Ward ducked Bute Dirrell and Stevenson

"That's a good matchup," Ward told SI's Chris Mannix when asked about facing (Anthony) Dirrell. "But to be perfectly honest with you I don't have a lot of interest. I consider Anthony a good fighter, a brother. But the networks won't be interested."
http://www.mlive.com/sports/flint/index.ssf/2012/04/andre_ward_has_little_interest.html

Personally, I don't think either Andre wanted the fight. We're on the same page on Andre Dirrell not really fancying the fight, either. But I can tell you Ward didn't want the Anthony fight.

 

Anthony Dirrell couldn't beat either Andre (Ward or his brother).

And I think you read too much into that quote. More like Andre Ward didn't want to beat up a childhood friend (who he'd spanked countless times in the gym) who had recently recovered from cancer.

Anthony Dirrell was the Jimmy Ellis to Ward's Ali. (And I'm not comparing Ward to Ali ... I'm comparing Anthony to Ellis in his relationship with Ali).

Anthony Dirrell isn't a top-level fighter. He's on the Sakio Bika level. Good enough to beat fringe guys, might grab a paper strap, but a one-sided loser to the top level.

 

I'd have strongly favored Ward. But Ward has a habit of talking himself out of these fights that are nice resume builders and serve to keep his name fresh in fans' minds.

Actually fighting those fights and winning, even if he's a big favorite > nothing at all and targeting the Paul Smiths out there. Why he didn't want to face Bute and Dirrell, I'll never know...but it's strange to see him shoot those kinds of fights down and then complain he's not more popular

 

Bute posed a real danger to Ward. Dont read too much into the way Cobra annihilated Bute, Ward couldnt have done that in his dreams

Bute possessed the power, skills and speed to give Ward serious problems

 

And was willing to go to Oakland to do it.

 

Ward ducks all fast defensive fighters: fact.

First he called Andre Dirrell on the phone and fooled him into agreeing to fight other people instead of fighting each other. Dirrell had the skills to beat Ward, but Ward told him, "Hey, we're both young and we're the best two fighters in the tournament. We should fight later on, maybe in the final match of the tournament." Dirrell fell for it.

Ward knew that Abraham would knock Dirrell out, and he also knew that Froch would knock Bute out.

Then two more problems came about: George Groves and James DeGale. Andre pretended to have promotional problems and let Froch take care of Groves, and then just left the SMW division in order to avoid DeGale.

Ward will retire undefeated. Not because he has a magical style that beats all other styles, but because he's smarter than most fighters and he knows which style he can't beat. He'll never fight a fast defensive guy - I'll bet anyone a million bucks.