By Dominic Sauboorah: I’ve seen some overrated fighters over the years, but no one like Andre Ward. I’ve seen a fair few of his fights and I wont lie he has shown to be very illusive in the ring whereby opponents do find it difficult to pin him down and land shots against him, which is one main reason as to why he is still undefeated.

Nevertheless you’ve got to take into consideration his style of fighting and whether it should be deemed as clever or boring.

His fight against WBA champion Mikkel Kessler was disgraceful in my view. I like Kessler a lot as he’s a very clever boxer, but he also knows how to go toe to toe with an opponent thereby creating entertainment. Ward however has never gone toe to toe. Throughout that fight Ward threw what appeared to be sharp single shots and he’d then charge in and clinch onto Kessler, thereby stopping Kessler from throwing anything back. He did this countless times making the fight somewhat monotonous. The worst aspect of the fight however was Ward’s inability to get his head out of the way. He head butted Kessler five times in the bout resulting in the fight being stopped. Only a coward would use their head to their advantage and this would make sense for someone like Ward, considering he couldn’t stop holding onto Kessler throughout. Despite this I can’t blame Ward for using his head due to lack of power in his punches, because not once was Kessler rocked by any of Ward’s straight right hands.

Andre Ward has shown other examples of spoiling during fights. When he fought Allan Green he resorted in pushing Green up against the ropes for most of the fight and wasn’t willing to fight him in the middle of the ring. The fight, without much surprise, went the twelve round distance; however I ended up falling to sleep after the 3rd round. Ward won the fight by a unanimous points decision; however he did it in a somewhat unconvincing fashion.

I’m not an unfair person as I do honestly believe that Andre Ward is a talent, but his constant clinching and usage of the head is defining him in one way, which is off putting. A true fighter would be willing to go toe to toe and step it up when necessary. Ward has never done that. He never steps up the pace, he always keeps the fight at the same pace, pot shotting opponents and constantly boxing on the back foot. People say Floyd Mayweather’s boring to watch. Take a good look at Andre Ward. I always feel terrible judging a boxer’s bravery, but with the way this fighter fights I can’t help but question his heart and determination.