It was 2004 in Athens. The city’s ancient temples and columns seemed to be a symbol of what had happened to American boxing at the Olympics. It was in ruins. But there was Andre Ward, who a few hours before closing ceremonies won a gold medal. He’d didn’t figure to win then. But he did in a dramatic surprise that also was a parting shot at anti-American sentiment that filled the Greek arena for a couple of weeks.
Not much has changed.
Six years later, U.S. Olympic boxing is still in ruins and Ward is still finding motivation in critics, doubters and trash-talkers who unwittingly become his greatest allies. There’s something else: Ward is still winning with a quiet poise that is as effective as a feint. Everybody who sees the poise and looks for weakness have instead run headlong into a stubborn streak of quicksilver skill that has kept Ward unbeaten. The last man standing in Athens is favored to be the last one standing in the Super Six Classic.
First, Ward (21-0, 13 KOs) has to win a second-round bout in the first defense of his World Boxing Association’s title Saturday night in hometown Oakland, Calif., against tough Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs), who collects knockouts when he isn’t collecting comic books. Green, a sub for the whatever-happened-to Jermain Taylor, is dangerous. His record says that. He does too.
Green’s talk is a mystery, if not a mistake. He has called Ward “a hummingbird,’’ which apparently means he intends to knock him out with simple swat. Why arm Ward with further motivation? Hasn’t he already used it effectively throughout a career that — after all — hasn’t been a secret since he planted the American flag onto the medal stand’s top pedestal? The guess here is that Green is just talking himself into defeat.
“Bother me?’’ Ward said of comments from the Green corner during Showtime’s in-depth look at each super-middleweight in Fight Camp 360. “No. Use them? Absolutely. I don’t read a lot of press before the fight, but I get people coming up to me all the time saying, ‘Did you hear this or did you hear that?’ It’s been like that since the amateurs. For some reason I look like a lamb before the fight. I’ve heard his comments on Fight Camp 360 and you better believe I use that. It bothers me in a good way because I constantly have something to prove and that’s what not a lot of people realize.
“I think a lot of people think I’m coming in here really well rested and really enjoying the fact that I’ve got a championship. But it’s been all work. For me, I try to say as little as possible before a fight. I’m not going to stand there and get pushed down or get bullied. But at the end of the day, I just shut my mouth, work hard and take care of business.’’
Green, himself an accomplished amateur minus the Olympic gold, is considered as big a threat as any faced by Ward, America’s only gold medalist since David Reid in 1996. He is, may be because of a lethal left hook that could put an abrupt end to Ward’s unbeaten status, especially if Ward continues to let his lead hand drift down, out and away from a vigilant defense. Also, Green’s toughness was displayed in surgery to have most of his colon removed a couple of days after a victory over Darrell Woods three years ago. His colon was leaking toxins into his body. It is believed he was suffering from the condition four months earlier in his lone loss to Edison Miranda, whom Ward beat.
But Mikkel Kessler of Denmark also was thought be dangerous enough to shatter promoter Dan Goossen’s plans to turn Ward into a pay-per-view star. Ward beat Kessler thoroughly in Oakland, despite complaints from Kessler’s corner about intentional head butts and home-cooking.
Form the Kessler victory, there was a significant sign that Ward is improving all the time. There have always been questions about his durability. The powerful Kessler landed a few big shots, but Ward never buckled. A bigger question perhaps is the condition of Ward’s right knee. He underwent surgery for an injury that forced a postponement of the Green fight, originally scheduled for April. The injury’s severity has been questioned by the Green camp.
Green also has had his date of knee problems, which in the wake of gimpy Yuri Foreman’s loss to Miguel Cotto is more in focus now than perhaps it has ever been. But Green doesn’t rely on lateral movement the way Ward does.
“My right knee is fine.’’ Ward said. “We’ve had no issues with the knee throughout our entire training camp. Coming off of surgery there are certain things you need to do in rehabilitation just to keep the muscles and the hamstring and all the different muscles that wrap around the knee; just keeping them strong. The knee has really been a non-issue.’’
It will have to be, because Green promises to move forward, always forward, in pursuit of delivering an upset with his left hand. If the knee is strong and stays strong, Ward should be able to move his quick feet and quicker hands at rates that figure to leave Green confused in the later rounds and speechless in the end. In the ring, there are a lot of ways to look at Ward, who forces opponents to make adjustments that can make them change plans and commit errors.
In his second straight fight before hometown fans, Green’s representatives are upset at the appointment of referee Raul Caiz, who is from California. Through an associate, Green promoter Lou DiBella said a couple of days ago that he and Goossen had agreed on a referee from Nevada. Goossen denied there was any agreement. Goossen said he tried to contact DiBella in an attempt to get an agreement. DiBella was unable to participate in a recent conference call and did not attend a news conference Wednesday because of a family illness.
The judges will be from California, Mexican and Connecticut, Goossen said.
Ward? Yeah, he’s from Oakland. But he’s at home any where there are critics. In boxing, that’s everywhere.
