Ward must be kicking himself right now

Something unique? Explain.

Bute/Ward would have been a huge unification fight and Ward said nah, you need to prove yourself

When has a fighter ever said that when turning down a fight?

 

The Dawson fight was never a must-happen-now fight. Ward would have looked much better whooping the number 3 and 2 (Froch and Bute) of the division back to back - claiming another title and proving without doubt to be THE man of the division - before moving up to take on a Dawson that wouldn't have been going anywhere.

 

The undisputed best from 168 and 175lbs clashing.

Not something you see everyday, and two superb technicians. Might not make for the most entertaining fights, but theres a stylistic edge to it, that I personally will be up for.

 

Fighters have said this plenty of times.

 

If your european and ******ed yes

 

:good

 

Is there any doubt that he's the man right now? Again, you're basically criticising him for fighting a better, more proven fighter. You have it backwards. Saul Alvarez is the number 2 fighter at JMW. Imagine if Mayweather fought Martinez next instead of Alvarez. Would anyone be getting on Mayweather? I mean if he did fight and beat Alvarez, he would have beaten the number 1 and 2 JMWs back to back. The answer is no, as far as anyone crticising Mayweather for fighting Martinez instead of Alvarez. Martinez is a lot more proven than Alvarez. A win over Alvarez would only mean something for Mayweather if Alvarez gets a big win or two.

No doubt it would've been a good win for Ward had he beat Bute. However, it makes little sense to criticize him here. First off, Ward was injured against Froch, and wouldn't have been available to fight Bute. Second, Bute had never beaten any top level fighters. Ward's fighting top level fighters, who have beaten top level opposition and we're now criticising him for not fighting an overrated, overprotected fighter, and fighting a better, much more proven fighter instead. There's something wrong with this picture.

 

He's not making Dawson do ****. Dawson called him out and offered to go down to meet him.

 

Like?

 

ward didnt duck bute. all he wanted was for bute to fight outside Canada to make a bigger name for himself in the world stage thus making their possible fight an even bigger and financially advantageous one. well unfortunately the romanian hype job got exposed by ward's leftovers. well what can we do........ward vs dawson is gonna be a good one though....

 

Sugar Ray Leonard for one. He turned down Hearns and said Hearns needed to prove himself. This is when everyone was asking for the fight. Hearns did prove himself, and their fight was huge. Years later it's still a great win for Leonard given that Hearns is an ATG.

 

It's not 'either/or'. Ward could have fought Bute months ago and then fought Dawson.

Anyway, the fact Froch beat Bute and Ward beat Froch doesn't necessarily mean Ward would beat Bute. He probably would but styles make fights. Ward wouldn't walk through Bute and stop him in 5 rounds in a million years. It'd be a cautious fight and the chances are Ward would have to take a few shots throughout the fight, which, unlike Froch, wouldn't have bounced off his chin.

I think Ward would beat Bute but people are ignorant to say "oh, well, it doesn't matter, Froch beat him anyway". That proves absolutely nothing about Ward.

 

He lost money.

 

Bute still might be able to give Ward a tough fight, but after tonight I don't know. Ward's lack of power might make a big difference.

 

Yeah, and everyone and their mothers claimed Ray was ducking the fight, yes?