By Sean Jones: Tim Bradley challenged Andre Ward to an exhibition match, and he sounds like he’s in favor. The two fighters are still in their mid-30s despite both of them having retired three to four years ago.
It’ll be interesting to see if the former to-division world champion Bradley 33-2-1, 13 KOs) and Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) will charge boxing fans to see their exhibition fight on pay-per-view.
Ward is still only 36-years-old and Bradley 37. Both of them could still be fighting right now and making money.
Of course, it would be difficult for Ward to compete with the likes of IBF/WBC light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA champ Dimitry Bivol. Those guys can punch, and they’d make it difficult for Ward.
Bradley has gained a lot of weight in the last four years since losing to Manny Pacquiao by a 12 round unanimous decision in their trilogy match in April 2016.
Bradley challenges Ward to an exhibition match
Bradley: “Let’s have our rematch, Dre, exhibition,” said Tim Bradley to Ward last Saturday night on ESPN.
Ward: “I might do it under one caveat; I’m not waiting until I’m 50, said Ward about facing Bradley in a rematch. “I’m 36-years-old, it’s got to be from now until I’m 40. Anywhere between these three years.”
Bradley: “Why? You don’t think you operate at 50?”
Ward: “I don’t want to operate like that at 50. I don’t want to take punches at 50.”
Bradley: “Okay, I’m just saying.”
Ward: “So, somebody give us a call.”
As you can see, the former two-division world champion Ward sounds serious about wanting to face Bradley. The way Ward is talking, he sounds very interested in facing Bradley.
Ward, 6’0″, would have a tremendous size advantage over the 5’6″ Bradley, who wrapped up his 12-year pro career at 147 in 2016.
In Ward’s last fight three years ago, he stopped former light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in an eighth-round TKO in June 2017 in their rematch in Las Vegas, Nevada.
That was a fight in which Ward threw a could of hard body shots that a lot of boxing fans felt were low blows. In looking at the slow-motion replay, the last shot that Ward hit Kovalev with appeared to be a clear low blow. The other one looked on the beltline.
Ward retired too soon
It’s too bad Ward retired after that fight, as it wasn’t the ideal way for him to end his career. Boxing fans would have liked to have seen Ward stick it out long enough for him to face Artur Beterbiev, Dimitry Bivol, and Oleksandr Usyk.
So, you’re saying there’s a chance? 😅@TimBradleyJr challenged @AndreWard to an exhibition fight. pic.twitter.com/vV4ONy1nri
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) December 27, 2020
If Ward was still fighting last year, it would have been interesting to see if Canelo Alvarez would have picked him for a fight instead of Kovalev. Ward vs. Canelo at 175 would have been fun to watch.