Is Ward in a good situation cleaning out 168?

[ViperSniper]

With Ward smashing the last 3 years in boxing & beatin Dawson recently many a left asking what's next or left for Ward? He has cleaned up his own division (possibly the best & deepest division at the time) in dominant & impressive fashion & stopped the Light Heavyweight champ from taking his super middleweight titles. Bute was blown out by Froch in 5 & are penciled for a rematch.


People are now saying that not only has Ward cleaned out a division..any fight around him is a mismatch or his already beatin them. This reminds me of the situation the Klitschko's have faced most their Champion reign which has hurt them.

Big difference between the two situations is Ward doesn't have those advantages over his opponents & his opponents were far more credible. Ward in his very young reign as Champ has already grown & shown to be a champion against top fighters.

There isn't many top fighters in the Heavyweight division to beat that would have too much of an impact on the Klitschko's resume other than Haye. The same can't be said for Ward however.


Would it be the worst if down the track Ward has a rematch with Froch? Has a rematch with Kessler? Has a rematch with Dawson?

If they continue to get back on track, look good & stay relevant then why not?


So what I'm getting at is, is Ward cleaning out 168 really a bad thing considering those around him still remain to be top to relevant fighters within boxing themselves? Even if those rematches may be mismatches wouldn't necessarily make them bad fights either!?

Unlike a Mayweather or a Pacquiao, Ward has faced nothing but quality beating the best competition within & around his (very good) division. Manny & Floyd wouldn't get too much credit for beating any of the fighters they already have because many didn't give them that credit to begin with due to several circumstances. Not to mention Floyd & Manny never fought eachother & many other big fights to still be made for both.

It says alot about how much hard work Ward has done in such a short amount of time & how far it has taken him!

Kessler is coming off a good, big KO performance over Green, Froch is coming off a big surprise win over Bute to get the IBF belt & even Abraham picking up the WBO belt since all losing to Ward.
If Ward were to repeat any of those wins you couldn't really fault him as it says more about how good those opponents & victories Ward earned to begin with.

So is already cleaning out a division with no other big fights to be made such a bad thing for Ward?? I'm starting to think he may have gotten himself in a lucky win, win situation instead..

Ward-Froch II, Ward-Kessler II or Ward-Dawson II would all still be big fights if they're ever made again. Then you still have Ward-Bute as an option. After any of that maybe some of the Middleweights will move up & challenge him. Or Ward moving up to Light Heavyweight to fight Cloud, Pascal or even that rematch with Dawson?


Now that Ward has gotten himself to the top, how should he go about his career from here??


I think Ward should stay put at 168 for as long as his body can make weight while taking on the best &/or biggest fights available..building on that longevity.

[and the NEW]

I've got no idea where Ward should go from here.

The fights with Froch, Kessler and Dawson were so one sided, I have no interest in watching a second showing of any of them (no doubt we will be fed one though). Bute really got made to look like a fraud and Pascal is just terrible.

I am hoping guys like Shumenov or Cleverley establish themselves and beat one of the bigger names in the division, that could give Ward an option at LHW.

I would also like to see him fight BHOP, it would really mark a changing of the guards and would be interesting to see two technical geniuses go head to head.

Finally, Cloud always has a punchers chance - Glen Johnson said his the hardest puncher his ever fought, and that is something coming from a man who has fought them all!

[lloyd mayflower]

If he wants to stay at 168, id be ok with Froch and Kessler rematches, but only if he came over here to do it. That gives it a different angle. If not its just a repeat. Other than that, id be happy for him to thouroughly fuck up james degale!!!!

[SENTRAL]

Seems like Andre Ward is being overrated here right now. The win over Dawson was highly predictable given Dawson's mistake in moving down in weight. He is as much of a homer as the much maligned Joe Calzaghe and other than his victory over Froch I haven't been sufficiently impressed enough to laud Ward like seems to be the trend right now. I agree with Lloyd in that he should give Froch a return in England and then he has to move up to light heavyweight. Nathan cleverly and James de gale are a light years away from ever being world championship contenders. Legitimately that is.

[lloyd mayflower]

SENTRAL Wrote:Seems like Andre Ward is being overrated here right now. The win over Dawson was highly predictable given Dawson's mistake in moving down in weight. He is as much of a homer as the much maligned Joe Calzaghe and other than his victory over Froch I haven't been sufficiently impressed enough to laud Ward like seems to be the trend right now. I agree with Lloyd in that he should give Froch a return in England and then he has to move up to light heavyweight. Nathan cleverly and James de gale are a light years away from ever being world championship contenders. Legitimately that is.

Oh i wasnt suggesting james degale is either ready or worthy, I was merely pointing out that like any of the big guns at 168, id enjoy to see ward pounding on him

[and the NEW]

SENTRAL Wrote:Seems like Andre Ward is being overrated here right now. The win over Dawson was highly predictable given Dawson's mistake in moving down in weight. He is as much of a homer as the much maligned Joe Calzaghe and other than his victory over Froch I haven't been sufficiently impressed enough to laud Ward like seems to be the trend right now. I agree with Lloyd in that he should give Froch a return in England and then he has to move up to light heavyweight. Nathan cleverly and James de gale are a light years away from ever being world championship contenders. Legitimately that is.

I think the most impressive thing Ward has done is absolutely dismantle Kessler. Mikkel was the favourite to win the tournament and he beat Froch. He is a very very good fighter. And Ward took him to the cleaners! He literally mugged him in there and made it look like he was taking candy from a kid!

[SENTRAL]

and the NEW Wrote:

SENTRAL Wrote:Seems like Andre Ward is being overrated here right now. The win over Dawson was highly predictable given Dawson's mistake in moving down in weight. He is as much of a homer as the much maligned Joe Calzaghe and other than his victory over Froch I haven't been sufficiently impressed enough to laud Ward like seems to be the trend right now. I agree with Lloyd in that he should give Froch a return in England and then he has to move up to light heavyweight. Nathan cleverly and James de gale are a light years away from ever being world championship contenders. Legitimately that is.

I think the most impressive thing Ward has done is absolutely dismantle Kessler. Mikkel was the favourite to win the tournament and he beat Froch. He is a very very good fighter. And Ward took him to the cleaners! He literally mugged him in there and made it look like he was taking candy from a kid!

Kessler has been slipping, deteriorating, for a couple of years. He isn't and wasn't the man who fought calzaghe and his recent performances have definitely shown a decline in his effectiveness. Seriously Ward is living, boxing in an era where there islittle worthy opposition. The sorry story of the current fight game.

[Maxy]

Ward is an excellent fighter. You don't learn that technique, you're born with it. Natural. That said, he fucks me off cos he ain't got the balls to travel overseas. Yanks love bangin on about how their land is the promised land, how their land is the place to do it, the place where it happens.

Not any more folks. Times are a changing. He should get on his bike and fight whatever is out there in their back yards. It's a different kettle of fish actually traveling, adapting. Boxing needs a fighter with the talent of an Andre Ward but Andre Ward needs to give something back. Staying in America ain't doing him any favours cos foreigners like me ain't respecting that shit.

And America....wake up...foreigners are taking over.

[and the NEW]

What a picture Maxy! Robinson jabbing Mayweather! Damn!

[BrutalBodyShots]

It's a shame there isn't more talent at 175 either, otherwise Ward could campaign there and make some noise.