Is the Ward-Barrera on or off?

Ward doesn't hold as many leverages as he once did, he'll have to take a paycut if he wants good fighters to fight him. If he's happy smashing bums in exhibition matches and if his promoter is happy with that, of course that is also a "sensible" thing to do if money is your only concern.

 

Because future is never certain and there's no hurt in negotiating. I don't know if he's guaranteed more money against Kovalev.

 

Because Barrera has been on a roll and fought 3 times in 2015. He's catching Ward at the right time and obviously feels he can beat him.

Beating Ward boosts his stock plus Kov might fight Stevenson in June so Barrera won't get a crack at IBF title until Nov or so.

 

Barrera is Kov's IBF mandatory, how is it not in the cards? And they are both with Main Events :?

 

Life is cheap in the Bay Area.

 

It's probably not guaranteed but it's a possible route for him for sure, in the end Kovalev brings more to the table than just instant money, I'd say he gets 300k maybe a bit more vs Kovalev BUT what about the titles? What about the fact that Kovalev right now is one of the hotter fighters in the game and is the guy at 175, beating him would bring more future prospects so to speak for Barrera.

Ward doesn't do the same (at least not to the same extent), so of course he'll want more of a financial compensation, it's about demand as well that dictates the negotiation, Kovalev has no need for Barrera, however Andre Ward at the moment kinda does, I mean it'd certainly be a much better fight for him than Periban or something, and with Ward fighting on such high purses as well, demanding more cash from him becomes more of a possibility too.

That's my read on the situation.

 

Kov fight can come as early as June, depends on what Stevenson wants.
If he faces Ward and wins, that's a huge career booster, if he loses no shame in that and he will be back in contention soon enough.

 

You said it below, Barrera feels he can beat Ward right now, he's in rhythm, coming off a good win just last month, there's no downside to tell Duva to negotiate with Ward and see what they can get :good

 

Exactly, who just goes "I don't like this deal, I'm out" before trying to get a better one?

 

Duva is an idiot who screwed up with Stevenson already in the past. There is some chance that Stevenson fight will materialize, but dates may still leave time for the mandatory. There is very little chance that Ward will fight Kovalev in spite of all his contracts.