by Eric “Sugar Foot” Duran
For being the consensus no. 2, pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Andre Ward has only fought 3 times in the last 3 years. In fact, he hasn’t laced them up in 2014 at all.
For the last year, Ward and promoter Dan Goossen have battled it out in the court room.
Ward claims Goossen violated the Ali Act. Specifically, withholding deductions from Ward’s purses in his four most recent bouts.
However, arbitrators have sided with Goossen on three separate occasions. More recently, Goossen filed a $10 million lawsuit against Ward, claiming defamation.
Sadly, promoter Dan Goossen passed away today at age 64.
What does that mean for Ward? Will it bring Ward and the Goossens together to iron out their differences? Will the Goossens continue with their legal stance regarding Ward? Will the Goossens look for a buyout from another promoter?
All we know is that a wonderful man passed away. And a damn good fighter sits on the shelf.
With the 2014 year nearing an end and Ward without a fight on the horizon, what will be asked is: where does Andre Ward go from here?
Ward is under contract until 2016. Will he essentially wait it out and waste 3 years of prime career? Time will eventually give us these answers, but how much money and stardom has Ward missed out on while we wait? In boxing you’re only as good as your last fight. Fans are starting to forget just how great Andre Ward is.
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