Andre Ward making a comeback at higher weight???

[Sakuraba7]

Many people consider Ward the p4p king. He's an exceptional case.

He should have entered the tournament then. Not wait for a winner, and challenge him when he's fresh and the other guy just went through half-dozen fights.

 

[moosaev]

I hope he comes back, one of my favourite modern fighters

Depends on how mentally tough Usyk is,...if he fights Ward he'll never have been in a fight where he whiffs more on his punches,...there's nothing more tiring and discouraging. The trump card Ward has on everyone is that he'll never cave no matter how much duress he's under. If the same can be said about Usyk then he might beat Ward, but if he's remotely like Kovalev he'll get the will beaten out of him.

 

[BillytheFish]

Depends on how mentally tough Usyk is,...if he fights Ward he'll never have been in a fight where he whiffs more on his punches,...there's nothing more tiring and discouraging. The trump card Ward has on everyone is that he'll never cave no matter how much duress he's under. If the same can be said about Usyk then he might beat Ward, but if he's remotely like Kovalev he'll get the will beaten out of him.

I agree, I was happy Ward retired but at the same time I'm a boxing fan who thinks he still had some more gas in the tank- I'd be happy to see him fight a few less talented guys just to watch him fighting still. He already has a good enough legacy, I just hope he doesn't push his luck too much like alot of fighters do.

 

[aries]

Depends on how mentally tough Usyk is,...if he fights Ward he'll never have been in a fight where he whiffs more on his punches,...there's nothing more tiring and discouraging. The trump card Ward has on everyone is that he'll never cave no matter how much duress he's under. If the same can be said about Usyk then he might beat Ward, but if he's remotely like Kovalev he'll get the will beaten out of him.

If Ward could actually beat Usyk I'd be amazed and very impressed but I think the combination of speed and natural size that Usyk has over Ward will be too much for even Ward to overcome. Usyk also has a high work rate so while he might be missing sometimes he's also putting more out there so more will land. Usyk's jab will be a vital weapon in keeping Ward off of him as Ward will have to get close to nullify Usyk's reach advantage.

 

[moosaev]

If Ward could actually beat Usyk I'd be amazed and very impressed but I think the combination of speed and natural size that Usyk has over Ward will be too much for even Ward to overcome. Usyk also has a high work rate so while he might be missing sometimes he's also putting more out there so more will land. Usyk's jab will be a vital weapon in keeping Ward off of him as Ward will have to get close to nullify Usyk's reach advantage.

You're out of your mind if you think he's in any way faster than Ward. Looking fast next to Marco Huck doesn't mean Usyk is faster than a natural Super middleweight. The only things he has over Ward are size and power, both can be negated by slick defensive boxers who are experienced and mentally tough. Experience is a huge factor here, Usyk simply hasn't been tested the way Ward has, it all boils down to his mental stability. You're mistaken if you think he'll beat Ward purely off physical attributes.

 

[RR]

They were fools to pay him that much money to begin with. They had to know they were buying him to legitimize their business, not to turn a profit.

Haymon thought he had him signed. Shawn swooped in at the last minute and gave him that ridiculous money. I was in Vegas when that happened. @PUO3

 

[PUO3]

He should have entered the tournament then. Not wait for a winner, and challenge him when he's fresh and the other guy just went through half-dozen fights.

Ya hell be so fresh and adjusted to the higher weight class against monsters lol.

 

[PUO3]

Haymon thought he had him signed. Shawn swooped in at the last minute and gave him that ridiculous money. I was in Vegas when that happened. @PUO3

Haymon prob

But man, dude got crazy money for some shitty fights lol. Im still shocked those cans were able to get the Kova fights done.

 

[RR]

Haymon prob

But man, dude got crazy money for some shitty fights lol. Im still shocked those cans were able to get the Kova fights done.

I am too. They literally fucked everything else up. I still need my shirt lol.

 

[PUO3]

I am too. They literally fucked everything else up. I still need my shirt lol.

Christ. Its literally in the same spot in the man cave. Should still have the address Ill put it in the mail finally.

 

[RR]

Christ. Its literally in the same spot in the man cave. Should still have the address Ill put it in the mail finally.

Haha thanks. In fairness I still need to send you those signed Woodson gloves

 

[Dr. Will]

Weighing 199lbs is an average weight of a Light Heavyweight now days. Some light heavyweights weigh more when they're not in training camp. That's 24 pounds heavier than light heavyweight. Crawford weighed in 177lbs the other day which is 30lbs heavier than welterweight and cutting pounds at welterweight is harder than light heavyweight because the lighter you are the more difference a pound makes. So I doubt his weight means he's gonna be competing at heavyweight. He's even small for cruiserweight.

Ward's weight has always been relatively low, but I think he mentioned the weight to make a point. We know he has spoken of potentially moving up to Cruiser and even Heavy on multiple occasions.
Without a doubt he would be a small Cruiser, but that didn't stop Roy Jones and Toney, I guess.

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Dude literally retired less than half a year ago. I enjoy how Ward fights, and think he is an amazing, near perfect boxer... but god damn, I hate his ego and out of the ring persona. Dude is terrible at making fans outside the ring tho, and be at all interesting/not annoying.

 

[Dr. Will]

We know Ward is coming back to face the new undisputed LHW champion whoever he may be, but that will take well over a year to decide, so he can't sit around and wait.

Ward will probably take fights against lesser Cruiserweights as he weighs in at 185lbs. This will allow him to get his body ready to get bigger, rather than cutting to 175. He did the same thing by facing Paul Smith at 172lbs. Then he will unify at LHW and leave the division for good and jack himself up to near 200lbs.

 

[Sakuraba7]

Ya hell be so fresh and adjusted to the higher weight class against monsters lol.

I'm not reading you clearly but are you saying he SHOULD take on a guy who did the heavy lifting for 4 belts while he's "fresh", or are we on the same page about fighters challenging themselves?

 

[PUO3]

I'm not reading you clearly but are you saying he SHOULD take on a guy who did the heavy lifting for 4 belts while he's "fresh", or are we on the same page about fighters challenging themselves?

Im saying that Ward will be at a new weight class for possibly the first time so he doesnt have some huge “fresh” advantage.

 

[Mondo Freaks]

I still wanna see him fight Adonis.

 

[ironfist05]

If he weighs 199 like he says then he should be able to make 175 and I don’t see what’s there at cruiser that anyone would consider “something special”.

IDK, I have some reservations about Usyk, but he seems like he could be that guy. Maybe Gassiev too, but I'm a lot less confident that he's "special."

 

[Sakuraba7]

Im saying that Ward will be at a new weight class for possibly the first time so he doesnt have some huge “fresh” advantage.

Right, but I struggle to respect a fighter who wins 3-4 belts in one fight vs someone who goes through 3-4 champs plus mandos in between to get to that position. So im totally against it. He got his shot at Kovalev, took the belts cuz Stevenson was too chicken to fight anybody (now Kov's on his 2nd title run, Stevenson still protecting his precious belt from unis/mandos). But don't wanna see a guy who's in a complete new division get a insta shot at the tournament champion, when it took 2 years to get that tournament going and so many fights to crown an UDC.

 

[moosaev]

Right, but I struggle to respect a fighter who wins 3-4 belts in one fight vs someone who goes through 3-4 champs plus mandos in between to get to that position. So im totally against it. He got his shot at Kovalev, took the belts cuz Stevenson was too chicken to fight anybody (now Kov's on his 2nd title run, Stevenson still protecting his precious belt from unis/mandos). But don't wanna see a guy who's in a complete new division get a insta shot at the tournament champion, when it took 2 years to get that tournament going and so many fights to crown an UDC.

If you beat a unified champion, you've earned all the belts that come with that, pure and simple. Chumps don't unify belts.