Andre "S.O.G." Ward, who has long occupied the No. 2 spot on most boxing observers' pound-for-pound lists, believes he should be able to dictate terms on a potential rematch with Carl Froch, who has been ordered by the WBA to face him.
Ward is undefeated and knocked off Froch in Atlantic City in 2011,but hasn't fought since November 2013. Because of this layoff, and a lack of major star power even before he disappeared from the sport for more than a year, Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn thinks Froch is the one who will carry the promotion.
"I think Carl feels that at this point, with Ward being out for nearly two years and with the ability to bring the fight to the UK, it's a great chance to beat him - maybe the best chance he'll ever have," Hearn said.
Froch may not have beaten Ward when they met, but he's been more active lately and fights a more fan-friendly style. More importantly, Froch draws in the U.K., where he's sold out back-to-back fights against the George Groves.
"What does Ward bring at the moment? Unfortunately Carl dictates everything in this fight," Hearn said. "Andre Ward is a brilliant fighter, pound-for-pound arguably the best in the world but because of his promotional disputes and inactivity, he really doesn't carry the draw in the US. At all.
"People said to me Carl is looking for his Vegas fight so why not fight Ward in Vegas? Two reasons - one it is not that big a fight in America. Two - if Carl Froch is going to beat Andre Ward, we want to have as many advantages as possible."
It is unlikely that Ward will allow himself to be dictated terms. He is undefeated, a pound-for-pound power, and just signed on with Roc Nation Sports, a boxing upstart that likely won't want to be marketing their top fighter as a second fiddle to a man he's beaten.
If a Ward vs. Froch matchup can't be consummated, a potential matchup with middleweight Gennady "GGG" Golovkin could be in the offing.
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