Here are some key dirty tactics Ward used, just from memory: Draino clause on Dawson (where non-puncher Ward amazingly gets a KO against a 175'r) Headbutt exo on Kessler Grappling and below-waist ducking exo on Froch. Low blow exo in Kovalev 2 That's pretty remarkable when you consider these are his claim-to-fame wins basically. The Froch fight is the least bad but still he refused to box by the rules. Other dodgy behaviour: Dragging MW Paul Smith up to beat up and begin his 175 run. Being in contact with Kovalev's coach during camp and before fight to sabotage and eventually get fight tips. That is ridiculously snake behaviour from Son of God.
I'm not a Ward fan and I agree that he was a dirty fighter, but that video is very biased. Everything is exaggerated.
Ward is such an odd fighter. You want to call him gifted even. He is Hopkins without any of the glory really due to not having much of an interesting backstory, nor fun style inside the ring. He also never much underts I think people don't give him enough credit for winning the Super 6, in his defense. It was supposed to be Abraham or Kessler winning IIRC? And Ward won with ease and did more afterwards with his career.
Am I the only person on this website to see him fight live in the flesh? Ward Allan Greene… ughh, Lina my roommate bought me tickets..
One of the best slick dirtiest players in the boxing game. He knew how to foul on the referee’s blind side. Master of elbows, headbutts and nuts!!! The man was a specimen and great athlete who crossed the line several times for the win.
Ward is very much in the camp of you like him or you don't it seems. He has left a legacy which is open for debate. Personally, put all emotion to one side, he was a great fighter, crafty as they come and I rated him highly. I change my mind a lot on who would have won between him and Calzaghe. Very intriguing fight.
Ward was a great fighter and yes he was a dirty fighter. The reason he is so unlikeable is that he pretends to be a good guy. Hopkins is more endeared because he owned being a dirty fighter and wasn't a sanctimonious phony like Ward.
Yeah, because any good fighter could have gotten dropped by a prime Kovalev in the 2nd round and see the end of the fight. Any good fighter could have knocked Kovalev silly like Ward did in the rematch. Also, guys crying about the second fight. I will admit, there should have been an 8 count since Kovalev was held up by the ropes, but let's not forget, he was in that position after a legitimate head shot got him realing. In my opinion, he was done without the low blows. But again, I wasn't happy the way the fight ended. But that doesn't mean Ward wasn't a top notch operator.
I often thought Ward had a bit of a Galota complex, in that he felt compelled to foul and fight dirty even if it didn't particularly benefit him. Against Kovalev in the second fight for example, he had Kovalev hurt with a clean shot to the head, and could have finished matters legitimately; instead he sullied his victory by finishing the fight with an egregious series of low blows. The Bika fight is another example; he could easily have kept matters clean and comprehensively outboxed Bika, but instead he was content to let the fight descend into a foul filled disgrace.