No matter what Ward does, however skilled, however effective, however beautiful to watch, it will never be enough for some?
Saturday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, WBA ?super? super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KOs), from Oakland, California, defends his ?title? title against Edwin Rodriguez (24-0, 16 KOs), from Worcester, Massachusetts, by way of Dominican Republic, in a fight broadcast live on HBO World Championship Boxing at 10:00 pm.
It has been 14 months since Andre Ward has stepped in the ring, 14 long months for some, 14 not-long-enough months for others.
Ward is one of the fight game?s master boxers. In another time, another era, being a master boxer meant something. But in our time, our era, when appreciation of pure boxing has been usurped by love of pure slugging, Ward, along with Guillermo Rigondeaux, Bernard Hopkins, and even Floyd Mayweather to some extent (whose ability to sell himself trumps his methodical, scientific beatdowns), is looked upon with scorn. Rather than celebrate his return to active duty, The Return of Andre Ward is for the most part treated with indifference.
In a way that makes sense, especially in a culture where nonsense is the norm. Granted, Ward is not a knockout artist, something he shares with his aforementioned peers. He has also been known to use an errant elbow or head on occasion. While those extraneous body parts ought to have no place in boxing, they are part of every boxer?s toolbox, whether they choose to use them or not. We think no less of Harry Greb, Fritzie Zivic, Sandy Saddler, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Abner Mares or Timothy Bradley for employing similar tactics when they felt they could get away with it.
But Andre Ward is a special case. He has not won the hearts and minds of fickle fight fans, possibly for want of trying. His sober personality, smart without being aggressive, is not to everyone?s taste. And his S.O.G. self-righteousness has been known to rub some people the wrong way. Of course those who dislike Ward most have done nothing to modify their personalities. But to paraphrase an old blues song, ?If it wasn?t for double-standards, I wouldn?t have no standards at all.?
Pugilistically speaking, Ward was America?s last big winner in men?s Olympic boxing, having won a gold medal in Athens in 2004. He proved himself in the amateurs. He has proven himself in the pros. Among his 26 wins are victories over Chad Dawson in 2012, Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham in 2011, Sakio Bika and Allan Green in 2010, and Mikkel Kessler in 2009. Few fighters fighting today can boast such an accomplished list of victims. Ward never ducked anyone. He cleaned out the division. What more is a prizefighter supposed to do?
Ward will do what he always does when he faces Edwin Rodriguez. He will study his opponent with cool calculation, as if he were a specimen under glass. Using impeccable balance, oblique angles, the patience of Job, and a ring IQ bordering on genius, he will sting his man with punches and gradually wear him down. It may take 12 rounds, it may take less, but eventually Ward will erode Rodriguez?s confidence, his desire to fight, his will to engage, his belief that this is a fight he can win.
But Rodriguez is no slouch, not by a long shot. He too is undefeated. He?s a legitimate opponent for a comeback fight after over a year of inactivity. He says this is his time. His victories, while significant, especially his first round stoppage of Denis Grachev in July, are over fighters not in Andre Ward?s class. Rodriguez will put up a good fight; he always puts up a good fight. But the deck is stacked against him. The deck, however, is stacked against Andre Ward as well. His hand will be raised in the end, but no matter what Ward does, however skilled, however effective, however beautiful to watch, it will never be enough for some.
