both of them if they were willing.

[hurricanemitch14]

True.......charlo...andrade....lara all have fought on showtime/hbo multiple times. Ggg is based in the states so these would make sense. It would be easier to make a Cotto or Canelo if he were fighting in their division.

[ikorolev]

True.......charlo...andrade....lara all have fought on showtime/hbo multiple times. Ggg is based in the states so these would make sense. It would be easier to make a Cotto or Canelo if he were fighting in their division.

These are nobodies for casual fans. Definitely not PPV and purses will likely not be much higher than if fighting any top 20 MW. What is a point of exhausting himself by weight drain ? Golovkin's team clearly stated that he will go down for PPV only.

[diddy]

Why the hell would Ward go UP IN WEIGHT to defend his 168 straps against Oosthuizen?? Ward is THE guy at 168. If someone wants his belts in his division of course they're gonna fight him at his weight. But oh wait, that's not the point of this thread. The point is to try to belittle an elite p4p American fighter.

Ward has been in a bitter contractual dispute for the better part of 2 yrs and people want him to just come back and move up a division. I do believe he will inevitably move up a division as he gets older but it sure as hell wont be off such a long layoff and sure as hell wont be against Tommy Gunn, who oh BY THE WAY has fought 21 of his 23 pro fights at SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT, but I guess he can no longer fight in the division he's fought at for basically his ENTIRE CAREER at the ripe old age of 26!!! Such an old fart. So cruel of Ward's team for wanting a 26 yr old career super middleweight to fight Ward at super middleweight for his world titles. So, so unfair.....






DOES ANYONE THINK IT WOULD MATTER FOR A SECOND WHAT DAMN WEIGHT THIS FIGHT WAS FOUGHT AT?! Oosthuizen wouldnt win a round at 168, 172, 175 or f'n cruiserweight vs Ward.

[victor-romeo]

This fight has massacre written all over it I guess that is why Ward and his people want it. I Think Tommy Gun would get KO"D even if they fought at 175, but I guess for the cash maybe Tommy Gun will give it a go at 168 , I doubt he can even make 168.

[Sids]

Ward is way to disciplined for Tommy.

[Deadendgeneration]

BY THE WAY has fought 21 of his 23 pro fights at SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT, but I guess he can no longer fight in the division he's fought at for basically his ENTIRE CAREER at the ripe old age of 26!!! Such an old fart. So cruel of Ward's team for wanting a 26 yr old career super middleweight to fight Ward at super middleweight for his world titles. So, so unfair.....

The reason GGG gets more stick is pretty simple. He fights a hell of a lot more often, so we see the somewhat uninspiring opposition a lot more often. Neither man has a lot of options at their weight.

[ikorolev]

Why the hell would Ward go UP IN WEIGHT to defend his 168 straps against Oosthuizen?? Ward is THE guy at 168. If someone wants his belts in his division of course they're gonna fight him at his weight. But oh wait, that's not the point of this thread. The point is to try to belittle an elite p4p American fighter.

Ward has been in a bitter contractual dispute for the better part of 2 yrs and people want him to just come back and move up a division. I do believe he will inevitably move up a division as he gets older but it sure as hell wont be off such a long layoff and sure as hell wont be against Tommy Gunn, who oh BY THE WAY has fought 21 of his 23 pro fights at SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT, but I guess he can no longer fight in the division he's fought at for basically his ENTIRE CAREER at the ripe old age of 26!!! Such an old fart. So cruel of Ward's team for wanting a 26 yr old career super middleweight to fight Ward at super middleweight for his world titles. So, so unfair.....

DOES ANYONE THINK IT WOULD MATTER FOR A SECOND WHAT DAMN WEIGHT THIS FIGHT WAS FOUGHT AT?! Oosthuizen wouldnt win a round at 168, 172, 175 or f'n cruiserweight vs Ward.

Exactly. So why does Ward want to fight a weakened version of Oosthuizen ? What would people say if Golovkin was calling Chavez to fight him at 160 ?

[crusader]

Many people call for GGG to move up because he's so dominant, but why aren't there nearly as many calls for Ward to do the same?

Because those are hater fans that only demand certain guys move up. Put them on ignore. Not worth your time.

Now granted its always an option when you are exceptional at the weight you're at, but its stupid or just hating to be of the opinion its the only option.

Super Middle is good division.....sure I'd like to see Ward move up but its different with GGG because there is absolutely nobody at 160. Cotto is a JM at best and he aint fighting GGG. GGG only has 1 dude and thats Canelo and I think Golden Boy will keep him away from GGG. For the record I called for GGG to move down 154 also, since 1) GGG and his team said he can make the weight 2) there's several money fights at 154. He's 33 if he was 27 I wouldn't be saying poo.

I've seen you make several posts about how Ward will embarrass the rest of the SMW division, which suggests that you don't think anyone would be competitive with him at the weight.If you believe Ward is going to outclass everyone at 168 what does it matter if it's a good division? Don't we just end up with uninteresting, uncompetitive match-ups like those many people suggest GGG is in because of the quality of his division?

Stevenson and Kovalev were both on HBO while Ward was, yet the vehemence and frequency of calls for him to move out of his comfort zone at 168 and up to 175 to fight them pales in comparison to that of the calls for GGG to move to 168. Wins over Stevenson or Kovalev would do far more for Ward's reputation than wins over people like Rodriguez or TO (who in his only HBO appearance couldn't even beat Brandon Gonzalez) and likely earn him significantly more money; I understand that it may be hard to make a Stevenson fight now that he's with Haymon and Ward is with RN, but the opportunity was there and the opportunity will still be there to fight Kovalev should the latter beat Pascal.

[ReggieDiggs]

Super Middle is good division.....sure I'd like to see Ward move up but its different with GGG because there is absolutely nobody at 160. Cotto is a JM at best and he aint fighting GGG. GGG only has 1 dude and thats Canelo and I think Golden Boy will keep him away from GGG. For the record I called for GGG to move down 154 also, since 1) GGG and his team said he can make the weight 2) there's several money fights at 154. He's 33 if he was 27 I wouldn't be saying poo.

If you're simply talking money than yea if GGG can't get Miguel in the ring or Saul (I don't think this would be a problem so its just a issue of Saul moving to 160 & personally I got this fight pegged for Cinco de Mayo 2016, Mexico vs Mexican Style, sh!t will be huge) he needs to go up or down. There is no denying there isn't a bunch of money to be made at 160 with Miguel all but saying he won't fight GGG & Saul tip toeing to 160 with 155lb catchweight fights right now today as we speak.

But while I think money is important for anyone to one degree or another, but in particular a boxer with a limited period of time to make it I don't think thats the only thing to be looking at. And imho you can't talk your way into fights in different weight divisions without making an actual effort to get to that weight which he hasn't so far thus I just see it as talk & until he's too big for 160 & moving up I can't get too involved in a GGG vs Andre fight let alone some lower weight fight.

Right now the move to make is wait for Saul at 160. Thats a PPV fight that fans will love & only enhance both guys reps & bank accounts whatever happens. There is nothing for GGG as sexy as that fight. GGG vs Andre is ugly & boring unless GGG catches Andre. There isn't a whole lot of fights makeable at 160 that excite me. And going to 154 seems silly.

[jujigatame]

Ward should have just moved up when he fought Dawson. He totally cleaned out 168, there is nothing for him there. The only way a fight with Oosthuizen is remotely compelling is if it comes with the storyline of Ward moving up to 175.

[kaiserbill]

Dunno how accurate this is, but according to this report, the winner of Tommy Oosthuizen vs Ryno Liebenberg this weekend will fight on the Wlad Klitshko vs Bryant Jennings bill on April 25th.

A trip to the spiritual home of American boxing is on the cards for the winner of next month’s South African super fight between Tommy Oosthuizen and Ryno Liebenberg.

Promoter Rodney Berman has had far-reaching talks with his counterpart, Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, and they have agreed that whoever wins the bout will fight on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko’s heavyweight title defence against Bryant Jennings on April 25.

http://www.goldengloves.co.za/boxing-ne ... iver-king/

[ikorolev]

Dunno how accurate this is, but according to this report, the winner of Tommy Oosthuizen vs Ryno Liebenberg this weekend will fight on the Wlad Klitshko vs Bryant Jennings bill on April 25th.

A trip to the spiritual home of American boxing is on the cards for the winner of next month’s South African super fight between Tommy Oosthuizen and Ryno Liebenberg.

Promoter Rodney Berman has had far-reaching talks with his counterpart, Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, and they have agreed that whoever wins the bout will fight on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko’s heavyweight title defence against Bryant Jennings on April 25.

http://www.goldengloves.co.za/boxing-ne ... iver-king/

40 days seem to be insufficient to prepare for a fight against Ward, especially if you need to heal/rest a little and then do additional draining to get to a lower weight.