Put your own bias aside and look at a potential Ward-Bute fight...

i don't know if he's "elite" but he sure seems "A" level. i've seen a lot of coaches inbetween rounds saying some pretty stupid stuff, but larouche always seems to say just the right things and criticises bute accordingly.
have watched some training videos and he seems to know his stuff. i'm no expert so i could well be wrong. only thing i don't like is that he hasn't seemed to be able to improve bute's defense. still gets hit a bit too much. although sometimes it seems like it is a calculated risk kinda thing. get hit to hit back harder.

 

No one favored Ward to beat Kesler.

How is Burrows not a consistent goal scorer? He's been over 25 for 4 straight years.

They are #1, they won today.

Eastern Conference teams suck ass and will always be raped by the west.

 

I had a fabulous time reading this thread. I'll try to write some stuff myself later but only if I find something new to add.

 

would be a great fight. But wish they could fight in vegas or NY, not any of the fighters hometowns

 

Lucian is the lesson in this match up and he is the physical strongth. When we are discussing strategic match-ups with the fashions of the fighters we must think to ourselfs about left-hand body strikes and how quantity of body strikes slow less skill Froch land on him and when Ward stomach has been at test. I will say Lucian come on him slow from late and take him not while he is behind but while he is ahead himself in joint cards of advocates. You will see. :bbb

 

Ward UD. I don't think it'll be a great mesh of styles tbh.

 

I'm just as amazed as you are , mate. So many superlatives used in describing Ward. Like MrMagic says , Ward will beat Godzila and all the comic books heroes with his inteligence and athleticism . The worst part of it is that even a hardcore fan like Drozzy thinks Bute stand little chances against multi-talented Ward , as if Bute is no better than Bika or Green , and has only the puncher's chance.
Why make the fight if the result is so predictable?

 

I think we have to put this fight in context guys.Assuming it happens in late 2013 then we have to assume that both fighters are coming off fairly brutal losses to Froch,so we can't judge them the way we do now.:yep
If,for the sake of the discussion we take the less likely perspective and assume this is their next fight,then I can't really break it down any better than SJS has.I just can't work out a game plan that Ward won't be able to neutralise.Before the Froch fight,my plan for Bute to beat Ward would have been for him to work on a left lead,actually keep moving to his left(I know guys,unnatural,but beating Ward needs something different) to throw Ward's game off,fight dirty in the trenches,and then when Ward starts to work out the plan,switch to the more conventional approach to get that precious distance required.He will have to spar beforehand in a way where he gets used to taking one to land one.Good feigning and head movement are an absolute must.Whatever happens,this will be one of the ugliest highly anticipated match ups in recent memory.
I'm convinced it will take a really leftfield gameplan to beat Ward.It could be like last year's Champion's League final,and like that game it will take a whole new approach (from Bute's perspective) to beat the favourite.Like playing four up front,really unpredictable.
I have to hold my hands up and say I thought Ward was overrated but he was out of this world v Froch.
Speaking of Carl,bear in mind my earlier point about both fighters coming off heavy defeats against The Cobra.
Bute will be stopped in the first round(or sooner) and Interbox will lodge an appeal becuase it seems strange that Lucien went down so easily.An independent inquiry will go on to find that it was indeed a N/C because proof will emerge that Bute was being dragged to the canvas by an invisible magnetic force that pulls him in the direction of Montreal.He won't get a rematch because Carl will have moved up and will be onto his second Klitschko.
Ward will be stopped in the second round(bit stronger defensively) after a towel lands at the ref's feet during a particularly savage Froch onslaught.
However this will also be controversial as every member of Ward's team deny throwing the towel.CCTV footage will show that the towel mysteriously appeared from thin air and had a glow of light around it.Ward will then admit that His Dad was involved.
Remember you heard it here first.:bart

 

If I was Carl Froch, and I couldn't get this fight negotiated the way I wanted, or at least part of the way I wanted, I'd move up to 175 and re-match Jean Pascal, that fight could be made in a heart beat.

From there, if Froch wins he has a UK Showdown with Cleverly, and if he loses he can either call it a day at 35, or re-build at SMW with fights against Groves and DeGale, both of whom are currently a level or two below Carl.

 

Just a side note really

Wrote all my thoughts down in that first half a page post! Just hanging about because it's nice to talk to guys who appreciate Boxing and know what they're on about :good

 

I just said in another thread that Cleverly should chase Froch mate.Spot on:good
It's a very winnable fight for Froch,but also a credibility boost for Clev.My worry would be that while Clev excels at nothing,he is good at most fundamentals and his strongest asset is his superb conditioning.I know he's with his dad but he has that fitness that Enzo seems to have a knack for installing.
Are you suggesting my predictions for the SMW division are innacurate?:think
I'm hurt.I really am.:bart