Bellew Reveals: Andre Ward's Demands Were Too Much

[Ruthless-RKO]

Tony Bellew (29-2-1, 19 KOs) reveals that there were serious negotiations to make a fight with Andre Ward (32-0,16 KOs) - but their talks fell apart over money.

The Liverpool fighter claims that Ward's demands were too excessive.

Bellew was willing to return to the cruiserweight division for a fight with Ward.

Ward, who held the WBA, IBF, WBO light heavyweight world titles, would have made the big weight jump.

Two weeks ago, Ward - at age 32 - announced his retirement from the sport.

Bellew claims the agreement to fight Ward was close to getting done - but the Olympic gold medal winner wanted way too much to make the fight a reality.

Once the negotiations with Ward fell apart, Bellew saw the rematch with Haye as the best financial option. That deal was finalized a few days ago, for December 17th at the O2 Arena in London.

“We were close to a fight with Andre Ward, the numbers just didn't stack up and the demands were a bit too much. I have all the respect in the world for Andre Ward, he’s a fantastic fighter, he’s been a formidable title holder for a long time. He’s been pound for pound one of the best in the game, so it wasn’t really much of an option with what was on the table [in terms of what Ward wanted]. In the end I’ll go with what Eddie thinks is the right move and what my team think it the right move and that’s a fight with Hayefaker,” Bellew told Betsafe.com

“Once the Andre Ward fight fell through, I thought there was only one fight for me. I wasn’t willing to wait until Parker and Fury had finished. Even though it was a really close fight, it could have gone either way. I just thought the biggest challenge out there and the biggest amount of respect I’m going to get is fighting David Haye."

[Ruthless-RKO]

I think regardless of where Bellew fought Ward.. The Haye rematch was always going to be bigger financially.

Ward took home around $7m from Kov rematch. He would no doubt want no less than that figure IMO. Hearn pays out, but he's not stupid.. Ward is not known to casuals in the UK, no more known than Errol Spence. Who's a bigger draw in the UK? Brook or Bellew?

Also in the states, again, no interest. Any chance of being PPV would have to be in the UK IMO.. But I never saw the fight happening TBH

[SaadOffTheDeck]

The money ward got overpaid for the kovalev fights was why I predicted he'd retire after it. At least for a few years

[Ruthless-RKO]

The money ward got overpaid for the kovalev fights was why I predicted he'd retire after it. At least for a few years

Yeh, no one liked to take a paycut.. He should've gone with Al Haymon, even though he started paying less now too..

Ward vs. Stevenson would also not sell on PPV.. Virgil was right.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The money ward got overpaid for the kovalev fights was why I predicted he'd retire after it. At least for a few years

Yeh, no one liked to take a paycut.. He should've gone with Al Haymon, even though he started paying less now too..

Ward vs. Stevenson would also not sell on PPV.. Virgil was right.

[BAD INTENTIONS]

I think regardless of where Bellew fought Ward.. The Haye rematch was always going to be bigger financially.

Ward took home around $7m from Kov rematch. He would no doubt want no less than that figure IMO. Hearn pays out, but he's not stupid.. Ward is not known to casuals in the UK, no more known than Errol Spence. Who's a bigger draw in the UK? Brook or Bellew?

Also in the states, again, no interest. Any chance of being PPV would have to be in the UK IMO.. But I never saw the fight happening TBH

Oh please,
Andre Ward versus any big name British fighter would sell out GB in a second.
You think British boxing fans are as stupid as American fight fans.
No one in GB would be upset at one of their guys getting a chance against p4p #1.
And everyone would watch.

[gilgamesh]

Ward and Bellew were in talks? When did this happen?

At any rate...lucky for Bellew that Ward's demands were too much because Ward would've beat him.

[Noxy]

If Bellew's team had gone for it, he wouldn't have retired?

[boxing_rocks]

Ward and Bellew were in talks? When did this happen?

At any rate...lucky for Bellew that Ward's demands were too much because Ward would've beat him.

Not in England.

[gilgamesh]

Ward and Bellew were in talks? When did this happen?

At any rate...lucky for Bellew that Ward's demands were too much because Ward would've beat him.

Not in England.

In England or anywhere else.

[asdfjkl]

I guess Ward asked about 200k, which is ofcourse way out of proportion for someone who lost twice against a light somethingweight.

[gilgamesh]

I guess Ward asked about 200k, which is ofcourse way out of proportion for someone who lost twice against a light somethingweight.

If they were talking recently it would've been 7 figures, not 6.

[asdfjkl]

I guess Ward asked about 200k, which is ofcourse way out of proportion for someone who lost twice against a light somethingweight.

If they were talking recently it would've been 7 figures, not 6.

Lol, how? Nobody can get that for him, he probably simply wants to retire

[boxing_rocks]

Ward and Bellew were in talks? When did this happen?

At any rate...lucky for Bellew that Ward's demands were too much because Ward would've beat him.

Not in England.

In England or anywhere else.

Are you saying he would stop Bellew?

[gilgamesh]

I guess Ward asked about 200k, which is ofcourse way out of proportion for someone who lost twice against a light somethingweight.

If they were talking recently it would've been 7 figures, not 6.

Lol, how? Nobody can get that for him, he probably simply wants to retire

He would've been demanded 7 figures. Whether anybody can get it or not.

He was paid it recently, he thinks it's what he's worth. Reasonable enough assumption to make actually.

He'd beat Bellew. Not that I care. It's not a fight I'd care to see anyway. Ward retiring from the sport is much better news to me than Ward vs anybody being announced.

If Ward MUST comeback I'd prefer that he stays retired for like 5 or 6 years...enough time to get good and old, and then comes back to fight a killer that knocks him into the 5th row. That'd be fun.

[gilgamesh]

Not in England.

In England or anywhere else.

Are you saying he would stop Bellew?

I'm saying he'd kick his ass, and win damn near every round.

It'd at least a 117-111, 118-110 type fight.

[boxing_rocks]

In England or anywhere else.

Are you saying he would stop Bellew?

I'm saying he'd kick his ass, and win damn near every round.

It'd at least a 117-111, 118-110 type fight.

So, opponent's size doesn't matter? Would he beat Joshua the same way?

[jamamb]

ward would lose to a guy like usyk not a guy like bellew. importance of size overstated when not dealing with huge differences. look at all the nonsense about how hws would clean up cruiser if they got their weight down, only to clearly lose and be made to look shit. also look how huck move up and battered povetkin but got robbed.

bellew bigger but has fought at 175 and isnt a giant. tall but flabby, whereas guy like usyk and gassiev are about same height but hard and muscular.

[gilgamesh]

Are you saying he would stop Bellew?

I'm saying he'd kick his ass, and win damn near every round.

It'd at least a 117-111, 118-110 type fight.

So, opponent's size doesn't matter? Would he beat Joshua the same way?

Sure Size matters. Tony Bellew got knocked out by Adonis Stevenson remember? Ward would kick Stevenson's ass. He'd kick Bellew's ass too. He's a better fighter than Bellew.

Obviously he wouldn't be able to beat Joshua. Don't be ridiculous.

[boxing_rocks]

I'm saying he'd kick his ass, and win damn near every round.

It'd at least a 117-111, 118-110 type fight.

So, opponent's size doesn't matter? Would he beat Joshua the same way?

Sure Size matters. Tony Bellew got knocked out by Adonis Stevenson remember? Ward would kick Stevenson's ass. He'd kick Bellew's ass too. He's a better fighter than Bellew.

Obviously he wouldn't be able to beat Joshua. Don't be ridiculous.

Stevenson knocked out dehydrated Bellew who didn't belong to LHW division. Yes, Ward is a much better boxer, but he slowed down at 175 and would become even slower at 200, still remaining a slapper. In England, bigger and stronger Bellew would be allowed to rabbit punch, elbow, low blow -- all advantages Ward usually has, so I wouldn't be so confident in an outcome.

[gilgamesh]

So, opponent's size doesn't matter? Would he beat Joshua the same way?

Sure Size matters. Tony Bellew got knocked out by Adonis Stevenson remember? Ward would kick Stevenson's ass. He'd kick Bellew's ass too. He's a better fighter than Bellew.

Obviously he wouldn't be able to beat Joshua. Don't be ridiculous.

Stevenson knocked out dehydrated Bellew who didn't belong to LHW division. Yes, Ward is a much better boxer, but he slowed down at 175 and would become even slower at 200, still remaining a slapper. In England, bigger and stronger Bellew would be allowed to rabbit punch, elbow, low blow -- all advantages Ward usually has, so I wouldn't be so confident in an outcome.

Ok. That's you. I would be so confident. Ward is that much better than Bellew in my estimation.

I don't think we're missing much by not seeing it personally, so it don't hurt my feelings not to see it.

[jamamb]

bellew only beat that polish fringe contender guy 7-5. ward is good enough to win even though hes smaller.

bellew would probably be handily beaten by gassiev, usyk, briedis, dorticos, etc. he was high in ranking because was moved smartly but he doesnt have the ability of an elite cruiser and ward would beat him. hes also flabby at cruiser and not really all that big. like i said, look at how much more muscular and defined similar height guys like usyk and gassiev are.

[Ossyrules]

Ward and Bellew were in talks? When did this happen?

At any rate...lucky for Bellew that Ward's demands were too much because Ward would've beat him.

Not in England.

Give it up

[Ossyrules]

Glad this didn’t happen, ward vs Bellew is a total nothing fight. At least if Bellew still had the WBC tote or ward was looking at a route to atitke shot at a division, but none of that’s on the cards.

Providing extra weight didn’t kill wards engine he’d handily out box Bellew who isn’t close to him on ability

[Horse]

Glad this didn’t happen, ward vs Bellew is a total nothing fight. At least if Bellew still had the WBC tote or ward was looking at a route to atitke shot at a division, but none of that’s on the cards.

Providing extra weight didn’t kill wards engine he’d handily out box Bellew who isn’t close to him on ability

Bellew is still the WBC Emeritus champion.

Could he not have defended that against Ward?