I gotta say, I'm liking the feedback to this point. Gives me some insight on what people are thinking.
I think Ward has reasonable power, but he's still not what I would consider a big puncher. I think his timing and accuracy are a significant factor in his knockdowns.
Everyone at that level can whack, but Ward doesn't really push for the KO. He isn't some devastating puncher, but at the same time it's obvious his oponents respect his power because they don't walk right through him. Ward will take a KO when it presents itself (such as against Dawson) but he won't seek the KO, which is why his KO ratio isn't great. His KO ratio is also a bit low for a fighter of his calibre because of the fierce competition he's faced in the past few years.
Ward is like Floyd when it comes to power I think, he isn't the hardest hitter but he hits hard enough that you can't just walk through his punches plus he is accurate with his shots and this can cause more of an effect when the punches lands since they often land cleanly.
So after a Calzaghe-like stoppage, you guys try to argue Ward's a power puncher ? Can't you just be fans of the fighter he is rather than the one you wish he were ?
Far from a puncher but he isnt featherfisted either. His timing is what gets peoples respect not really the raw power.
Lol no one's knocking Ward. I thought it would be good for people to reassess Ward's power after seeing the countless comments saying Ward is feather-fisted.
I've said this before but if any other super middleweight than Froch, Abraham or Bika had absorbed some of those punches in the prior fights they might have been in serious trouble. It's obviously something he's improved on or else Allan Green would have gone to sleep.
Froch is an iron chinned warrior, yet Ward, for the most part was able to keep him at bay. Contrast that with Froch walking right through the shots thrown by Bute, who many consider to be a harder puncher. Andre is sitting on his punches a little more now than he did at the beginning of his career, plus some of it must be strategy. He knew he needed to box Kessler and Abraham and never pushed for a stoppage.
He said in the interview afterward that it was finally becoming a focal point of camp to put out hurtful punches now that he's already got the other puzzle pieces in place. He's becoming the total package, if he isn't already.
A Slappy-esque stoppage? Ward/Dawson looked nothing like these: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACgTJhEdj5M[/ame]
I think he has Mayweather like power. Punches very correctly but doesnt look to hit too hard. Then you get in there and its very respectable.
I've heard people that have tasted Ward's power say he "hits like a baby" or is feather-fisted. His punching power will have to be taken into more consideration since the Dawson victory, but questions are still out there.