Golovkin tribute thread

:good
I can admit that Degale is a good fighter worthy of the hype he's now getting he has good pop good skills a quality operator no doubt. I just think Ward is the class at 168 that's all. I would still love to see them fight and I hope it happens next year.

 

DeGale is really athletically deficient compared to Ward. If he brings what he brought to the Dirrell fight (and what else could he bring?) Ward will dominate Degale. James will be out boxed, round by round, and shutdown one through twelve. Both clearly had a lot to overcome but Ward is the more fluid product who (luck of the draw) derived the greater amount of innate talent out of the mix. It was very clear in watching DeGale's less coordinated movement and interaction with Andre Dirrell how much one side came into play mitigating the end product. The young man just doesn't possess and thus can't bring anywhere close to A-level athleticism to the ring. He is just not impressive or exceptional at all in terms of his talent. His movement, his footwork, and his agility is quite far less than inspiring. He can't beat such a sound technician and dedicated professional as Ward with comparatively second rate skills and athletic quality no matter how hard he trains, how large his motivation, or how much he wishes or believes he can win.

The challenges for Ward are from technically sound fighters with far greater power (than himself) and weight (size) at LHW (e.g., Kovalev or Beterbiev) - not less athletic SMWs (Degale, or even worse yet - Kid Ginger, etc.). As long as Ward acclimates to LHW so that he isn't at a severe weight disadvantage when ENTERING THE RING there are great fights to be made. He is not gifted athletically like RJJ and he is not optimally sized for LHW, but like RJJ a talented athlete should go to where the greater challenges are (if you are able). RJJ could have easily made weight (168)) and stayed at SMW for a career. He could have remained to school the two limited reigning (lol) SMW bookends (Ottke West and Ottke East) after playing two hours of basketball in the afternoon but he moved up to LHW immediately where there was at least some risk from bigger opponents. No great athlete would have stayed to punish the relative dross at SMW when you possessed his athletic abilities. Ward should do the same .. whether he wins or loses. Not because he should go up to lose just to give us great fights but because there is nothing left at SMW for him. If there was some substantive talent it would be different - but there is not. [The same applies to Golovkin at MW]

For Ward the proper time to face the best at LHW is when he can make the weigh-in at 175 and rehydrate comparably to his opponent(s) so that he enters the ring within a few pounds of Kovalev or Beterbiev. If he can avoid the weight deficit of being ten pounds or even more south of them when he enters the ring at LHW then he has a great chance of being able to sustain himself at the higher weight against the larger men, neutralize their power advantages, and utilize his superior quickness and diversity to out box them to a victory. But, OTOH, if he goes up to LHW and is giving away a lot of weight the risk and danger will be very great.

The only fight at 168 that remains and has any possibility of being a challenge (unless Andre Dirrell really put everything together one time and brought a consistency he has so far shown to be unable to sustain (even for an entire fight)) would be Golovkin. IF Golovkin can move up soon (after all he is already past 33 years of age), as he won't be getting any better than he already is - and there are no MWs worth mentioning (it would be just for the belts/legacy as the comp down there is flat out dire), then a showdown with Ward would be a great test for each fighter. All questions could be answered by the result of that match-up. It would be great if that could happen in short order though. Once Ward moves up (leaves SMW) he will be on his way to his mid-30s and won't be coming back (down) to SMW. It is ALWAYS easier in middle age to put on muscles (pounds) but usually detrimental to take it back off. Similarly, it is easier to cut more weight and rehydrate with less impact on a younger athlete than on an older one. Age and size advantages dictates all in athletics at the margin or when the differentials are narrow.

 

Spam!

 

Well let's make it happen.

 

Neither of them would win, but, at least they are putting their hats in the ring.

 

It's about time they get Dirrell Bros'ed anyway.

 

If the Ward/Bum-love-kin or the Ward/TOMATO KAN Krusher fight gets made, I got $100 on Andre. You game or are you going to hide behind your mother's skirt?

 

Bum-love-kin and the TOMATO KAN Krusher are going to *duck* Ward.

 

It would be hilarious if for April Fools Day, Haymon sent out things that looked like contracts to fight GGG to all his guys that claim they want a fight with him. I can so see Sam Watson having so much fun with that. Can you imagine the look on peoples faces if they actually thought for a minute if they were going to have to take that fight?

 

Or kinda like Bum-love-kin fighting Willie Monroe...:hi:

 

Are they planning a WWE-style 2 on 1 handicap match?

 

Lara

 

That is absolutely what would be said if either of them were to beat him.