His ring IQ is immense. I wish he would step up, he could clean up at 175lb. With better marketing he could have been a big big star.
So he's fighting Alexander Brand at (as reported now) full 175 Of course Brand is a career SMW who gets dragged up to Ward's New weightclass, but it's definitely a step up from an overweight Paul Smith and completely incomparable to that Aussie dude.
The jab to the body is such and easy punch to counter off of but most fighters never take advantage of it. Ward reaches when he throws it and the left side of his face is wide open. A slick boxer would find that opening easily but Ward only fight Euro style stiffs.
They didn't take advantage of it against Mayweather thats for sure. Mayweather and Ward may be pxssies to some but there technique is the gold standard.