Retiring at the right age at the peak of your career is always a difficult decision. The allure of fighting never fades, and fighters believe they have one more fight left. But Andre Ward was different. He hung up his boxing gloves at age 33, but in 2017 he still wore the unified light heavyweight belt around his waist. But has he done enough in his career? Boxing fans decided.
IFL TV posted the American boxer’s resume in one of its posts, cited this honor, and asked fans for their opinions on whether they thought he was the most underrated boxer of the 21st century. Not many people seem willing to give him that title. So what did they say?
Andre Ward’s resume: complete or very thin?
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The post listed notable names that Ward, 40, fought against during his 13-year boxing career. Notable names include Carl Froch, Chad Dawson, Arthur Abraham, Sakio Bika, Mikkel Kessler, and Paul Smith. However, he is best known for his two fights with Sergey Kovalev, which also ended his illustrious career.
via Getty
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 17: Andre Ward celebrates his victory after winning his light heavyweight championship bout against Sergey Kovalev at Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 17, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ward defended his WBA/IBF/WBO titles with an eighth-round TKO victory. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Holding a record of 32 wins and 0 losses, he also won gold medals at super middleweight and later light heavyweight. His amateur days were also brilliant, winning a gold medal in boxing at the 2004 Olympics. His dominance during his active days can be gauged by the fact that he was #1 pound-for-pound during his reign as light heavyweight champion. But does that alone merit praise from fans?
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Boxing fans call out Andre Ward’s resume
One fan believed Ward was underrated. Instead, they chose Tim Bradley. they write: “I don’t think he’s underrated. He’s been No. 1 on most of his P4P lists for years. Tim Bradley is underrated.”
I don’t think he’s underrated, he was #1 on most P4P lists for years.Tim Bradley is underrated
— Lee 🥊🎸👨🍳 (@GalTheHound) April 19, 2024
One user recalled two fights between Ward and Kovalev. Although he was victorious in his first encounter with Kovalev, his second encounter was controversial as many believed that a low blow caused the fight to be stopped. Similarly, many continue to believe that Kovalev deserved to win in their first fight. They answered: [100 emoji]. Kovalev’s first win was elite and he made the right adjustments to get him out. 114-113 for me, a big fan of Kovalev. His performance in the second match was overshadowed by bad refereeing. ”
Yes💯. Kovalev’s first win was elite and he made the right adjustments to get him out. 114-113 for me, a big fan of Kovalev. Performance in the second game was overshadowed by bad refereeing.
— Daniel (@airtxme) April 19, 2024
One person called Ward one of the most “overrated boxers” and continued: He is one of the most overrated boxers of all time. Kovalev won easily in one match, but he was badly robbed. ”
Hey.
One of the most overrated boxers of all time.
Kovalev easily won one match, but was badly robbed.
— 🇺🇲 🇨🇦 Beta Ray Bill 🇬🇧 🇧🇷 (@RayBill2) April 19, 2024
The comment read: “He robbed Kovalev in the first fight.”
Robbed Kovalev in the first fight.
— Aaron Jackson (@aaronjacko) April 19, 2024
Another fan called Ward “the Khabib of boxing.” Of note, Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement early and did not stay long to defend his UFC lightweight title. They said, “This is the Khabib of boxing. He was a great fighter with great potential for big fights, but he retired early. What happened to him? Paul Smith.”
Khabib of boxing. He was a great fighter with great potential for big fights, but he retired early. What the hell happened? Paul Smith.
— Charlie (@carlitobevin) April 19, 2024
One boxing fan believed the fight between Ward and British boxer Paul Smith deserved more recognition. They declared: “This victory is often overlooked when talking about Paul Smith’s greatest night.” In 2015, the two men exchanged punches, with Smith fighting as hard as he could, but losing by knockout.
This victory is often ignored when talking about Paul Smith’s greatest night
— James Bairstow (@Stowy83) April 19, 2024
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Finally, there was someone who freely admitted that he had no recollection of Ward’s battle.
I don’t even remember the battle of Ward…
— Mr. Blue (@mrblue323) April 20, 2024
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What do you think about Andre Ward’s resume? Do you think he’s underrated? Let us know in the comments below.
