OLYMPIC KING COULD SLAY GODZILLA & BE CRITIZIZED
San Francisco, CA– People said we didn’t write much about Andre Ward’s 12-round stifling of Allan Green a fortnight ago. It may have been that the post fight coverage might have been a little lacking due to the fact we were all burnt’ out seeing my station XTRA Sports 860 AM and I were involved in the local promotion. That being said, are the mythologists that comprise boxing’s top ten ‘pound for pound’ list, are they now ready to include the aforementioned Andre Ward?
CHAMP’S NUMBERS ARE QUITE IMPRESSIVE
In his last three fights against true world class competition, Ward has lost only three rounds. One in the Edison Miranda (33-5, 28 KOs) fight last spring, two (although I didn’t see ‘em) against Mikkel Kessler (43-2, 32 KOs) in November, this before waxing Allan Green (29-2, 20 KOs) for 12 frames. Now 22-0, 13 KOs, Andre has become the betting favorite after opening a 4 ½ to 1 favorite to win it all.
SENT MIRANDA TO THE TRASH HEAP!
Against Miranda, Ward extracted so much of what the Colombian had left as a fighter, this by his beating an iron-willed foe sans mercy for 36 turns of the clock, Edison Miranda left Oakland damaged goods. Kessler, the “top dog” in this “Super Six” tourney put on by Showtime prior to his fighting Ward last November, fellow Scandinavian or not, Kessler (43-2, 32 KOs) was looking for a way out against Ward who owned him.
KESSLER OPTS OUT OF HOPELESS FIGHT TO DEPRIVE WARD
This is what brought about them calling the fight in the 11th round, thus the unanimous “technical” decision Ward was awarded, this instead of Kessler being stopped on cuts, and Ward getting an extra “Super Six” tourney point for the stop.
DANE & TRAINER CAUGHT TRYING “TO LOAD HANDS”
And while I mentioned it on the radio, Kessler was caught “stacking” his hand wraps in the dressing room. That means a little hand wrap gauze, then some tape over the knuckle, and the process is repeated five or six times creating granite-like wraps that accentuate punching power. Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter caught this and Kessler had to remove and then restart the wrap process. So, if you’re wondering why he’s been killing guys over in Europe, you might want to consider the opposition and the possibility of stacked hand wraps.
BUTE EXCELLENT (EASY) GUY TO FIGHT AFTER TOURNEY!
If Lucian Bute of Canada, unbeaten (26-0, 21 KOs) holder of the IBF 168 lb. diadem, should he remain unblemished at the tourney’s end, I could see him as an “additional” super money fight for Ward. Recent highlights or not, the smartest think Bute ever did was NOT TO enter the “Super Six” tournament. Back to the question, where do you pundits think Andre Ward belongs on the top ten ‘pound for pound’ list?
Pedro Fernandez