I'm talking more in a historical sense. Ward has one of the best resumes out there right now, no denying that, but that's also indicative of a thin crop of talent right now from strawweight to heavyweight. Ward will reach historical greatness, though. Just needs to keep doing what he has been for another half-decade or so against the best from 168 to 175. Aside from Sergey Kovalev in a year or two, I don't see too many real obstacles out there right now.
He has the best resume in super middleweight history! Doesn't mean he would beat the likes of Roy jones in his prime, but still has some great wins!
He's not. He's got a good resume and if he can come back from his surgery and be as good as he was before or better and achieve more success in the future in the Super Middleweights or higher then the case could be made, but right now he's just at the level of a great fighter but not all time great. When his resume is no stronger than Calzaghe's and many people argue that Calzaghe isn't an all time great then Ward cant be either.
talent wise and technical wise, how intelligent he fights combined with his speed and acuraccy ant timing, yes atg resume, no
What utter shite. An All Time Great as in, one of the greatest fighters the sport has ever produced? Based on wins over Kessler and Froch? Those two guys are top fighters, but there not exactly 'greats' themselves. In my opinion, to be an all time great you need serious longevity, a string of top class wins, and most importantly, you need to have beaten great fighters.
This is why the resume has to be the deciding factor. Lots of fighters can look talented and technically brilliant against lesser opponents. His true capacity has yet to be tested.
Just needs to keep up what he is doing. Sad that Dawson wanted to fight Ward @168, kind of makes it hard to give Ward much credit for it, and it may have ruined Dawson.
i think he is, or very close to becoming the GOAT at 168. that being said, 168 is a rather new division and traditionally been the ugly sister. I think he gets into the HOF if he could not fight tomorrow but considered an ATG . . . not yet, not even close. he has the potential but it has not materialized yet. He has to have longevity at or near the top of the sport to be considered at that level. Bar injury I think he (along with Donaire and a couple of others) has the talent to be considered at that level.
he is not HOF level yet and not even close to ATG. ATG Is a level which takes a full career and being in superfights and wars to get to, and he does not have that.