Andre Ward recently addressed problems regarding a fight with middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin in the future, hinting that Golovkin's camp likes to bring up Ward's name but doesn't have true interest in fighting.
Even though Golovkin is in a smaller weight class than Ward, he's arguably the most powerful pound-for-pound puncher in the sport and he owns the highest knockout rate (90 percent) of any current champion. As he's risen up the ladder in HBO stardom, his handlers are believing in him as an A-side fighter.
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"As for Ward, he has a situation with his promoter that is keeping him idle," Golovkin's trainer Abel Sanchez said. "But if a fight with Gennady could be discussed, the fact is that Andre is on an island with the belief that he can demand terms. That makes it un-makeable and un-workable when he wants the major portion of the money."
It would be a fool's errand to question Ward's ability; he has defeated many top challengers in the super middleweight division, and won the "Super Six" tournament, which determined the top super middleweight in the world.
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However, injuries and promotional discord have frequently combined to stall any momentum he builds in terms of becoming a major draw a la Floyd Mayweather. While Golovkin isn't nearly as accomplished as Ward, it can be argued there is more interest in his fights because of his growing profile and greater knockout potential.
"Ward may have won the Super Six but has done nothing since, in fights or in publicity, to enhance his marketability," said Sanchez. "The fact is that he can't sell tickets at home or when he fought Rodriguez. Ward's style and manner does not do well with the market as it is today."
Golovkin decimated Daniel Geale, to date his most accomplished opponent, in July and has been linked to big names like Miguel Cotto and Ward constantly. Once again though, finding an opponent is proving difficult for Golovkin. Their search continues for an opponent in the fall, but Sanchez is sure it won't be Ward.
"We do have a guaranteed HBO date, so we know that he will be fighting in October or November, and it's just a matter of finding a guy to fight him...But there's really no use in talking about a fight between Gennady and Andre Ward. He's not calling us out, we're not calling him out. He's the best super middleweight and Gennady is the best middleweight," Sanchez said.
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