Ward must be kicking himself right now

I think your post is stop on but I wanted to highlight this in particular.

There is no argument to say that Ward didn't need to fight Bute because he's fighting Dawson instead. It's completely nonsensical when you look at the time bwteen Ward's last fight and then the schedules Dawson bout. There's no truth whatsoever in that, and to suggest that Froch beating Bute benefits Ward just as much as him beating Bute is equally as moronic. Styles make fights and whilst Ward would likely beat Bute, it's no guarantee just because Froch did and anyone who gives him credit or thinks it boosts his record is having a laugh.

 

The same was said about Bradley when Peterson beat Khan.

It's correct too.

 

No what is shows is that ward was right Bute didn't even deserve to share the ring with him let alone Froch. The first time he steps up he gets thoroughly thrashed for his efforts. Before this fight I said ward should forget about fighting Bute and fight Dawson because Bute was going to lose to Froch anyway and people bashed me for it.

 

I'm also with Uncle Rico on this. "Indirect wins" aren't measured in boxing, and while we can use this result as evidence for the idea that Ward would easily school Bute, credit for the win goes to Froch alone. The same logic applies to Tim Bradley; I've repeatedly defended his decision for not fighting Khan last summer, but bypassing that fight and then letting Peterson get the win does not mean Bradley himself deserves a lick of credit.

And I would also note that if Dawson comes in drained at 168 then I don't think Ward will necessarily have taken on an opponent who should be regarded as much better than Bute anyway at this particular weight.

 

The difference in the perception of Bute would have been enormous, I will grant that. With Froch beating him, most have simply concluded that Bute was a hypejob, that he was exposed, etc.

If Ward had beaten Bute in dominant fashion, some would call Bute a hypejob, but many others would simply to chalk it up to Ward's immense superiority in the division, his pound-four-pound status, etc. They'd say "Ward was simply too good". And in fact some would probably still believe that Bute was the #2 man in the division, capable of beating Kessler, Froch, Dirrell, etc.

So in this sense, Ward missed an opportunity to enhance his stature in a somewhat artificial sense -- since we now know that in point of fact, Bute wasn't all that to begin with.

On the other hand, the way it worked out, Ward doesn't even have to lift a finger and his status is enhanced simply because Froch's status was immensely enhanced.

 

Ohh plenty of Captain Hindsights around here.

Look, if every boxer thought like Ward then nobody would fight one another. Bute was still coming in;

• undefeated
• champion (paper)
• #1 ranked ring contender

Some boxing fans go on about promoters getting in the way of fights happening, yet expect legitimate contenders to jump through ridiculous hoops to face the champion. Your attitudes are part of the problem.


Also what ever happend to the old boxing cliche 'styles make fights'? Does this only apply when it's convenient for your boxer? Andre Ward does not win against Bute by default because he beat the man who beat the man. Boxers prove themselves in the ring, not on twitter.

 

Last I checked Ward SCHOOLED Froch. How does Froch beating a protected overhyped champion change that? I guess when you get embarrassed in the ring like Froch did against Ward what else can his fans do but deny the fight ever happened.

 

Yeh yeh yeh, Ward doesn't need to fight anymore. We get it. He should just retire and win by default. No one has ever heard of styles make fights or the best fighting the best.

Let this weekend be known as the weekend that the great Andre Ward, retired after singlehandedly beating every boxer who ever lived by default.

Andre Ward KO1 Jack Dempsey
Andre Ward KO1 Ray Robinson
Andre Ward KO1 Muhammad Ali
Andre Ward KO1 Harry Greb
Andre Ward KO1 the dinosaurs

What a resume!

 

Yes.


He would have had an easy nights work, and would have gotten credit for completely wiping out the division with Kessler, Froch, Abraham, and Bute. Now people are questioning how much the "improved" Froch might have a chance against him now.

 

Damned. You actually made a good point there. What got into you? Not had your morning coffee yet?

 

Not yet.

I still have to watch my youtube highlights of David Haye before I go into the other threads and make a complete ass of myself.

 

But wait a minute.


Ward actually did beat Froch... and Kessler... and Abraham. Rather convincingly I might add.