Andre Ward boxing news
WBO/WBA/IBF light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, has had his scheduled November 28th homecoming in Moscow, Russia postponed as his team at Main Events reportedly chase down a huge showdown with WBA (sup) 168 lb boss Andre Ward, according to multiple sources.
Kovalev, last seen making short work of French challenger Nadjib Mohammedi in July, now has a likely January date on HBO, meaning that the turnaround time between the November Moscow date and that next outing is simply too short.
He fights David Lemieux in New York later this month, yet Gennady Golovkin’s trainer Abel Sanchez has refused outright the notion that the team collectively turned down a fight with California’s Andre Ward at 168lbs, insisting that the Oakland based “Son of God” is nothing more than a liar out to stay relevant by using Golovkin’s name.
WBA (sup) 168 lb champion Ward, who has been struggling to meet the super-middleweight limit in recent times, returned in June at a 172lb catch-weight against Britain’s Paul Smith and had recently referred to Golovkin as “Little-g” in the media, claiming the destructive middleweight champ wanted no part of fighting him – a notion Sanchez angrily refutes.
Andre Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter says that if he is to become a fully fledged 175 lb fighter and sign to fight Russian banger Sergey Kovalev, it will happen when they are ready to do it and not the other way around.
Ward returned after 19 months out at a catch-weight of 172 lbs in June, beating up on overmatched British challenger Paul Smith and there is strong rumour that the Roc Nation star will next appear against a TBA opponent on the undercard of November’s Cotto/Canelo mega-fight, as he prepares for an eventual move to 175 good and proper.
It will certainly make a change from fighting in his Oakland backyard, but WBA (sup) 168 lb champion Andre Ward, last seen bloodying Britain’s Paul Smith in June, could be set to make an appearance on the Cotto/Canelo undercard in Las Vegas according to his promoters Roc Nation Sports.
The firm, which also handles WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, is keen on placing Ward, who is seemingly inching up to the 175lb division, in a showcase bout on the November 21st HBO PPV bill, and are hoping to have a decision finalised within a fortnight.
Last night Sergey Kovalev was at his destructive best in Las Vegas, blowing away mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi with consummate ease inside three one sided rounds.
After the fight, Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva stated her man will be out in November, in a big homecoming fight in Russia, possibly against countryman Artur Beterbiev, who they are eyeing as the potential opponent.
Last month WBA (sup) 168 lb champion Andre Ward shook off 19 months of inactivity and announced his return to the game, putting a beatdown upon Britain’s Paul Smith, halting his bloodied opponent inside 9 one sided rounds, almost as if he had never been away.
Following that bout, which was for all intents and purposes a tune-up, Ward has stated his intention to get right back in the mix with a serious contender, either at 168 lbs, or at 175 lbs, with a mooted bout with Russian 175 lb knockout artist Sergey Kovalev being talked about for next year.
The other credible option for Ward is of course, big-hitting middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, who has been struggling for opponents and has gone on record to state that he would like to fight Ward next.
After his recent 172 lb catchweight clash with over-matched Brit Paul Smith last month, the consensus opinion surrounding WBA (sup) super middleweight champion Andre Ward was that he had outgrown 168 lbs and would be looking to move up.
With challenges at super middle also seemingly thin on the ground for the new Roc Nation Sports signing, a fight with dominant Russian 175 lb champion Sergey Kovalev has inched a little closer to reality, according to Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events, who was speaking at a conference call to promote Kovalev’s upcoming July 25th fight with Nadjib Mohammedi;
California’s WBA (super) 168 lb champion Andre Ward, who comprehensively outclassed Carl Froch in December 2011 as part of ‘The Super Six’ final, has spoken out to wish his old foe all the best in his retirement, telling Sky Sports that “The Cobra” has left the game at the right time.
The classy American, who demolished Britain’s Paul Smith last month, had some respectful words for his old rival – wishing him all the best for the future;
“You have to respect the way he went about it, and the fact he not only stepped up but beat just about all the guys he fought at the top level” said Ward.
Kevin H. (Atlanta, GA): As an Adrien Broner fan, I think his loss to Porter was more of what he didn’t do than what Porter did. How did you rate his performance and where do you think he goes next?
Vivek W. (ESB): I would have to totally disagree. To the contrary, I think what we witnessed last Saturday night had everything to do with what Porter did, more so than what Broner “didn’t do”. Going into the fight, Porter had the entire deck of cards stacked against him. Everything from the catchweight clause, to the pulse of the promotion itself. It just seemed that all elements involved tilted towards Broner. Few places in life breed absolute truth like a boxing ring. In dialog, any man can speak big and paint a scripted picture. But in the ring, there’s no way to avoid the evolution of reality.
He was heavily criticized for over-shooting the 172 lb catch-weight limit against Andre Ward last weekend by 4.4 lbs in a fight that from before the first bell, there was only ever one winner – and come the 9th round a bloodied and battered Smith was mercifully halted in what, according to trainer Joe Gallagher, should be the last fight of Paul Smith’s long career.
He said in the Liverpool Echo;
“I’ve told Paul to probably consider retiring now.”