“I’m excited to get back in the ring,” stated Ward. “The opponent is Edwin Rodriguez. He’s a young, hungry, undefeated fighter who doesn’t believe he can lose and it’s my job to change his mind.”
And in what appears to be an epic contest taking place at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, the battle lines are drawn. That’s to say Andre Ward, stating he’s better than ever after reparation to a seventeen-year-old tear in his right shoulder capsule, will be looking to assert his dominance over an up and coming Rodriguez who in turn contemplates becoming as star at the expense of Ward.
Having in fact determined the defending champion is a pompous douche who thinks he’s better than everyone else, the highly ranked Rodriguez, vastly improved under veteran trainer Ronnie Shields, simply feels he not only has the goods to emerge victorious, but that this is his time.
“Just like Andre Ward, nobody really believed he could get it done when he went into the “Super Six Tournament” and fought Mikel Kessler. It’s basically the same thing,” said Rodriguez. “Nobody really gave him a chance. Now I’m a young fighter fighting a great fighter trying to become great, and this is my fight to do that. This is my chance to the big time.”
Successfully coming off the “Monaco Million Dollar Super Four Tournament” which took place in Monte Carlo, the triumphant Rodriguez racked up his most impressive win to date, dismantling in one round a normally durable Dennis Grachev. This is something Andre took note of.
“He’s got some momentum coming off of his one-round knockout but with all due respect I’m not that guy. I’m not going to stand there and take 14, 15, 16 unanswered punches. It’s another level and I think Edwin’s going to see that November 16th.”
Could it be too much too soon for Edwin Rodriguez? In my estimation he’s in a situation akin to that of the recently defeated “Canelo” Alvarez who’s lack of high level experience would see him outclassed by boxing’s number 1 pound-for-pound fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr.
I mean at least Alvarez had the benefit of contesting A-level fighter Austin Trout as well as post-prime veterans Shane Mosely and Kermit Cintron before entering the fray, whereas Rodriguez has yet to contest one deemed of upper echelon quality. All told it’s a hard way to go against a fighter who’s proven to masterfully reduce opponents to play things as of late.
That said, Ward’s inactivity since dismantling light heavyweight champion at the time Chad Dawson more than a year ago could factor in early on. However, “S.O.G.,” now proclaimed a two-handed fighter after successful surgery, insists he has the edge over the Dominican born challenger in more ways than one.
Dedicated to his craft, Andre proudly proclaims that boxing is his lifestyle as reinforced by the fact that he contests at the same weight he did as an Olympian nearly ten years ago. This continuity Ward feels will in combination with his higher level of experience and more varied skill-set give him a decisive edge.
Stated the defending champion, “If you look at my body today I’m not fat, I’m not 20 pounds over my fight weight. I wasn’t just laying on my back rehabing a shoulder. I was working, doing my strength and conditioning stuff. And then where it most counts in the boxing gym, I’m working my craft.”
As concerns the most physically imposing opponent Ward has yet faced, Andre would continue. “I’m not afraid of the height, or the reach, or the wide punches that he [Rodriguez] throws. I welcome it. I think it’s about being able to do more than one thing in a boxing ring. So I pride myself on the fact that we know how to fight, we know how to box, we know how to move, we know how to back a guy up. And I think that’s what it’s going to take against this guy.”
Comparing his work ethic and consistency to that of “La Bomba” who he insists balloon’s up between fights, “S.O.G. is quite confident the weight reduction process will rear it’s head in the latter rounds. In essence, the savvy Ward will look to assume command late over what he thinks will be a drained Rodriguez.
And with a style beforehand not meant to so much appeal to a mass audience as it is designed to take away each and every weapon an opponent has at his disposal, and no one does this better than Andre, the Oakland native now seems headed in the direction of becoming more fan-friendly performance-wise as exemplified in his latest stoppage over the aforementioned Dawson.
Not that he’s taking more risks, but improving all along the way Ward with added head movement and improved confidence fighting at close quarters has turned a once criticized penchant for holding inside into an art form worthy of comparison to all-time great Jack Johnson.
Physically strong, “S.O.G.” has demonstrated he knows how to jockey inside for position, to all of a sudden explode out of nowhere to land blows which alter the dynamics of a fight, a nasty uppercut all but finishing “Bad” Chad. This type of scenario Ward will look to recreate against the lengthier but far less accomplished Rodriguez.
But despite Edwin’s lack of championship level experience, he’s not wanting for confidence. “This fight brings out a lot of emotion and motivation for me to do better and be better than I’ve ever been before,” commented Rodriguez. “I’m not here to be number two to anybody. To beat Andre Ward I have to break his will. He’s a very strong fighter mentally. [And] being the underdog it’s a great feeling and I’m loving it. I’m going to take care of business November 16th.”
In this bout it’s difficult to bet against the calculatingly discerning Ward who’s ring intelligence allows him to find out works in short time. I mean to have stifled in dominant fashion from beginning to end opponents the likes of Kessler, Froch, Green, Bika, Abraham, and Dawson, this could only bode well for Andre with Rodriguez next up in line.
But despite what “S.O.G.” brings to the table, I like Rodriguez. His defense is coming along, he picks his spots well, and he works effectively and economically while packing pop on punches that would in many instances do away with lessor opponents. As a result, he may experience a bit of success here and there.
The fact remains however that Rodriguez will not be in with a lessor opponent neither skill wise, nor from the perspective of ring generalship against a man in Ward who’s found a way to win from the very beginning. Perhaps Edwin would have been better served by taking on more credible opposition before shooting for the top.
Time will tell in what is an intriguing match up made to look that way as a result of Ward’s inactivity in combination with Rodriguez’s rise through the ranks. Catch all the action on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, it should be an affair to remember.
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