Ward needs to take a page out of Sergio's book and realise he's not a big draw

Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward needs to take a page out of the book of the champ a weight class south and realise that while he might be a great fighter and high on pound for pound lists , he's not the biggest ticket in town or he going to spend the rest of his career fighting B-Level guys like Rodriguez in front of a few hundred bored Californians and dwindling TV ratings.

Ward talks about the likes of Froch, Stevenson, Kovalev, Chavez Jr and Golovkin, but all those guys have one thing in common. They are bigger draws than Ward, with more rabid fanbases and do better TV ratings.

Here are some things Sergio is willing to do that Ward seems to be unwilling to do, to get big money fights:

• Leave his own backyard. Ward has fought in his homestate in 10 of his last 11 fights. The other fight he had was the Super Six final, however he didn't travel overseas- his opponent did. Sergio Martinez is willing to accept his bigger drawing opponents suggested fight location- he traveled to Texas and risked being robbed against Jr. He will fight Miguel Cotto at MSG in front of Cotto's rabid fanbase and didn't request Cotto fight him in Argentina.

• He is willing to accept that he is the 'B-side' of the negotiation process and accept less money. Chavez and Cotto might rank below him on pound for pound lists, but Cotto is under no illusions the majority of fans in attendance and viewing public are there to see his opponents. Negoatitons for a fight with Froch at Wembley last year never got off the starting block when Ward refused to get a lower % of gate receipts and Sky PPV revenue than Froch- even though the UK audience don't give a **** about Ward.

• He is willing to change weight class. Martinez has said several times he is willing to drop as much as 10lbs to fight Mayweather and Pacquiao. Ward talks about fighting Golovkin- but only at 168- no catchweight, and Ward is not willing to do what Dawson did for him and drop a full weight class- nor does Ward appear interested in moving up in weight and fighting Stevenson, Kovalev or Hopkins.

• He is willing to 'take the test', which is quickly becoming part and parcel of huge boxing fights, as is part and parcel of the Mayweather fight. Ward rejected such a requested for the Edwin Rodriguez fight.

Until Ward is willing to budge on these demands the remainder of his career will mirror that of Chris John's.

 

Golovkin and Kovalev are bigger draws. Viewing figures, not pay checks (HBO footed the bill for Ward's fight with Rodriguez and probably did so at a loss) are a mark of a fighters popularity. :good

Ward will also not continue to earn these huge pay checks and exposure from HBO if he continues with his current attitude toward other fighters who are more popular than he is, while he does crappy ratings in boring- look what they are doing to Rigondeaux :-(

And everyone knows Golovkin and Kovalev are avoided fighters and even though they aren't fighting A-level guys, more people tune in to watch them, than they do Ward- why? Because they are draws. :deal

 

Part of his lack of appeal to the general public is that he's in boring fights and unlike say. Mayweather and Hopkins who can also be involved in snoozefests Ward has no personality.

People watch the likes of Stevenson, Kovalev, Froch and Golovkin because they are dynamic fighters with more personality in their little fingers than Ward.

 

Wrong. Golovkin's fight with Stevens and Macklin pulled much higher ratings than Ward-Rodriguez and Ward-Dawson.

Kovalev's fight with Sillkah (they can narrow it down to fights- not just events- hence how they knew everyone turned off when Rigondeuax's fight with Agbeko came on) did higher ratings- even for an undercard fight- than Ward-Rodriguez and Ward-Dawson. :deal

 

Yep. Network figures are the be all and end all for TV companies, that's why unless they can find a massive fight for Rigondeaux- you won't be seeing him again on HBO.

Same is gonna happen to Ward unless his attitude changes.

 

You do realise who payed Ward that 2m? It wasn't the fans- they responded by changing the channel.

Do you think HBO are going to continue paying 2m to Ward for an hour of nobody watching their channel? How do you think advertisers are going to feel about that?

Or do you think they are going to say, we had several thousand more viewers for Kovalev, Stevenson and Golovkins fights than Ward- let's give them more money and entice more advertisers and subscribers. :think

Let's see the business brain here...

 

Which 'quality opponents' will he entice into the squared circle with his current "I'm the most important person in boxing, it's my way or no fight" attitude- let alone fight 2 to 3 a year.

Do you think HBO are going to continue to pay him a fortune to do abysmal ratings in boring fights when the most marketable people he can get in the ring are the likes of Brandon Gonzalez and Don George who are just turning up for a paycheck they wouldn't otherwise get. I don't.