Andre Ward v...Paul Smith??!

[Bard of Boxrec]

Ward gets up for it by being excited to be back, doesn't matter who the opponent is. Does anyone know what the situation is regarding titles? Surely he should have been stripped of whatever abc belts he has in this long period out.

[Manchester Hitman]

The Ringside shows leading upto this is going to be hillarious watching Jaime Moore, Nelson and Alex Arthur etc having to play to the script and tell the audience that Smith has even 0.5% chance of beating Ward. This is a horrendous matchup especially as Smith has just lost twice to a worn out and shot Abraham and has never even beaten anybody at world level- my goodness he's a lucky mofo for getting the opportunity - just hope he doesn't get to badly bashed up.

[danamba7]

The Ringside shows leading upto this is going to be hillarious watching Jaime Moore, Nelson and Alex Arthur etc having to play to the script and tell the audience that Smith has even 0.5% chance of beating Ward. This is a horrendous matchup especially as Smith has just lost twice to a worn out and shot Abraham and has never even beaten anybody at world level- my goodness he's a lucky mofo for getting the opportunity - just hope he doesn't get to badly bashed up.

Yeah I think I'll give those a miss!

Pointless fight. I have nothing against Smith but it speaks volumes about boxing currently that a boxer who's best win is Tony Dodson gets a fight with a P4P top 5 guy like Ward, even if it's after a long layout.

Can't blame Paul for taking it though.

[whiskey]

I think with Gallagher & Smith sharing Amir Khan's gym and Virgil Hunter being over a few times, this match-up would have been born from that.

Also Smith isn't really as well known in America, outside of the Contender etc. So he can be sold as a recent world title challenger etc etc.

I don't begrudge Smith earning a living here at all. If anyone should be criticised it should be Ward.

[Horse]

Who did people think Ward was going to be fighting?

Did they really think that he'd fight someone like Froch or Golovkin?

[mickey1975]

Who did people think Ward was going to be fighting?

Did they really think that he'd fight someone like Froch or Golovkin?

Why not? He'd be favourite against both.

[johnswan1]

And you would have us consider Smith, as a fighter, on par with Ward? That's the only logical inference of that statement.

To an insane person, maybe.

Smith LOST TWICE. I wouldn't consider that doing particularly well, would you?

Yes, I would actually.

And now, he's being lined up to face the best man in the division - How exactly are any of us being disrespectful? All you have to do is consider and accept the facts as they are... It's really not all that difficult to understand surely?

People are being disrespectful by acting like this is the most ridiculous fight that they can imagine being made.

This is the most ridiculous fight that I can imagine being made.

[whiskey]

Who did people think Ward was going to be fighting?

Did they really think that he'd fight someone like Froch or Golovkin?

Froch has been out a year himself, but offered to get it on with Ward in the summer, so would have been out 17 months or so himself. Ward would have been out about 21 months by then.

He made a lot of noise about how he calls the shots , and how he'd come to the UK (London not Nottingham) but within 48 hours of his last big comment on a rematch, it leaked that he'd already gone and booked the Oracle Arena in Oakland for June and was looking for low profile opposition and had zero intention of fighting Froch again.

Ward is gonna keep banking those Rocnation cheques and fighting in Oakland. I gather that no TV has even been struck for his comeback yet, because nobody is interested in it.

Rocnation are bad for boxing. They have paid something like $50m for the final 3 fights of Cotto's career. I love Miguel, but no way on earth is he worth that amount of money and they couldn't possibly recoup it all !

[Horse]

Why not? He'd be favourite against both.

Too risky.

[Horse]

Froch has been out a year himself, but offered to get it on with Ward in the summer, so would have been out 17 months or so himself. Ward would have been out about 21 months by then.

I'm pretty sure you've miscalculated their inactivity levels for a summer fight.

[whiskey]

Froch has been out a year himself, but offered to get it on with Ward in the summer, so would have been out 17 months or so himself. Ward would have been out about 21 months by then.

I'm pretty sure you've miscalculated their inactivity levels for a summer fight.

I made no calculation, hence the words "about 21 months" and "17 months or so" . It was off the top of my head.

August 2015 fight:

Ward - November 2013 - 21 months out

Vs

Froch - May 2014 - 15 months out

[ThereByTheGrace]

A one sided mismatch can see a mid to late stoppage if ward can be bothered. He might want rounds instead

[mullenman]

Fair play to Smith

I hope he gets paid well

this would be the biggest British upset ever if he wins..

He should go for the knockout straight away

[nitro5912]

Any odds yet, this is just waiting to give punters money. Smith gets destroyed

[Ian1973]

Fair play to Smith

I hope he gets paid well

this would be the biggest British upset ever if he wins..

He should go for the knockout straight away

That's what I'd do if I were him. He's got bugger all chance of winning ordinarily so if I were Smith I'd go in like a raging bull and hope I land an early pearler.

[Horse]

I made no calculation, hence the words "about 21 months" and "17 months or so" . It was off the top of my head.

August 2015 fight:

Ward - November 2013 - 21 months out

Vs

Froch - May 2014 - 15 months out

You were just wrong then.

[Gazmac81]

yea but you know well get the customary British plan of " i was taking my time and trying get him to the later rounds but it didnt work out", After getting systematically beaten more and more each round untill stopped.

Fair play to Smith

I hope he gets paid well

this would be the biggest British upset ever if he wins..

He should go for the knockout straight away

That's what I'd do if I were him. He's got bugger all chance of winning ordinarily so if I were Smith I'd go in like a raging bull and hope I land an early pearler.

[whiskey]

I made no calculation, hence the words "about 21 months" and "17 months or so" . It was off the top of my head.

August 2015 fight:

Ward - November 2013 - 21 months out

Vs

Froch - May 2014 - 15 months out

You were just wrong then.

What was the question ?

[whiskey]

The US tv broadcaster for this fight is the:-

"Black Entertainment Television" channel

Exactly.

[jameswilson]

I made no calculation, hence the words "about 21 months" and "17 months or so" . It was off the top of my head.

August 2015 fight:

Ward - November 2013 - 21 months out

Vs

Froch - May 2014 - 15 months out

You were just wrong then.

What was the question ?

To be or not to be?

[Horse]

What was the question ?

There doesn't have to be a question for you to be wrong.

[palooka]

What was the question ?

There doesn't have to be a question for you to be wrong.

You're wasted on here Horse.

[Horse]

You're wasted on here Horse.

Ta.

[black panther]

Think Ward might get a rare stoppage win.

[whiskey]

What was the question ?

There doesn't have to be a question for you to be wrong.