An analysis of Ward's 'greatness'

[lookingaround87]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1R8e0Ynrms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU_ZZsYyYmg

[tigermoth87]

Ward was a great fighter but I can't give him the respect or credit I give to others because of his constant dirty tactics and the fact he had the judges and refs in his back pocket.

Just look at the Kessler headbutt where he basically ran forward and butted him like that dinosaur from Jurassic Park: The Lost World and his blatant and deliberate low blows vs Kov.

Any other fighter would have points off, even DQ'd for much of Ward's tactics in many of his fights. It's a shame because given his skills, he actually didn't need to do it.

He's got two tainted wins vs Kov, gifted a decision in one and a bizarre stoppage after using Kov's giant balls as a speed ball and for me, he should have been DQ'd vs Kessler too.

[ldlamb]

Some hard core sour grapes

[gilgamesh]

Ward was a lot more than just a "dirty fighter", and deserves better than that...and that's coming from a guy that's never been a fan of his.

[boxing_rocks]

Ward was a lot more than just a "dirty fighter", and deserves better than that...and that's coming from a guy that's never been a fan of his.

Still, being dirty, boring and feather-fisted (mainly due to bad punching technique) takes a lot from him. Just can't mention him together with ATGs.

[lookingaround87]

Some hard core sour grapes

Did you watch the videos?

[Bard of Boxrec]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1R8e0Ynrms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU_ZZsYyYmg

Good video, and good commentary from Paulie.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Ward was a lot more than just a "dirty fighter", and deserves better than that...and that's coming from a guy that's never been a fan of his.

Still, being dirty, boring and feather-fisted (mainly due to bad punching technique) takes a lot from him. Just can't mention him together with ATGs.

Lol, he definitely is an atg.thats too bitter.

[gilgamesh]

Ward was a lot more than just a "dirty fighter", and deserves better than that...and that's coming from a guy that's never been a fan of his.

Still, being dirty, boring and feather-fisted (mainly due to bad punching technique) takes a lot from him. Just can't mention him together with ATGs.

Nobody does do they?

He's one of the very best ever at Super Middleweight, but the Super Middleweight division is fairly young so that's not saying as much as it would be saying in several other weight classes.

I haven't given any thought to where he'd rank among ATG fighters, but I doubt very much too many people would consider him Top 50.

Still he had a hell of a run. He'd probably be like the 4th or 5th best fighter so far of the 21st century.

[Kalan]

Ward is up there very high with the ATG's -- based on his real skills and slick boxing ability -- but then there is Ward the crook which knocks that down.

He knew damned well that Kolvalev won their 1st fight -- so the rematch was rigged even tighter... One of the most corrupt fights in Boxing History.

[Mexi-Box]

Pretty controversial career. Head butted Kessler to death, Son of Groin'd Kovalev, and beat up zombie Dawson.

[caldo2025]

Ward was a great fighter but I can't give him the respect or credit I give to others because of his constant dirty tactics and the fact he had the judges and refs in his back pocket.

Just look at the Kessler headbutt where he basically ran forward and butted him like that dinosaur from Jurassic Park: The Lost World and his blatant and deliberate low blows vs Kov.

Any other fighter would have points off, even DQ'd for much of Ward's tactics in many of his fights. It's a shame because given his skills, he actually didn't need to do it.

He's got two tainted wins vs Kov, gifted a decision in one and a bizarre stoppage after using Kov's giant balls as a speed ball and for me, he should have been DQ'd vs Kessler too.

I can honestly say that i've never been rooting for Ward to win in any fight i've seen him in. I've always watched hoping that the other guy would win. But this is not a fair OP in my opinion. Especially when it comes to head butts because I feel that butts are a combination of the two fighters in the ring. One may share more of the blame, sure. But you need to "protect yourself at all times" and those fighters with a straight up style are more susceptible to being a victim.

Every fighter has dirty tricks inside the ring. All of them. Ward may have a few more than most but I don't think he's made it to this level because of them.

[walshb]

Ward for me lost his two biggest fights/ SK 1 and 2. No way he deserved the nod in fight 1, and he was down on all cards in fight 2 and fouled his way to victory. That is juts my take. No leaning/liking with either man.

[Enlightened-One]

The amount of tears from those poor sensitive souls throwing tantrums, whilst wearing tiaras, simply because Ward beat their man twice... It's as funny as fûck!

Those type of people cannot possibly be genuine fans of the sport of boxing, because they're allowing their personal hatred to blind them from recognising talent when they see it!

People claimed that Ward was ducking Kovalev and he not only took the fight, but he won it!

People then claimed he was "too scared" of engaging in rematch against Kovalev... and he not only did it immediately (without requiring an interim bout), but he actually stopped the Russian!

If Ward would have KO'd Krusher with the very first shot he threw, whilst being blindfolded and with one arm tied behind his back, Kovalev's fans would have aggressively criticised him for being "lucky"! FFS!

Whether you like him or loathe him, Andre Ward's talent, accomplishments and "greatness" is undeniable... and this is coming from someone that usually dislikes watching his fights.

[Kalan]

People claimed that Ward was ducking Kovalev and he not only took the fight, but he won it!

People then claimed he was "too scared" of engaging in rematch against Kovalev... and he not only did it immediately (without requiring an interim bout), but he actually stopped the Russian

You're fukkiing blind if you think Ward won the first fight... Kovalev landed more punches... landed harder punches... knocked Ward down... was the aggressor most of the way and repeatedly chased Ward to the ropes.. He won 116-111 at least.

The rematch was ended on low blows. when Kovalev bent over and didn't even go down... Khan vs Judah was another robbery -- a deliberate low blow ended it when Judah went down for the count.. Generally you get rest or the fouler get DQ'd.. Larry Holmes repeatedly got rest from the low blows by Gerry Cooney when Holmes bent over.. Riddick Bowe got rest and was awarded his fights with Golota by DQ.. That should have happened with Kovalev-Ward 2.

Kirk Johnson got screwed when Joe Cortez called several low blows on Johnson while Ruiz was head butting him, wrestling, and physically throwing Johnson to canvas.. An accidental borderline low blow ended the fight on DQ. The punch didn't hurt Ruiz in the slightest, but Cortez handed the fight to his buddy, the fouling Ruiz, on DQ.. The commentators all disagreed with the decision.. Justice is sometimes done in this game ... at other times corruption prevails.

[Enlightened-One]

People claimed that Ward was ducking Kovalev and he not only took the fight, but he won it!

People then claimed he was "too scared" of engaging in rematch against Kovalev... and he not only did it immediately (without requiring an interim bout), but he actually stopped the Russian

You're fukkiing blind... blah... blah... blah...

Regardless of our differing opinions on the outcome of both Ward-Kovalev bouts, it’s an irrefutable fact that the vast majority of people that frequent this forum aggressively derided the S.O.G. by accusing him of “ducking” Krusher… and even after he scored a controversial victory over the Russian, the very same people called Andre a “coward” and once again accused him of being a "duck”.

So the American agreed to participate in an immediate rematch, but he never received any credit for this.

The very same people also accused Canelo of ducking Gennady Golovkin, but the Mexican ended-up fighting GGG according to a timescale that GBP had committed to 18 months or so prior.

Team Canelo are already negotiating with Team GGG the terms of their rematch, but he won’t receive any credit for this either.

But guess what happened folks; both Canelo and Ward bravely entered the lion’s den to face fighters that were universally hailed as “monsters”, but neither the Mexican nor the American tasted defeat.

The people that frequent this forum clearly dislike Ward & Canelo, because they are unfairly accused of being “ducks” and “cowards”, but even if they do rise to the challenge to face the very men they’re supposed to be “scared” of, they still receive the same venomous criticism, regardless of whatever they do!

They’re damned if they do and damned if they don't!

Genuine fight fans shouldn’t behave that way!

[boxing_rocks]

Ughh, EO didn't take his pills again.

[Enlightened-One]

Ughh, EO didn't take his pills again.

I'm right though. When have you ever behaved in an objective manner and expressed a positive comment about Canelo or Ward?

They’re obviously not the worst fighters in history...

[montrealsuper]

Ward is a very good fighter but he has about half the selling power of Andrew Golota. That says it all. Boring just doesn't sell well in the current marketplace.