BoxRec

"Everyone has a plan until they get clinched, clamped, held and headbutted" - Andre Ward

Freedom2013 wrote:

TBEwasLangford wrote:Not sure how a man who won a Olympic Gold medal and hasn't lost an amateur or pro fight since his early teens be considered overrated?

That's a myth. He had several official losses in the amateurs, against rather poor opponents.

As an amateur, Ward fought low-level opposition except for the 2004 Olympics.

He was lucky to be permitted to skip the opening round, and he needed a robbery over Haydarov to win the 2004 semi-finals. He didn't really earn the gold medal.

To win against decent opposition, Ward RELIES HEAVILY on illegal tactics and crooked home refs who permit it.

With a fair and honest referee to stop him from using illegal tactics (clamping his opponents' arms, hitting off the break, hitting while holding, head-butting) Ward would LOSE to many at 168 and 175.

And he refuses to do random PED testing for some reason.

He also fought at 178 lbs which was above his natural weight class at the time and still won gold. Don't be salty.

It's true that he didn't fight top international opposition apart from the Olympics though, as he failed to participate in several major international events that the top Americans usually competed in (I recall reading that Virgil Hunter wanted to minimize the role of the national team coaches, who would be the ones accompanying Ward to those events). Of course becoming Olympic champion suggests that he probably would've done very well, but there are many fighters who win gold at the Olympics yet suffer losses in other competitions around the same time, and I think there's a good chance that he would've lost along the way and hence be unable to claim that he hasn't dropped a fight since 12 (an amateur loss--how shameful!!).

And as far as him being dirty, I haven't really noticed that since the Bika fight, which I actually had him winning just 8-4 (though I also had him up 10-0 against Kessler and thought the judges were generous to the Dane).

Yes Ward is overrated, and after 2016, he'll be the #1 p4p fighter in the world.

Gotta love the overrated talk about a guy with DOMINANT wins over top 20 p4p fighters.

His talent is obvious, he's also the biggest negotiating bitch in boxing history.

Probably rated just about right, won't be p4p #1 once Kovalev is through with him.

Freedom2013 wrote:Video: Is Andre Ward overrated?

If Ward is overrated then Golovkin is the Super Champ of Overrated!!