Ward: define true skills

Here is a big mistake that a lot of boxing fans make:

Skilled fighters are the guys that stay on their bike all night and jab. Using your legs to circle around doesn't make you smarter than Hatton. Boxing skill covers a great deal of tactics and approaches, and you should appreciate what is effective within the rules.

 

Robearto Duran

 

truly there has never been a fighter better at thumbing people in the eyes.

 

well, im a bigtime Ward fan...
most fans would get defensive about Ward accused of being dirty. Ward himself says he'd not a "dirty" fighter. But i know this. He's a winner, and he's been winning nonstop since 14years of age. He knows how to win because he's got all the tools to win. And yes, he does stuff that "spoils" a fighter's focus..... all that rough stuff you mentioned.

Now the headbutting stuff isnt intentional, and he's never gotten a point deduction for headbutting that im away of. If that is the case, there's no need to be accusing a fighter for doing that. I DO know that he's smart enough to turn his head to the side when he anticipates a possible head clash, to avoid a facial laceration. There was NO headbutt issues in the Green fight. And the only accidental one caused was by Green moving his head in that caused slight swelling....

Im not really turned off by Ward's usage of Plan B stuff. Only those who wear rose-tinted glasses think that boxing's a clean sport. Ward has the mental strength of a fighter and a winner. Yes, he'll use slick veteran tactics to mentally dominate his opponent. I have no problem with that. Its a part of boxing thats not very well covered or viewed positively. But remember, these guys are FIGHTERS....

 

Ernie Terrell would disagree.

 

It's about being versatile. You can't fight every fighter from the outside. Did Tyson have no skill?

Ward can do both, but he plays to his strengths and his opponents weaknesses.

That's SKILL.

 

Yes, because all Ward does is hold, headbutt, throw low blows etc. That's exactly what his ability consists in. atsch

 

does that attribute to him being undefeated since he was 14? Do you claim he used headbutts to win the Gold in the 2004 Olympics?
(yes, thats a trick question for the ******ed Headbutt Conspiracy Theorists - hello headgear!)

Just because he doesnt fight the way you want him to doesnt take away his boxing abilities and talents.

-20 points for being an extremist/hater ********

 

well, being "Entertaining" is altogether a subjective opinion in itself. Everyone's got their version of who's entertaining. Some love the boxing purists like Calderon, Malignaggi, Foreman. Some love big open Punchers like Andrade, Margorito, Gatti. Some like explosive fighters like Pacquiao, Gamboa, Tyson back in the day. Some like controllers like Mayweather and Ward. Some just like the fighter that no one else likes or overlooks.

 

Dirrell has great skills but I find it funny that you talk about entertainment and the Nottingham fight in the same post. Dirrell stunk the place out. It was Froch that came to fight and entertain. So I guess being the most skilled isnt always the most entertaining.

 

i agree - Dirrell undermined the judges' decision with his in-ring shenanigans and melodrama(plus Froch was at homecourt, anyone at home prob win a split, thats just how it goes)... i believe he's matured up a good bit and showed his ring maturity by holding firm vs AA. The Super6 is awsome cuz its exposing these Top Elites. I would dare say that AA would have never fight Dirrell out of the Super6 because it was a real bad style mismatch for him...

 

Andre Ward is future pound for pound number one. He has incredible skills - the sort that can see him rule for an extended period.