As for the legal disputes he like any citizen is entitled to fight for his rights. He was right that Bute was not in his class as proven by his son Froch destroying Bute. Ward as you rightly point out went on to destroy Bad Chad Dawson in a super fight then dealt with the unbeaten Krusher Kovalev twice. Great career, great wins great legacy. There is no one he did not face and retired with honours.
True he was right about Bute not being his level but he literally threw away a lucrative pay day and allowed Froch to resurrect his career by passing on what would of been a good win for him at that time. It would be like Calzageh telling Lacy he wasn't his level and to beat Kessler first. Sure he's proven right but he shoots himself in the foot by denying himself a career advancing win that would of raised his profile. Yes he is entitled to sue whoever he likes but he never had a case to break his contract with Goosen who had done a good job for him securing him home town advantage for every Super 6 fight. Ward wanted out for whatever spurious reasons he had but he never had a case hence why the judge threw his case out and sided with Goosen. You sue someone when they have wronged you but Ward wasn't the wronged party here and ended up side lining his career on a morale principle over how Goosen had supposedly screwed over an associate. While that's morally sound and Ward clearly no longer trusted Goosen fact is Goosen had never screwed him over only this associate and so Ward had no legal basis to break his contract. Ward did have a great career considering his ability to self sabotage himself, but he could of had a better resume, I actually feel he's under rated because of it, which is a shame. Had he been a little less hard headed and stubborn and more flexible he'd have had a deeper resume for sure.
Andre Ward had the key to the sweet science He was pretty average physically. No one attribute was the best or stuck out but he was the smartest & dedicated to the science (especially the ugly side of it), he could even be outskilled at times but throughout a 12 round fight he would always find a way to win. & he was boring, if you can make boxing boring you're doing something right Now clinch me Andre. We can cry and complain about dirty/illegal tactics all we want but ultimately boxing is the fight game as well as a sport. All the greats we're pretty dirty in one way or another because you need that element in your game to be great. Floyd, Fury, Ali, Andre etc. King clinchers.
Maybe it did because his personality was not larger than life which perhaps is what some expect of black fighters like Tyson, Floyd, Ali, both Sugar Rays. It is what it is. What is clear is that Ward was outstanding in the ring where it matters taking on and defeating all comers in his era.
Name the popular white American fighters who disappeared after their greatest victory, then went for years without fighting and then retired.
I have seen the bout with Haydarov. Ward grabbed and held on to the Uzbek's limbs every chance he got.
a good fighter but dirty af and WAY overated for what he did. fact hes in hall of fame is a joke lol.
based on what? calzaghe beat kessler, and that was his best win against a prime fighter during his entire career. ward moved up to LHW when kovalev was a beast, which was a bigger move than joe 'i'm afraid of flying but i can go on overseas holidays with my family' calzaghe ever made.