WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14KOs) is not looking to move up in weight for the moment, although it might be an option for the future. Ward intends to return to the ring on a date in late March or early April and plans to do so at 168-pounds.
The light heavyweight division is red hot right now, with Sergey Kovalev, Adonis Stevenson, Jean Pascal, Lucian Bute, Bernard Hiopkins and Artur Beterbiev in the mix.
Some of those fighters are squeezing down to make 175. Before he considers a move to 175, Ward wants to properly build his body into a legitimate light heavyweight structure.
"I understand people want to see me go up, but I'm going to defend my belt and I will continue to defend my belt. I'm a super middleweight. There are a lot of super middleweights out there, who used the lawsuit and the issues as the reason to not step up. I'm starting to get a little offended that my name is not brought up. At the end of the day, none of us can claim greatness or say we're the most feared or the best - without fighting the best and beating the best. That goes for me, that goes for everybody. That being said, there is no reason for me to go to light heavyweight until I'm a full fledged light heavyweight and I'm not that right now," Ward said.
"When I look at my body, to me it doesn't make any sense. To me it has to make sense. I'm not just going to go to 175. I'm going to build my body up and go to 175 as a full fledged light heavyweight, scaling down from 185 or 190 like those guys are. And I won't be coming back at 168 [if I go to 175] and I earned my spot at 168. I'm not just going to leave my post because these guys [at 168] don't want to fight. I feel like I should be able to defend my belt."
http://www.boxingscene.com/andre-ward-right-now-move-175-make-sense--86180
The light heavyweight division is red hot right now, with Sergey Kovalev, Adonis Stevenson, Jean Pascal, Lucian Bute, Bernard Hiopkins and Artur Beterbiev in the mix.
Some of those fighters are squeezing down to make 175. Before he considers a move to 175, Ward wants to properly build his body into a legitimate light heavyweight structure.
"I understand people want to see me go up, but I'm going to defend my belt and I will continue to defend my belt. I'm a super middleweight. There are a lot of super middleweights out there, who used the lawsuit and the issues as the reason to not step up. I'm starting to get a little offended that my name is not brought up. At the end of the day, none of us can claim greatness or say we're the most feared or the best - without fighting the best and beating the best. That goes for me, that goes for everybody. That being said, there is no reason for me to go to light heavyweight until I'm a full fledged light heavyweight and I'm not that right now," Ward said.
"When I look at my body, to me it doesn't make any sense. To me it has to make sense. I'm not just going to go to 175. I'm going to build my body up and go to 175 as a full fledged light heavyweight, scaling down from 185 or 190 like those guys are. And I won't be coming back at 168 [if I go to 175] and I earned my spot at 168. I'm not just going to leave my post because these guys [at 168] don't want to fight. I feel like I should be able to defend my belt."
http://www.boxingscene.com/andre-ward-right-now-move-175-make-sense--86180
