How is Andre Ward permitted to keep his WBA title without defending it?

[Freedom2013]

Andre Ward has not had a fight to defend his WBA "Super" super middleweight belt in about two years.

Ward has not REALLY defended his WBA super middleweight title since he fought a badly weight-drained Chad Dawson over THREE years ago.

The fight with Rodriguez two years ago wasn't really for the super middleweight title, because Rodriguez was not able to make 168 (he was also weight-drained for the fight, trying to lose weight the last few days before).

But we'll say two years. Why does Andre Ward have the privilege of retaining a "super" world title without defending it?

[ikorolev]

Rodriguez not making weight wasn't Ward's fault. WBA did mandate the Froch rematch, but Carl retired. I think they should mandate Ward vs Chudinov, but instead they ordered Sturm rematch for Chudinov and nothing for Ward. We all know that WBA is the most corrupt ABC body.

[Freedom2013]

Rodriguez not making weight wasn't Ward's fault.

Even so, that was two years ago.

WBA did mandate the Froch rematch, but Carl retired.

That was many months ago.

Ward refused to fight Froch in Nottingham, where the fight would have made the most money, I recall.

Of course the prima donna didn't mind fighting Dawson, Kessler, etc in HIS home town of Oakland.

[ikorolev]

To be fair, Ward is a super champion, so he has rights to make demands. Of course, money wise, he was a B side. What WBA needed to do is to order a purse bid. Froch retirement may have prevented that.

[Freedom2013]

To be fair, Ward is a super champion, so he has rights to make demands. Of course, money wise, he was a B side. What WBA needed to do is to order a purse bid. Froch retirement may have prevented that.

But after that, some months ago now, he chose to fight hapless Paul Smith at 172. Smith was coming off two losses.

Shouldn't a "super" champion defend his title?

Or maybe the WBA believes Ward is the "Son of God" and is above the rules?

[Freedom2013]

Ward's possible opponent for the Cotto-Alvarez undercard is apparently Azea Augustama.

He's BoxRec #92 and lost every round to Rodriguez. He's a light puncher too.

[Butterbean]

Ward's possible opponent for the Cotto-Alvarez undercard is apparently Azea Augustama.

He's BoxRec #92 and lost every round to Rodriguez. He's a light puncher too.

He is just stalling. Waiting for the gman... Wards camp is claiming the g only has fought journeymen his whole career, so ward is now facing same level of opposition to be prepared....

Unless ward is dealing with aftermaths of his surgerys or has career threatening injuries, this is embarasing.

[Freedom2013]

He is just stalling. Waiting for the gman... Wards camp is claiming the g only has fought journeymen his whole career, so ward is now facing same level of opposition to be prepared....

Unless ward is dealing with aftermaths of his surgerys or has career threatening injuries, this is embarasing.

All of Golovkin's opponents in the past several years have been better than Augustama and Smith, especially Geale and Lemieux.

[Freedom2013]

He is just stalling. Waiting for the gman... Wards camp is claiming the g only has fought journeymen his whole career, so ward is now facing same level of opposition to be prepared....

Unless ward is dealing with aftermaths of his surgerys or has career threatening injuries, this is embarasing.

All of Golovkin's opponents in the past several years have been better than Augustama and Smith, especially Murray, former titleholder Geale and current titleholder Lemieux.

[Syntax Error]

Maybe 'super' champs are allowed to defend their 'titles' whenever they feel like it?

Nothing would surprise me with the WBA; quite simply the craziest alphabet organisation in boxing & that's saying something.

[Butterbean]

He is just stalling. Waiting for the gman... Wards camp is claiming the g only has fought journeymen his whole career, so ward is now facing same level of opposition to be prepared....

Unless ward is dealing with aftermaths of his surgerys or has career threatening injuries, this is embarasing.

All of Golovkin's opponents in the past several years have been better than Augustama and Smith, especially Geale and Lemieux.

I was being ironic. Ggg cleared out the entire top mw rankings, with ease, and all of a sudden, all these world class athletes, whom of many went the distance with the the former mw champs, are now bums, tomato cans and journeymen. According to most us boxing sites, us fans, and us journalists. And at the same time the almighty ward and void, "fight"*.. way lesser level of opposition, and the same fans, journalists etc., claiming that those two are the best that happened to modern boxing. Its a freakin joke.
* those two dont fight. They run, hold, duck, headbutts and so on, against their top level opponents...
Which make much of this even more of a joke.

[Cap]

The WBA just announced that Ward has been elevated to Super-Duper champion and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the fat envelope of cash that was pushed through their mailslot last night. "As Super-Duper champion he can fight anyone he feels like whenever he feels like it or when the cash runs out."

[BAD INTENTIONS]

Who cares?

fornicate the WBA, right? Or are we trying to have discussions rooted in logic regarding boxing's ABC organizations?

It takes a very very very sad/hateful person to use the WBA to reference some sort of "injustice".

[caldo2025]

The damage that has been done by these boxing legislations over the years is so far beyond repair that there's absolutely nothing can be done to fix it. If Dana White got the keys to run Boxing tomorrow, the sport would join NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL in mainstream popularity.

Just imagine it..One Champion per weight class. The #1 ranked contender gets the title shots. Every time a champion fights it's against the best possible opponent to his throne. The other contenders can't move up the rankings without fighting each other and sorting out who's the best.

Imagine what the last 5 years would have looked like in just the welterweight division alone. The fights we would have seen, my gosh.

[Freedom2013]

I wonder, will Ward ever fight Kovalev?

[ikorolev]

I wonder, will Ward ever fight Kovalev?

No unless Kovalev intrudes his home.