Andre Ward announces his retirement

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So, Andre Ward claims he's retiring from boxing. Class me as sceptical on this one, but he says his days as a prize fighter are over.

If he keeps his word, what are everyone's overall feelings about Ward's career? Has he done enough to be considered a great? Or do his (relatively) small number of fights against elite opposition and less than easy-on-the-eye style disqualify him?

If indeed this is the end, then it's been a damn fine career, whatever the exact details.

At the same weight class yes but he I think he knew deep down his chin ain’t up to a sustained crack at 75. Happy retirement can make a nice living in the commentary game. I much prefer him as a commentator than a fighter comes across well. As a fighter though jeez always had to have everything his own way

Herman Jaeger wrote:

LionsV2 wrote:Which of Bivols fights highlights that power and which punch of his does the damage?

Don’t know can’t say I’ve studied him

Bottom line is Ward knew deep down he wasn’t a true 75’r didn’t fancy a sustained crack against the big hitters

If the division had been full of boxers rather than bangers Ward may have been more willing to take his chance

How do you know he has the power or ability to trouble Ward then, you're making a lot of statements you can't back up; he fought the best of the big hitters twice so a silly comment altogether. Nothing to suggest that Bivol hits harder than Kessler (big big puncher) or Froch (very heavy handed).

LionsV2 wrote:

Herman Jaeger wrote:

LionsV2 wrote:Which of Bivols fights highlights that power and which punch of his does the damage?

Don’t know can’t say I’ve studied him

Bottom line is Ward knew deep down he wasn’t a true 75’r didn’t fancy a sustained crack against the big hitters

If the division had been full of boxers rather than bangers Ward may have been more willing to take his chance

How do you know he has the power or ability to trouble Ward then, you're making a lot of statements you can't back up; he fought the best of the big hitters twice so a silly comment altogether. Nothing to suggest that Bivol hits harder than Kessler (big big puncher) or Froch (very heavy handed).

Yeah he faced Kovalev so full credit shame Tony Weeks was on the payroll but that first fight has put the demons in Ward’s mind

Bivol is a considerably bigger man than both Kessler and Froch and is considered by many who’ve seen him a big hitter at the weight. Go figure

I was hoping to see a bit of a reign at light heavyweight from Ward but it was sadly not to be

Bivol is so much bigger that he's shorter and has a shorter reach than both Kessler and Froch, good fact checking again Herman.

Surely you can tell by sight he’s a thicker set man

He's not though, I'd argue that Kessler is bigger in every sense while he's about the same size as Froch both of whom were incredibly strong and tough at 168lbs.

I remember you banging on about Shabranskyy in similarly glowing terms even after he lost to Barrera, a fight you didn't know had happened.

That’s an invention of your imagination

Never commented on Shabranskyy in my life, don’t even know who he is

LionsV2 wrote:Bute was number two with the ring magazine at the time.

Froch was number two Loins:

https://archive.li/33TF8

Herman Jaeger wrote:That’s an invention of your imagination

Never commented on Shabranskyy in my life, don’t even know who he is

You comment on people you've never heard of then, interesting.

Didn't Shabba Ranksy make a top 10 hit or something, maybe he would have won by using the dosh he made to pay off the judges

LionsV2 wrote:

Herman Jaeger wrote:That’s an invention of your imagination

Never commented on Shabranskyy in my life, don’t even know who he is

You comment on people you've never heard of then, interesting.

This guy lions is a complete weirdo I’ve never had a stalker before

I’ll repeat I’ve never commented on Shrabanskyy in my whole life

It must be a figment of my imagination then; it was Beterbiev, Bivol, Gvozdyk, Mikhalin and Sabranskyy who you once claimed Ward was ducking.

Off you trott

It’s a mark against him retiring out of the blue when he did...

Not my words in case you think I’ve got an agenda against Ward

Whose words are they then?

Read the thread..

Not capable of your own opinions then.

I don’t want to be your friend Lions, sorry. I’m sure there are other sites that cater for your needs...

Don't leave me Herman, I was learning so much about boxers you've never watched.

Ward didn’t duck Beterbiev he didn’t need him but he ran from him no question about that in my mind. If Dawson(someone Ward knew he could beat) had been champion, I guarantee Ward would have continued

So if Dawson had beaten Stevenson for the WBC title then Ward would have continued, good logic again Herman.

It’s absolute bs from Virgil saying he won’t fight for a lesser payday couple of quality wins and the purses would automatically increase

I think his purses have reached their apex, Beterbiev and Bivol aren't adding any value to his draw.

Unifying at light heavyweight won’t add value?

Becoming the man at two weights won’t increase his value?

Being the man at 68 and 75 would make him a very special fighter

But he didn’t have it in him...

Unifying with whom Adonis Stevenson? A man you accuse of being a bigger ducker than Ward.

None of those things add value to a fighter, nobody cares if he's a two weight undisputed champion and beating nobodies like Bivol is adding no value whatsoever, he may as well rematch Paul Smith, about as meaningful a fight. You really need to add more substance to your arguments, your too easy to twist round my finger, you're too dumb to realise.

Beterbiev, Bivol, Stevenson, Yardee that’s a murderer’s row right there

The o’s going to go if he hung around in that mix and he knew it

These narcissists who retire unbeaten to make it look like they’re better than they really are eh...

You keep ‘em coming Lions and I’ll keep schooling you...

Beterbiev, Bivol and Yarde with their combined 36 fights and single win of note between them, it's such a talent stacked group and really puts Kovalev in his place.

I'm not sure you should be anywhere near a school.

doo wop, doody wap bap oooh wop doody bop boppa dooo wap dahhhhhhhhh woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

On a serious note Frank should move Yardee fast make the most of those muscles before they burn out. He could be the sort whose physical prime is early

Are you deliberately misspelling his name?

LionsV2 wrote:Are you deliberately misspelling his name?

D’you know what I hadn’t noticed my phone must be auto-correcting to Yardee. D’you know what I’m going to have to correct that as I’m sure we’re going to be talking a lot more about this young man over the next couple of years he ain’t going to get a test till he hits lower world class