Andre Ward v...Paul Smith??!

[milpool]

Boxing News reporting that Andre Ward could make his comeback against Smigga on June 20th.

http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/exclusi ... mith-next/

That'll be June's PPV then!

[ALI]

Rediculous fight.

[Andrew]

Ward was apparently going to fight Periban this is a better fight than that at least.

[jameswilson]

Ward was apparently going to fight Periban this is a better fight than that at least.

Yeah he's got a heart of gold giving us this hasn't he!

[Andrew]

Ward was apparently going to fight Periban this is a better fight than that at least.

Yeah he's got a heart of gold giving us this hasn't he!

Don't worry I will certainly not be listening to Hearn, Paul Smith or Joe Gallagher talking about this one.

[mickey1975]

This is horrendous.

[Horse]

Smith only has to land one bomb and he's the undisputed champ and top 10 P4P.

It makes more sense than the Periban fight.

Three of the top 10 super middleweights are British, so this is better for building those possible fights up.

[stujones]

Didn't Smith say between the two Abraham fights that he was offered Ward but he knew his level..... he knows he isn't near Ward's level and Sky would find it very hard to promote it as a serious boxing contest.

[handsofstone]

I better get my chequebook

[Horse]

Didn't Smith say between the two Abraham fights that he was offered Ward but he knew his level..... he knows he isn't near Ward's level and Sky would find it very hard to promote it as a serious boxing contest.

They couldn't promote Periban as credible either.

Ward should really be fighting someone at least on the level of Stieglitz or Sturm for his comeback.

Outside of top 10 ranked fighters: Smith is about as good as anyone else Ward could fight.

[ajwesty13]

Is this Pauls last fight and wants a good pay off ... not even sure ward pulls that much of a crowd ... miss match of a fight

[keirw]

Smith is just one of many fringe contenders being mentioned, none of whom are particularly appealing. As long as Ward is in proper fights shortly afterwards I don't suppose it matters who he fights in his comeback bout.
It probably makes sense for RocNation to work with a European promoter straight off the bat as given their relationship with Al Haymon there is a lot of US based SMWs that Ward won't be able to fight any time soon.

[jameswilson]

Is this Pauls last fight and wants a good pay off ... not even sure ward pulls that much of a crowd ... miss match of a fight

But then off the back of Ward not being much of a draw they might have been able to negotiate a reasonable deal for Smith. I'd say anything over $150k would be decent money for him considering he is the challenger (Andy Lee for example earned a $65k purse not taking into account tv money or sponsorship he might have got.) Also consider Smith would probably get nowhere near that for fighting Rocky Fielding 3 fights down a Liverpool bill.

[ajwesty13]

Is this Pauls last fight and wants a good pay off ... not even sure ward pulls that much of a crowd ... miss match of a fight

But then off the back of Ward not being much of a draw they might have been able to negotiate a reasonable deal for Smith. I'd say anything over $150k would be decent money for him considering he is the challenger (Andy Lee for example earned a $65k purse not taking into account tv money or sponsorship he might have got.) Also consider Smith would probably get nowhere near that for fighting Rocky Fielding 3 fights down a Liverpool bill.

hope he gets a nice little earner james as he deserves for being a good servant to the sport .. do u know how much he earned from the 2 abraham fights? hopefully well

[crusader]

Ward has tended to make good money despite not being a major draw and he made about $2 million for his last bout while his opponent earned $1 million prior to a deduction for excess weight. I don't expect Smith to get that type of money but it could still be a relatively lucrative situation for him.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Hopefully for Smith, Ward will fight like he did vs Shelby Pudwill and open up, and Paul can get knocked out early rather than sustain a health-altering beating over 12.

[jameswilson]

Is this Pauls last fight and wants a good pay off ... not even sure ward pulls that much of a crowd ... miss match of a fight

But then off the back of Ward not being much of a draw they might have been able to negotiate a reasonable deal for Smith. I'd say anything over $150k would be decent money for him considering he is the challenger (Andy Lee for example earned a $65k purse not taking into account tv money or sponsorship he might have got.) Also consider Smith would probably get nowhere near that for fighting Rocky Fielding 3 fights down a Liverpool bill.

hope he gets a nice little earner james as he deserves for being a good servant to the sport .. do u know how much he earned from the 2 abraham fights? hopefully well

I don't have a clue what he earned in the Abraham fights. Expe should be able to reveal all but do be aware the documents he reels off to prove this will be written in crayon on some Preston North End branded post it notes.

[magwitch]

Is this Pauls last fight and wants a good pay off ... not even sure ward pulls that much of a crowd ... miss match of a fight

About two and a half thousand watched Ward fight Carl Froch in Atlantic City I believe. Froch said it felt crap and the Super Six fizzled into a bit of a joke. Pretty sure it was the Ward fight. So not a huge drawer by the sounds of things.
I've can't remember another fighter that good who was that inactive.

[palooka]

Is this Pauls last fight and wants a good pay off ... not even sure ward pulls that much of a crowd ... miss match of a fight

About two and a half thousand watched Ward fight Carl Froch in Atlantic City I believe. Froch said it felt crap and the Super Six fizzled into a bit of a joke. Pretty sure it was the Ward fight. So not a huge drawer by the sounds of things.
I've can't remember another fighter that good who was that inactive.

He's had no end of legal issues, he's a very good boxer, I hope his prime hasn't passed (I miss Mikey Garcia too).

[ajwesty13]

I don't have a clue what he earned in the Abraham fights. Expe should be able to reveal all but do be aware the documents he reels off to prove this will be written in crayon on some Preston North End branded post it notes.

[ajwesty13]

About two and a half thousand watched Ward fight Carl Froch in Atlantic City I believe. Froch said it felt crap and the Super Six fizzled into a bit of a joke. Pretty sure it was the Ward fight. So not a huge drawer by the sounds of things.
I've can't remember another fighter that good who was that inactive.

TBF though that wasnt Wards home town where he might pull a better crowd. you never know there might be a bit of army to finally see ward back in action.

He's had no end of legal issues, he's a very good boxer, I hope his prime hasn't passed (I miss Mikey Garcia too).

he was and hopefully still is an excellent fighter the super 6 and injuries never really helped Wards cause imo

[mickey1975]

He sold out in Oakland in every fight! Atlantic City is thousands of miles away and on it's arse!

[Stuarty]

Ward on his game is as good as anyone in the world. He can do it all. Only thing he's missing is real KO power. No disrespect to Paul Smith but this fight is a waste of time and energy! Ward is good enough to jump back in at the deep end. I don't think his future lies at SuperMiddle. He's done all he can at that weight. The real acid tests lie at LightHeavy in the shape of Kovalev and Stevenson.

[danamba7]

Would be 1/100 odds for Ward

[Crease]

This is horrendous.

X 2

My mate told me about this fight was being talked about when I seen him a couple of hours ago... I was convinced that he was having a laugh at my expense... Guess I owe him a pint now.