Will Ward eventually vacate and avoid his mandatory challenger in Beterbiev?

You can't do that, if Ward beats Kovalev twice (regardless of how you feel the first was scored) then Ward deserves credit and whatever he does I think he has a right to do.

If he vacates or retires you can't throw more names at him and accuse him of ducking or avoiding, it will always be the way, there will always be another good fighter coming along.

 

I thought he was retiring to avoid the Kovalev rematch?

How can he vacate what he doesn't have?

 

Kovalev will beat ward again, probably more convincing even tho he won't need to.
Then if kovalev makes it past round 2 he'll high light reel ko berby

 

He doesn't have to duck his mandatory, because he will get beat again. I really don't think the judges will favor Ward again when close after all the backlash.
It's like Lennox vs Holy II, which was a lot closer as the first one, but the judges knew the world was watching them.

 

Ward will have a decision to make. I think he'll beat Kovalev. He could look for a fight with GGG at 168, perhaps Chavez Jr at 168 if Jr beats Canelo, or he could fight a high risk major threat in Beterbiev. Either way, his career is looking pretty interesting.

 

After Kovalev re-match, regardless of the outcome, I expect Ward to pick & choose a legacy/money fight or 2. I feel a champion like Ward will have earned the right to see himself as bigger than the belts and if this means we get a catch-weight showdown with triple G then I will be more than happy.

As for Beterbiev, he has his work cut out with the similarly rated if not quite so hyped Gvozdyk and of course his countryman and amateur rival Kovalev himself.

 

There was a poster on here confidently picking Ward to UD Usyk. Although I don't quite share this level of confidence in S.O.G. I don't doubt Andre himself may very well. It hasn't been mentioned here yet but if Ward can defeat Kovalev in the rematch (I personally pick Kovalev to win) maybe he will target cruiserweight or even a trip to HW, RJJ style.

 

ward is retiring to avoid a rematch with kovalev whom he already beat.

question is how many tune-ups before he avoids a rematch with beterbiev once he beats him

 

It is possible. I think Ward cares more about legacy than belts right now.

 

The answer is yes.

 

Of course he will. When was the last time Ward fought a mandatory?... Or has he ever?

 

So you're saying he beats Kovalev?

 

this is a different fight for ward. Kovalev is fairly weak on the inside. if Kovalev had average skills on the inside to add to his outside game he'd have shut out ward.
Beterbiev is exremly strong on the inside trying him up is suicide. Ward would need to work on the outside which isn't his specialty.

 

Look at this vagina thread. This is proof you bums already know Ward wins the rematch. Carry on sore losers.