Joe Gallagher, trainer of WBA super middleweight champion Callum Smith, says a sought after dream fight with Andre Ward is likely not going to happen.
Smith, who had a banner year in 2018 by winning the World Boxing Super Series tournament with a knockout of George Groves, was really angling to get Ward back the ring - and Smith had no issue with moving up in weight to make the fight happen.
Ward retired back in 2017, a few months after stopping Sergey Kovalev in a rematch to retain the WBO, WBA, IBF light heavyweight titles.
A few months ago, Ward's manager, James Prince, hinted that his fighter could return from retirement for a major fight - and he named Smith and IBF, WBO, WBC, WBA cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk as possible opponents.
According to Gallagher, he's been advised that Ward wants a lot of money to come out of retirement - more money than a fight with Smith or Usyk would likely bring.
"Callum Smith is who we've always talked about fighting Andre Ward, and I know from what I'm hearing, Andre Ward wants silly money to come out of retirement," said Gallagher to Sky Sports.
"If that's the case, I don't think either Usyk or Callum Smith will ever get to fight Andre Ward, but I'm sure there's a deal to be done somewhere, and that is the fight. That's a bigger fight and a better fight, Callum Smith against Andre Ward, than Usyk against Andre Ward.
"I know the challenge for Andre to fight Usyk and all the world cruiserweight belts is there, but as good a fighter as he is, I don't think that's going to fill any stadiums either in the Ukraine, or in the UK, or in the US. I think the only stadium fight that's available there, that makes sense, is Callum Smith versus Andre Ward at Anfield in Liverpool."
2023-10-22 14:23:36
