Andre Ward, All Wrong for Boxing

By Boxing News - 01/10/2016 - Comments

ward44444By Listen: Andre Ward, American boxer, with a current record of (28-0) is all wrong for boxing. Ward the last American gold medalist has yet to garner the respect from the boxing public. Most casual fans of boxing in the state of California let alone the world wouldn’t notice the current P4P ranked #4 rated boxing champion if he happened to pass by. Most hardcore fans of the sweet science would more than likely heckle Ward for his constant inactivity and perceived prima donna perception if given the chance.

Boxing fans gravitate to fighters with dynamic aggressive styles; Ward might be the furthest from that. Ward fights with an almost cautious effortless motion rarely taking chances maybe due to his extensive successful amateur career.

Critics of Ward have compared his fights to watching paint dry. Andre, we as boxing fans, don’t have the time or the patience to actually watch your fights a second or third time to possibly understand the intricacies of your fighting style.

We rather criticize you for your mauling, hit and hold tactics, which does not make for good television, but great fight film for the hardcore fan. We as boxing fans want to see blood and guts, not a guy who simply gets the job done, using superb footwork and defensive skills. You will never be the peoples champion if you do not “stand in” and “mix it up”. Andre Ward you are all wrong for boxing.

Andre you have been woefully inactive over the past four years since winning Showtime’s Super Six Tournament due your constant injuries and management disputes. Andre, even though you beat four world champions on the way to capturing the Super Six title, you are all wrong for boxing. We as boxing fans only value fighters with a high KO percentage regardless of the status and strength of your competition. We don’t care that you beat Mikkel Kessler, to win your first world championship. We don’t remember that, at the time Kessler was one of the most feared men in boxing. We forget that you were challenged and immediately accepted a fight with then light heavy weight champion “Bad” Chad Dawson. We forget how bad you made a young then highly respected champion like Dawson look, easily winning that fight, actually making Dawson quit. We as boxing fans would rather you fight fringe contenders or unproven champions or better yet why don’t you constantly call out champions from lower weight classes? Also, while we are at it, how can you as a fighter want to be considered the best and take time off for any sort of injury? We as boxing fans expect you to lay it all on the line regardless of your physical well being like Manny did against Floyd. Why can’t you be more like Manny a true champion? A guy who comes in the ring and makes me spend my hard earned money on PPV while fighting “injured”. I’m sorry Andre I forgot, you actually already did that, when you won the Super Six tournament, with a broken hand, besides, that was over four years ago, how could you expect me to remember that? We as boxing fans fight through injuries all the time; I almost broke my neck, falling asleep through that snooze fest, as you easily out boxed another world champion in Arthur Abraham.

Andre, how can you call yourself a champion and spend time letting your career waste away bickering with your management over contract disputes? We don’t understand or respect you for trying to better the lives of your family, by having the audacity for trying to start your own promotional company that could one day feed your family for generations to come. We as boxing fans go to work and never bicker about our salaries or working conditions. Besides boxing promoters are some of the most esteemed honest gentleman in the history of the world and are always known for fair contracts, that are in the best interest of their fighters. How could a boxer spend time asserting energy going against this esteemed establishment, shame on you Andre Ward?

Andre Ward would you please stop being a gentleman and a role model for kids of the inner city and all over the world. We as boxing fans only admire boxers that are touted in controversy. We don’t have time to hear you speaking eloquently about your opponents with respect and admiration. We want to see you trash talk and berate your opponents before, during and after your fights. What’s the point of respecting your opponent and your family by being a sportsman? While we are at it, please change your moniker “SOG” Son of God. C’mon, how can anyone gravitate to a fighter who openly flaunts a spiritual faith? Next you are going to tell me you are an active member of your community and church, what a waste Andre Ward. We would rather you fall in line and act like most other inner city fighters. Why don’t you, go to a couple strip clubs, make it rain like you are supposed to? How do you expect to gain fanfare by being a loyal father and husband? Andre Ward you are all wrong for boxing.

YouTube video

Boxing and boxers alike are often stigmatized as a bunch of Neanderthals entrenched in a blood sport. Andre Ward is not the perfect athlete, his style leaves me wanting more at times and his inactivity has also put a damper on his career over the past couple years. Boxing fans could argue for days about missed opportunities and the outcome of impending fights but shouldn’t a gentleman be respected? Shouldn’t a champion be celebrated? Andre Ward though flawed in his business practices is a breath of fresh air in boxing and sports in general. I often speak to my teenage son, using Andre Ward as an example of how a man and a champion should act. Say what you want but, for Andre Ward to be an undefeated Olympic gold medalist, and a man of faith and not to be recognized as one of the biggest most revered stars, in the world of sports is a shame. My guess is Andre Ward is too good of man, too good of a boxer, too grounded in his faith, and all bad for boxing.



Comments are closed.