It’s been widely reported in the last several days that Andre Ward has signed a new 3-fight contract with HBO, coming back from the wastelands of BET. He could potentially jump right into action as the remaining fight on the Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez undercard, although that has not been confirmed.
Beyond the specifics of when Ward returns to action, and who it may come against, there’s far more important matters. Namely, what is the intent of HBO and Ward with this new deal?
Consider that Ward’s inactivity has taken him from number 2 pound for pound down to a perhaps still generous number 5 in our latest update. He was seen as the clear heir apparent as the best fighter in the world, but then fell off a cliff due to promotional issues and injuries.
Ward’s destruction of Chad Dawson was way back in September 2012, and in the three years since has only fought twice, against Edwin Rodriguez and Paul Smith. His win over Carl Froch to close out the Super Six tournament was now four years ago.
Ward vs. Golovkin or Ward vs. Kovalev?
Signing with HBO signals that Ward will be on a more frequent schedule, and has big targets in mind. Two stand out, of course — Sergey Kovalev and Gennady Golovkin. Kovalev is our Light Heavyweight Champion, and Golovkin is our new Middleweight Champion.
Both join Ward in the top 10 pound for pound, with Golovkin now ranked ahead of him, at number 3, and Kovalev slightly below, at number 7. That means that a fight against either man would be a blockbuster.
Ward fought Smith at a catchweight which placed him technically in the Light Heavyweight division, perhaps indicating that his intentions are to go after Kovalev. Meanwhile, he seems to be reluctant to fight Golovkin at a catchweight below 168 lbs, preferring to have him come up to the full division limit of the Super Middleweight division if such a fight were to take place.
How Much Does Andre Ward Have Left?
Three years ago, Ward would have been a clear favorite against either man three years ago. Then GGG & Krusher exploded onto the scene, and Ward disappeared.
Therefore the question has to be asked of how much Andre Ward has left, and where he stands at this point. You can’t simply toss away four years of your absolute prime and expect to be the same fighter. Ask Muhammad Ali, who went on to have his biggest moments, but plenty of losses, after his return from banishment.
Ali was a changed fighter, relying on heart, will and chin, rather than speed, skill and fluidity. Ward is now 31, and turns 32 this coming February. He hasn’t been entirely banished, but inactivity and sub-par opposition don’t keep you sharp in the way that fighting Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Froch and Dawson would.
Fight fans would surely welcome either fight — Ward vs. Golovkin or Ward vs. Kovalev. Let’s hope that HBO gets those fights done, and that Ward is still up to the challenge.
