Andre Ward Greatest SMW?

Calzaghe 's title defenses at super middle is the only thing that keeps him in the conversation because its certainly not his resume !

 

I agree I don't want him in, put if you divorce yourself from regular appraisal and look at it purely quantitatively then he gets in. if you appraised things you'd have to disclude Calzaghe since most of his defences don't count.

I actually hate mentioning The Cheats name, never even held a title for more than 2 years in real terms before he got beat.

 

Although Calzaghe did spend a number of years during his WBO run ranked behind him

What does that say about Super Joe?:rofl

 

IIRC two out of four of Joe's highest profile wins were at light heavy, so they shouldn't be considered here.

SMW has been a historically weak division, so it doesn't take too much to be near or at the top all time at that weight. Joe still has it IMO just on length of tenure, but if, say, Stevenson or GGG move to SMW and show they are world class there, and Ward beats them, I think that would rate GOAT status at SMW.

 

Wards resume is already better than Joe C. would anyone really debate that?

 

Ottke for me is disqualified from any serious ranking with Reid fight, he is only fighter that wasnt allowed to be hit, you hit him and you are warned by the referee thats everything i will say about biggest fraud in boxing history!

I' am not Joe fan at all, RJJ and BHOP both beat him in prime, but Joe in comparison with Ottke looks real great even with his resume...

 

Fact of the matter is Ward's best win is a past prime Kessler Joe C beat him prime and beat him well. Joe C has 3 wins on his resume that are better than Ward's

Kessler
Eubank
Hopkins (and he stepped up to LHW to fight him not weight draining him like Ward did to Dawson)

Joe C has a padded record we all accept that but the standard of fighters he fought in his signature fights are a lot better than anything Ward has faced.

Ward is talented albeit boring, I still feel H2H though Joe C would beat Ward, Ward does not have the power to KO Joe C and will get outworked badly in the fight to a UD loss.

Thats taking nothing away from Ward but the only fighters at SMW that had a chance H2H agains Joe C is Prime RJJ, Prime Eubank, and possibly McLellan, Watson and Benn although the latter 3 would have to KO Calzaghe to win.

He was to fast had power when he needed it unbelievable stamina and could adjust mid fight, to say Ward is greatest SMW of all time is far off the mark.

I think Prime Eubank, Joe C and RJJ all beat Ward any day of the week

 

Wards resume better than Calzaghe ... are you lot serious Kessler past prime and Froch are his best win. Hell even Reid is better than 99% of the guys on Wards resume.

I think a lot of rose tinted specs are being worn by the Andre Ward nuthuggers.

For the record not a huge Calzhage fan ... Nigel Benn is my favorite SMW of all time (prob my favorite boxer) and I appreciate Ward has class but he has fought no one really we dont know how good he actually is.

 

Fact that old Eubank without meaningful win 3 years prior to Joe fight is in his top 3 wins tells you alot about depth of his resume...

 

Still better than a win against past prime Kessler

 

How the hell was Kessler past prime when he fought Ward? Talk about making excuses.

 

such a sad and desperate post to begin 'fact of the matter' as if to validate it, and from a known alt - ward beat Kessler same as joe but with both hands and by more easily, and beat froch convincingly that is the guy joe ducked, and ward beat dawson who beat up Hopkins twice not scraped a life and earth decision by sheer dint of Hopkins being old.

and eubank a good win? he was a late overweight stand-in, finished and disinterested. how does that qualify as a good win?

wrong on so many counts.

 

Also the Ward Kessler should have been a no contest the cuts where caused through headbutts

 

Ward got a decision against Kessler after he smashed his face in with his head should have been a NC

Who was Froch when Calzaghe was around ? Ducked no went after bigger fights YES when Froch was calling him out he fought Kessler Hopkins then Jones even before that run of fights he fought Manfrido Bika and Lacy. That run of 6 fights is better than anything on Wards resume.

You fail to mention about dawson that weight drained him Calzaghe stepped up in weight to take on the LINEAL LHW champion and beat him in the end comfortably despite all the dirty tactics from Hopkins.

The only one who is wrong here is you pal

 

most of calzaghes 'stoppages' should be no contests since they weren't caused by punches, just the ref stepping in at the pre-ordained time.