Prime for prime Beterbiev is just too strong and tactically all wrong for Ward. One of Ward's main tactics against hardhitters (holding and hitting) would completely work against him as Beterbiev is ridiculously strong and a former wrestler. He also hits extremely hard up close. Even in Oakland Ward wouldn't win.
I don't see how Ward can win this. None of his dirty tactics will work against AB. Beterbievs pressure will end him
cheated against Kessler , robbed Kovalev & turned into ramon deckers v Bika... it be an awful fight tbh, Ward would grapple & time waste & hide behind his jab all night ... I think Beterbievs patience & physicality would eventually just plough through all that tho & Ward would end up in timothy Bradley's wheelchair
Knowing what we do now, Beterbiev at his best would have been favoured to beat every elite LHW in recent years (Kovalev, Stevenson, Ward, Gvozdyk, Bivol). Even now prime Bivol (with post-Canelo hype, against a 38+ Beterbiev) is only a marginal favourite. If Ward believed he would have beaten Beterbiev, even with a huge helping of home and A-side advantage, he wouldn't have retired at 33.
AB is the worst style matchup for Ward - and Ward has half acknowledged as much when ever he talks about Artur as a pundit. Ward nullified Froch with his core strength and inside game, but I feel Wards strengths play into Beterbievs too much - he would have to keep Artur on the outside for 12, and whilst Andre had a great jab and was fast, I don't think he had the movement or footwork to be able to have kept AB at bay for all 12.
