Angelo Dundee-Ray Leonard
WARD DOESN’T LOSE A ROUND
San Francisco, CA–What can you say about Andre Ward, whether it’s against great opposition, or in the case of Edwin Rodriguez, poor opposition, the champ took Rodriguez school, beat on him, and in the end, Ward being the principal of pugilism that he is, expelled Rodriguez with 36 minutes of total dominance.
Andre Ward-Edison Miranda
ANTI WARD BLOGS
There are those of you that think Andre Ward fights in a boring style, yet you still watch them, because he may be the very best there is right now period. Andre is by far the best athlete in boxing. In other words, “Ward could’ve excelled in many sports,” so says boxing historian Ron Marshall.
BEST TO PRO RANKS SINCE RAY LEONARD?
As the camera shot between rounds went to Ray Leonard, “Sugar Ray” Leonard that is, it’s like I told you many years ago, even before the Floyd Mayweather era evolved, Andre was the best amateur to turn professional since Leonard in 1976. For some it was hard to believe, if not unbelievable that I would make such a claim, but in the many years of watching this once skinny kid develop into an Olympic champion and then, not just an alphabet champion, the world super middleweight champion, who has never been in real danger of losing a fight.
REFEREE GIVES HIMSELF “STANDING EIGHT COUNT”
Edwin Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic was the “challenger” but was he really? A crude brawler, Rodriguez initiated a two-way foul fest. Referee Jack Reiss had his hands full from the start and he got clipped, punched, by Rodriguez when he and Andre got into a Pierce 6 brawl in round four. As for referee Reiss, he sort of gave himself a standing eight count after being hit by an errant Rodriguez blow by delaying things he until his head was clear.
THE BEST SINCE LEONARD?
Some will argue with me say that Floyd Mayweather or Oscar De La Hoya, that they were as great or greater than Ward. De La Hoya, like Ward a converted left hander is inferior, and Floyd did not even snag a Gold medal, let alone like Ward did fighting 13 lbs. over his norm at 178 lbs. and not 165.
WORK ETHICS NEVER AN ISSUE
Even when he was no more than 15 and watching him at King’s Gym in Oakland, CA, that work ethic was always there, including his pushing an old car around a shopping center parking lot in Hayward, CA being part of his training.
WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FROM WARD?
I don’t think he’ll be mumbling at the age of 45 with his style. Although I would have like to have seen Ward stop Rodriguez, it’s like Emanuel Steward said about Wladimir Klitschko a few times, “I would have like to have seen him close the show, but he won every round, what more can you ask for?”
SEE THE FAMILY RINGSIDE NAYSAYERS?
Some of the blood thirsty fans are trying to discredit the native San Franciscan for not being more exciting. Did you see that family, led by wife Tiffany? If you really think Ward risking his health by standing toe to toe for your entertainment trumps that, than you are delusional.
Pedro Fernandez