Jeff Mayweather: Andre Ward and Errol Spence are too quiet

By Boxing News - 11/01/2015 - Comments

ward7777(Photo credit: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports) By Chris Williams: Trainer Jeff Mayweather thinks that unbeaten former Olympians Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) and Errol Spence Jr. (18-0, 15 KOs) are both too quiet for their own good, and hurting their careers by not talking more in the media in terms of trash talking and such.

Both fighters are quiet and respectful for the most part, but Mayweather thinks that approach is not a good one for making yourself known to the casual boxing fans. The hardcore fans of course know who those fighters are, but the casual fans don’t because neither of them is loud and over the top the way that they need to be in order to get attention from the fans.

Jeff thinks it’s almost too late for Ward to become a star because he’s 31 now, and he doesn’t have much time left to make his mark.

“Eventually those guys [Danny Garcia, Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter] are going to have no choice but to fight him [Spence], because all he’s going to do is keep winning,” Jeff Mayweather said to Dontae’s Boxing Nation. “As long as he keeps winning and continues to open his mouth. That’s one thing about Errol Spence. He’s a real quiet guy, but that guy can fight, and that’s basically one thing that he has to do. That’s the same thing with Andre Ward,” Mayweather said.

I agree with Mayweather. Spence and Ward are both too quiet for their own good. They need a PR guy that can help shape their image by teaching them how to act, what to say, and where to be to make the biggest splash with their careers.

If Ward and Spence were thinking wisely, they would hire someone like Jeff to help shape their image, and then hire someone to write press releases frequently about them to send to the media. As it is, Ward and Spence are much quiet, and that’s why they don’t get the same kind of attention that guys like Adrien Broner gets. I would want someone like Jeff Mayweather to help shape my career if I were a fighter.

Until recently when Broner made the mistake of not speaking to the media, he was doing a good job of increasing his popularity by trash talking. The boxing fans don’t care that Broner isn’t the most talented fighter in boxing. They’re interested in him because of his image, the things he says, and his attitude. His adviser Al Haymon is wise enough to keep him away from the real talented guys for the most part. Every once in a while, Broner does fight someone good and he loses, but the fans forget because he’s quickly put back in with weaker opponents.

Broner is someone who is more popular due to the things he says and the way he looks then what he does in the ring. Now imagine what Ward and Spence could do with their careers if they had someone like Jeff Mayweather to craft their image. I think they would be big stars in the same way. It would take theatrics and acting skills from both of these guys, but it would be possible.

“Somebody must have got inside Andre Ward’s head and told him ‘Dude, you’re not getting any younger,” Jeff Mayweather said. “When are you going to have a major fight that’s going to amount to a whole lot of money, because Andre Ward is one of the guys that is too quiet. When you’re quiet, you get overlooked. You don’t have to be flashy and flamboyant or anything, but you have to let people know that you feel that you’re the best fighter out there, and by saying that it means that I’m willing to challenger whoever that’s willing to challenge me. That’s it. If you put that out there, you’re going to be respected. As long as you’re a top fighter, people are going to gravitate towards you and your fan base is going to be strong. He’s [Ward] not a star, but he’s a guy that’s right there. He needs that one little push to push him in the direction to be a star. He’s a known fighter, but he’s a known fighter by true boxing fans. Andre Ward can walk into a mall in Las Vegas and nobody would even know who he is unless you’re a boxing fan. But he’s the type of fighter that should have more credibility than that, and more start power than that. But if you don’t open your mouth then nobody cares. He’s had guys calling him out and he wouldn’t even answer. If you’re the best one out there and you’re only one weight class up, you’re supposed to answer that. If you’re going to make some noise, then you’re going to answer that. He’s 31-years-old and he’s almost at the point where it’s too late to become a star. What’s his name [Adrien Broner] is a bigger star than Andre Ward. Adrien Broner. A guy like that shouldn’t have a bigger following than Andre Ward. He [Broner] got it in a different way, but still he should not have that kind of following because Andre Ward is a good guy. He [Ward] should have a following kind of like [Oscar] De La Hoya. He’s an Olympic gold medalist, good looking kid, well-spoken and and fight. That’s all you need, but he’s not playing the right card. You can overplay the good guy and lose out,” Jeff Mayweather said.

Ward will be fighting this month on November 21st against Alexander Brand (24-1, 19 KOs) at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight is on the Miguel Cotto – Saul Canelo Alvarez card on HBO PPV. Brand is ranked #5 by the WBC at super middleweight, but he’s not well-known by fans at all.

For his part, Spence is fighting a little known opponent of his own in Alejandro Barrera (28-2, 18 KOs) on November 28th this month on the undercard of the Jermall Charlo vs. Wilky Campfort at The Bomb Factory, in Dallas, Texas. This isn’t a fight that is going to do much for Spence’s popularity, and it won’t push him up the rankings.



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