Are there plans though? I haven't seen any proof of this.crusader wrote:Being with one company isn't at odds with plans to go to another
Even if this baseless rumour eventually becomes a reality, there's no proof that it currently portrays the events currently occurring in the real world, since Ward himself has never conveyed any desire to part ways with Roc Nation.
To use his own words, if Ward is contractually "100%" with Roc Nation, then the S.O.G. can't make the jump to Top Rank (or anyone else for that matter) without their permission.
In reality, Ward is likely to retire if he's unable to engage in another lucrative high-profile bout... but if he decides to continue to be an active participant in this sport, he'll likely leave Roc Nation at some point in the near future.
The S.O.G. has options though, he could join one of Haymon's promoters and compete on Showtime, this would give him the chance to unify the light heavyweight division against Adonis Stevenson, in what would inevitably be a big PPV event.
Joining Top Rank and gaining mainstream exposure on ESPN would also be an excellent move, but Bob Arum's stable of fighters aren't big names that attract big money.
If the seemingly wealthy Roc Nation are willing to continue partly-funding his overly-inflated from fight purses, then he could stay with them. Being affiliated to them won't reduce his opportunities to compete at cruiserweight or big overseas fights against the likes of Tony Bellew.
Andre Ward is currently a network free agent (with his exclusive contract with HBO having recently expired). He could become a free agent in the true meaning of the word, by being self-promoted (like Mayweather). He'll be able to fight anyone without there being any political barriers. He already has his own promotional company.
The only reason why Ward may prefer Top Rank, is to continue his boxing analyst/commentator role with ESPN.
I guess what I'm saying is this... the topic of this thread is to discuss a rumour, where there's a complete absence of evidence to substantiate it.
I'm not suggesting that this situation is impossible or even unlikely, but I am claiming that it is not a certainty... and no one has any evidence to suggest otherwise.
