How would Joe Calzaghe approach Andre Ward

Most likely makes the initiative and tries to outwork Ward with sheer volume. It would have been a very close fight although I think Calzaghe would end up being the winner.

 

Why?

 

I think the fights with Hopkins and Bika are very important here. And most people overlook them.

I personally think it would have played out like the Hopkins fight. Apart from that Andre wouldn’t have feigned injuries to try and get a DQ or a break.

I think it would have been a very close fight either way.

 

Swedish?

Joe’s Nigerian.

 

Joe would have to make sure he wears a steel cup to protect against Ward's preference for throwing low blows

 

He’s beat him at his own game. Ward gets dirty, Joe isn’t gonna cry about it. He’s going to pay it back more. Too fast and too many punches for Ward. Wards best chance is to headbutt causing a cut.

 

Hed Outslick him.

 

Sounds like every Ward fight

 

Slap the **** out of him.

 

Joe had great hand speed and heart, and he was relentless. I think Ward has the right tools to beat him. He could be an junkyard mauler or a slick boxer, and fighters like Ward tend to make the other guy fight their fight. Not saying it would be easy, though!

 

He would build a time machine, wait until he's 45, sign to fight him, get knocked down in the process, and eke out a controversial majority decision. Forever a legend if he could pull it off.

 

He wouldn't fight him in Oakland and therefore he would win.

 

Wear some type of non-stick material.

 

He would have to approach the fight wearing a reinforced titanium cup. Son of low blows would then be unable to apply his usual game plan. Calzaghe would win something like a 9-3 UD

 

Always thought Calzaghe would be a very tough fight for Ward and that's coming from a Ward fan who wasn't a Calzaghe fan.

Ward isn't going to out work Calzaghe, he has to find a way to prevent Calzaghe from just winning rounds just on work rate and that means using movement and clinching to prevent Calzaghe working. But the problem is Calzaghe has exceptional footwork and movement himself. So many high volume pressure fighters couldn't cut the ring off on Hopkins but Calzaghe could and Hopkins like Ward was a master at the clinch but again Calzaghe couldn't be stifled just by clinching.

The Calzaghe/Hopkins fight was very close, so you could argue Ward could do better than Hopkins. But Ward is not Hopkins, I don't think he was even as good as the version of Hopkins Calzaghe fought if I'm honest and Calzaghe was a little past his best when he fought a faded Hopkins. Prime for prime Calzaghe vs Ward would be very competitive but in the end Ward gets out worked and doesn't have the power to hurt Calzaghe and his right hand is nowhere near as good as Hopkins so he doesn't have the perfect foil vs a southpaw to rack up points. Calzaghe wins a decision.