HBO should let Andre Ward take a soft opponent in September

By Boxing News - 08/03/2013 - Comments

ward643By Scott Gilfoid: WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) is coming off shoulder surgery on his right shoulder, and he’s been out of the ring since stopping Chad Dawson in the 10th round last year in September. Ward’s team wants to bring him back next month against former WBA super middleweight champion Dimitri Sartison (30-2, 18 KO’s), who recently lost his title last year in April in a 12th round TKO defeat against Karoly Balzsay.

HBO reportedly doesn’t like the idea of Ward fighting Sartison on their network, as he doesn’t have a recognizable name to American casual boxing fans. They prefer Ward take on a better known opponent than him. As such, Ward is expected to take a tough opponent coming off of a 1-year layoff and shoulder surgery.

I don’t see why Ward should be asked to take a tough opponent for his first fight back. I mean, look at the fight HBO will be televising next month on their network between former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Brian Vera.

That’s a huge mismatch, and the last time I checked, Vera has never been a world champion before like Sartison has. Chavez Jr. gets an easy mark, and HBO will be televising it. That’s not all though. In October, HBO will be televising a mismatch between Miguel Cotto and Delvin Rodriguez on the 5th of that month.

That’s a horrible mismatch. Rodriguez has never won a world title before, and he’s lost 4 out of his last 9 fights. Why in the heck if HBO televising that mismatch, and not a mismatch between Ward and Sartison? I’d rather see that mismatch than Cotto beating up on Rodriguez or Chavez Jr. crushing Vera.

I see Vera and Rodriguez as ESPN2 type fighters, not HBO guys. It just doesn’t see fair that HBO is willing to televise some mismatches, but not others.



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