On the ninth of January, 2015, during the Roc Nation Sports Card on FS1, Andre Ward was interviewed by Michael Woods. Woods asked the following straightforward question and got the following straightforward answer:
Woods: "Last question, putting you on the spot: Are you the top pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, or is that Floyd Mayweather?"
Ward: "That's Floyd Mayweather. Floyd Mayweather has done it longer than me. He's been at this level for a very, very long time, and I'm a young guy who always pays homage to the guys who go before me. But, as a competitor, and as somebody who's in this sport, I always shoot for the top spot and that's the spot I'm coming for, with all due respect to Floyd, but the top spot is what you should always want."
In boxing history, a fighter's greatness is often more easily digestible when looking at how how their contemporaries rated them during their careers than when looking at accomplishments on paper, or even reviewing available fight films or revised opinions being given upon reflection, years after the dust settles. You'll find numerous glowing appraisals of Harry Greb and Joe Gans in their days, from the men plying the trade alongside him, as well as appraisals of Julio Cesar Chavez Senior and Pernell Whitaker in their day.
Floyd Mayweather Junior, aged 37, in January, was rated by one of the standout, dominant champions in the sport as the actual pound-for-pound best, without any hesitation. We will be able to look back and see how Floyd was rated as essentially an old fighter who still stood on top in his day, according to most of the other top fighters. Not just on top as a celebrity or money-maker. But on top in a pure, most-difficult-to-beat sense. The purest sense, really. It will be easier to separate his personal history or his often villainous, arrogant persona from his boxing. It will be seen by those looking back in future generations that when it comes to boxing, most of his peers knew he was the most consistently special in the world, even while closer to forty than thirty. It's quite a rarity, and can only be appreciated when it's separate from all things non-boxing.
Respect to Andre Ward for stating his position with that kind of clarity and candor for the history books.
Work that bag,
Basement Gym Boxing
Thanks for stopping by our place. Here are some other pages you might enjoy:
What Do Super Middleweights Rehydrate To? An Unofficial Weight Reference List
Andre Ward VS Edwin Rodriguez: The Real Champion Is Still The Real Champion
Andre Ward batters Edwin Rodriguez with a power jab
No comments:
Post a Comment