There’s no arguing Andre Ward’s (28-0, 15 KO) status as a fighter.
Not only is he an elite-level world champion, he’s indisputably one of the top five fighters in boxing, pound-for-pound.
And aside from Manny Pacquiao, Tim Bradley and perhaps Miguel Cotto, no other active fighter has defeated a more impressive crop of opponents than Andre Ward.
However, there are several factors keeping him from becoming a mainstream star a la Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
1. Bor-ing – Ward is not the most exciting fighter to watch if you’re a casual fan. He is highly effective but wins ugly. Hence, his style isn’t going to ‘ooh and ahh’ someone who isn’t a hardcore boxing buff. Andre Ward typically fights in way that only hardcore fights can enjoy. He smoothers an opponent’s offense and tactically breaks him down.
2. Charisma – With his subdued, mild-mannered persona, Andre doesn’t have the outside-the-ring presence Floyd possesses but is the quintessential professional in the ring and a loving husband and father outside it. A devout Christian, Ward also incorporates his faith into every aspect of his life and is a strong role model to his fans.
However, having a little ‘bling, bling’ certainly doesn’t hurt an athlete’s stock, as Floyd Mayweather will attest. Ward’s personality is similar to Evander Holyfield’s but the fighter dubbed ‘Real Deal’ became a big star because he did something Ward has yet to do on a consistent basis.
3. Activity – Out of sight, out of mind. Since knocking out then-lineal light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson in electrifying fashion on September 8, 2012, Ward has had just two fights (Edwin Rodriguez and Paul Smith).
So what’s the answer? Can Andre Ward make the aforementioned obstacles go away?
Andre doesn’t need a showy personality nor must he be hugely active to be a big star and a massive PPV attraction.
He needs to be more destructive in the ring. Violence transcends boxing and its something everyone, even non fans, understand.
When Ward pulverized Chad Dawson in 2012, Andre was, for a little while, the hottest fighter in boxing. The performance was as beautiful as it was abusive.
Simply put, he left fans on the edge of their seats, asking, “When is Andre fighting again?” Andre can be boxing’s biggest star, but he’ll have to sizzle – not simply win – on the sport’s biggest stage to do so.’
A repeat performance against Sullivan Barrera tomorrow night would certainly be a giant momentum booster for Ward’s much-anticipated PPV showdown with light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev later this year.
In fact, depending on Ward’s performace tomorrow night, Ward vs Kovalev could be the biggest fight of the year on North American soil.
