Is Ward now an All Time Great? (As in top 100 of all time)

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Bogotazo, Jun 18, 2017.


Is Ward an All Time Great? (Top 100)

Poll closed Sep 26, 2017.
  1. Yes, he's an ATG

    41.9%
  2. No, but he's almost there

    27.9%
  3. No, and he's got a lot to do before he is

    30.2%
  1. Bogotazo

    Bogotazo Amateur Full Member

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    Last night was a pretty marquee win. Ward always had a solid consistent resume but beating Kovalev as dominantly as he did is his crowning achievement (whatever you think of the low blows, Kovalev was pretty much a spent force). He also has great head to head abilities as well.

    I always put resume above head to head abilities because looks can be deceiving if you aren't fighting the very best at the top level. But it helps that Ward is also very skilled & versatile and dominates a lot of his opponents.

    So he's got:

    Kovalev (at least once, twice if you scored it for him)
    Froch
    Kessler
    Dawson
    Abraham
    Bika
    Miranda

    So what do you think, is he there yet? And if not-what would it take for you to place him there?
     
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  2. bremen

    bremen Boxing Addict Full Member

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    ATG nut puncher for sure.
     
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  3. RingKing75

    RingKing75 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    I rate him ahead of FlIVd on atg list. Easily the better resume. FlIVd doesnt have any monsters on his resume.
     
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  4. Rock0052

    Rock0052 Loyal Member Full Member

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    Not in my book. Too many guys with too much depth ahead of him.

    Which isn't to say he's not a heck of a fighter, but top 100 is brutal enough to make as it is. Even if you limit it to the original 8 classes, there's only room for the top 10 in each with 20 slots left for everyone else- the junior and super classes & weight jumpers. That averages out to less than one fighter per decade per original weight class making the cut. Good luck making a middleweight top 10 without feeling like youre screwing over a bunch of elite fighters.

    Many greats we've never seen on film or were forgotten about so there's also a big recency bias. Taking that into account, for some, he may not be more than a few wins away. There's a ways to go for me to put him there, though.
     
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  5. The Akbar One

    The Akbar One Obsessed with Boxing banned Full Member

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    Ward wouldn't beat a prime Jones Jr. or a younger Hopkins
     
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  6. khaosai galaxi

    khaosai galaxi Superbad Full Member

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    Apr 17, 2017
    Ward resume at 168 was great. But at lightheavy not so, both fight with Kov were controversial. First fight is a lost and second fight would have been a UD victory with different officiating. I have Kov up by a point. Round 8 could have been 9-9 with a point deduction. And if Kov were to allow 5 min rest who knows, but I think ward will win in point. They are essentially 1-1.
    I voted not top 100 yet.
     
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  7. kirk

    kirk l l l Staff Member

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    Hes an ATG imo.
     
  8. junkhead

    junkhead My dogs watch me post Full Member

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    I don't think he cracks too 100, but he's definitely an ATG between 168-175
     
  9. SquaredCircle

    SquaredCircle Active Member Full Member

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    Boxing goes back so far and there are so many historically great fighters, it's tough to say. I've given up on keeping a running top 50-100 list or anything. But in my book, which I concede doesn't mean a damn thing, Ward is an all-time great. He's proven himself to be the defining fighter of his era in the weight classes he's fought in, and while I think he's too physically underwhelming to really beat any of the light heavyweight monsters throughout history (Charles, Moore, Foster, Saad Muhammad, Conteh, Spinks, etc.), I think he has an all-time great toolbox - even if it isn't pretty at times. I also think he has an all-time great boxing brain. I'd easily rate him above Joe Clazaghe, for reference.

    And if he isn't an all-time great, I can't see how he's too far off the mark to be honest. He's not one of my favorites, but I respect the hell out of his ability.
     
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  10. Wass1985

    Wass1985 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He's in a league of his own..... for all the wrong reasons.

    Massively overrated by the fans and boxing fraternity in every way imaginable, I hope to seem him sparked unconscious sooner rather than later.....
     
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  11. Ilikeboxing

    Ilikeboxing Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Top 150 without a doubt.
     
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  12. RingKing75

    RingKing75 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    To be fair not really sure anyone beats a prime 168 jones and a Hopkins fight is a toss up.
     
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  13. ForemanJab

    ForemanJab Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Clicked yes by accident, meant to pick the middle option
     
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  14. Pimp C

    Pimp C Too Much Motion Full Member

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    He's a atg no doubt.
     
  15. shadow111

    shadow111 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I seriously doubt that any version of Hops beats Ward from last night. On his best night Hops could possibly outbox him, but he'd have to fight a perfect fight and would need to be very wary of Ward's power. Hopkins couldn't hurt Ward, Ward could seriously hurt Hops.

    Prime LHW RJJ vs Ward from last night would be incredible. Would favor RJJ but it'd be a dream fight. I mean RJJ was Ward's idol growing up so I mean that's just a dream fight. You can't hold it against Ward that prime RJJ would probably beat him, but still the Ward from last night would have a legit shot vs prime RJJ.