By Scott Gilfoid: Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KOs) plans on not letting Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KOs) into the fight this Saturday in their catch-weight fight at 172 pounds in Oakland, California. Ward says he’s going to get off to a quick start and not let the 32-year-old Smith get his own game started.
Smith thinks that Ward’s inactivity will hurt him on Saturday night, as Ward hasn’t fought in a year and a half, but Ward feels differently. He’s been working out the entire time, and he’s ready to continue to dominate like he’s done his entire career, including when he was in the amateur ranks.
“I’m more than prepared for anything Paul Smith brings to the table and I think this fight isn’t going to go the way he anticipates it,” Ward said at the press conference today via Fightnews.com. “He’s [Smith] going to be hit early, he’s going to be hit often, and he’s going to realize very quick that ‘Man, this isn’t the guy that we scouted on paper.’”
Even an out of shape and rusty Ward would be good enough to dominate a mediocre fighter like Paul Smith. Ward won’t be out of shape for the fight, believe me. The ring rust that Ward will have on Saturday will quickly disappear after a couple of rounds, and I see him dominating Smith with ease.
Ward doesn’t usually knock his opponents out, but in this case I think he’s going to score a knockout early. Smith won’t hold up under the left hooks that Ward nails him with, and I can see Smith kissing the canvas after two or three rounds. I mean, we are talking about the same Smith that was knocked out in 2 rounds by George Groves and 9 rounds by James DeGale. Those guys aren’t in the same league as Ward is in terms of talent, which is why Ward is going to totally clown Smith and have an easy victory.
Ward needs to keep Smith around for as long as possible though because the object of him picking out a 2nd tier fighter like Smith is in order to get the rust out and sharpen up his skills. It defeats the purpose if Ward goes out there and obliterates Smith in two of three rounds right off the bat. War needs to carry Smith as long as possible to get some rounds in.
I’m sure that’s something that Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter has impressed upon him. Ward proves nothing by destroying Smith right away because this is just a tune-up, journeyman-level opponent. He’s not meant to be a live body. He’s just a guy for Ward to practice on in order to get ready for big fights in the future.
“All the training in the world in the gym is totally different,” Smith said. “Andre Ward’s inactivity is what I can capitalize on Saturday night.”
Ward can just ignore what Smith is chirping because it doesn’t matter a bit. He’s just the body they brought in for the fight, and that’s all he is.
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