Is Andre Ward outpointing Arthur Abraham just a foregone conclusion at this stage?

You think he stops him IB?

 

Faster feet don't mean ****.

Are you one of these cats who thinks Joe Louis had bad footwork?

Ward is a lot like old Joe, in that he uses just the right amount of movement. Nothing wasted. Perfect for his style (although obviously he isn't a homicidal puncher like Joe).

 

Late, maybe. That or he wins 2160 seconds like Faerun said. :yep

Abraham is going to look SOOOOOOOOOOOO bad, people seeing him for the first time won't believe he was ever a champion.

 

What ill be interested to see is how AA reacts when he feels Ward's punch. Even when Froch wasn't landing and hitting AA high guard you could tell AA was really feeling the punches and was reluctant to let his defense drop. Froch is seriously heavy handed i don't think some people realise that. If AA doesn' think much of Ward's power early on this could get interesting.

 

Did I say they did? Down Kujo! :nono

I said Ward moving all around the ring and out Boxing AA the way that AD and CF did isn't likely. AW has shown previously that no matter what the punching power of his opponent is he is going to be right in front of him. He has also shown he is quit successful doing so.

My only point was that if AA let his hands go he has more of a chance landing than say against AD who was gone 99% of the time AA decided to open up.

Don't bring up old Boxers. Boxing was a different game.

 

Ah, but see Dirrell can be guilty of too much movement and getting a little overconfident in those springs in his heels. He can get caught when he's on the outside like that with his chin up and hands down, if the opponent times it right and leaps at him with a lunging shot. Ward does stay closer but he's a lot more careful about not getting hit, IMO.

 

Ward needs to box, it's as simple as that...the class difference should show itself.

Avoid too many inside exchanges. Although Abraham carries great power, he telegraphs in the most obvious way. Guard up if he's not preparing to punch, relaxed guard when he intends to throw.

 

I still don't believe AA was ever a champion. He won a title that undisputed champion Jermain Taylor vacated.

 

I agree. I wasn't using it as a knock on Ward. He is just a different fighter. Not saying better or worse, just uses less movement. I don't think anyone in here think AA can beat him, just that his punch could be more effective against AW vs AD/CF.

Like some others mentioned though. AW is a ring general. No telling what he is going to pull out of his bag of tricks. We may see something that completely shuts AA down in a way nobody even thought of since right now everyone is feeling the key is "movement, jabs (too keep his hands high), body shots (to slow him down further and/or take the steam off of his shots later)".

 

I have to be honest with Ward's last fight I actually kinda ****ed up and scored it a draw. Not sure how that happened. But frankly the fact that I could do that in a fight with a crude wild swinger like Bika is half a warning sign for me when it comes to Ward. Maybe not in his next fight but in the future don't be suprised if this guy starts eithre winning some bad decisions or losing some close fights to better comp. I think he'll be in range to be hit by AA more then Froch and Dirrell were. Weather or not AA can take advantage of that I don't know considering Ward is the best inside fighter in the tournament.

 

:good

 

Quite possibly. Even after his lacklustre showing against Dirrell, I still picked Abraham to beat Froch as I thought it was the combination of range and uncommon speed that stifled him. I didn't think Froch, who is neither hugely skilfull or athletic, would have enough to keep Abraham down.

After the drubbing he took from the Cobra though, I started to think it's just range and activity he struggles with as much as anything else. At this level anyway. Sure, Froch and Dirrell have their own strengths, but I think a tall, athletic and pro-active fighter like Ward presents problems to Abraham before you even start comparing skillsets.

 

ward will win this . and ward will bully him ..

 

Sweet Science again?


Not for me.

I want the fighter who starts the fight with the intent of chopping his opponent's head off - ala-Rios.

Andre Ward will start the fight with a mentally of outpointing his opponent.

 

If you havn't got the power, man...you can't go into the ring looking to take somebodies head off. Dominating and demoralizing your opponent is just as satisfying to watch IMO.