The war of words between Andre Ward's camp and Gennady Golovkin's continues to rage on. Golovkin, the WBA and IBO middleweight champion, has struggled to find big-name opponents willing to take him on, while Ward, the WBA super middleweight champion, claims Golovkin is ducking him.
Golovkin's side has repeatedly brought up money splits as a reason a fight with Ward would be difficult to make; they claim Golovkin would be the A-side of the bout, citing his entertaining style, knockout power, and rising profile.
Abel Sanchez says Ward prices himself out of Golovkin fight
More recently, they're pointing to Ward's legal battles with promoter Dan Goosen as another layer of unsteadiness that could wreck negotiations.
"Ward files lawsuits, calls for a fight, but he does not come out to the ring-that is the problem," Oleg Hermann, Golovkin's manager said. "No one knows how long it's going to last. Yes, Andre Ward says he is ready but Gennady is also ready to discuss a potential fight. Even if we agree on all the terms, we can't do the fight without the permission of his promoter."
Despite multiple lawsuits Ward, Goosen still attempting to make fights?
Ward's handlers are fighting fire with fire in the face of Hermann's harsh words, issuing their own statement that Golovkin is "ducking for cover," and truly feigning interest in the bout.
"This is just more nonsense from Golovkin's side," Ward's legal adviser Josh Dubin said. "Andre Ward made an agreement with Dan Goosen right after the legal action was filed, that they would continue working together until the legal action was resolved. That agreement is still in place."
Dubin continued to say that Golovkin's team is peddling a fantasy about his standing among boxing legends that would be exposed as false if he fought Ward, widely considered the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
"The reason they are running for cover, in our opinion, is because they know as soon as he steps in the ring with Andre Ward the party is over. No more being able to sell the people these ridiculous fantasies that he's somewhere in the same class as Sugar Ray Robinson. The fight can be made, all they have to do is pick up the phone."
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
