Former pound-for-pound number one, Andre ‘S.O.G’ Ward (32-0) gave his assessment of his close personal friend, Guillermo Rigondeaux’s decision to throw in the towel following the sixth round. ‘El Chacal’ cited an injured knuckle as the reason for his withdrawal.
Ward shared he did not expect Rigondeaux to surrender and give up his undefeated record and world title with little resistance.
“I didn’t expect Rigondeaux to quit. I didn’t expect that at all.
Ward did share that he feels credit should not be taken away from Lomachenko, following Rigondeaux’s decision to admit defeat.
“It kind of is what it is. It is not Lomachenko’s fault so I don’t want to marginalize his win.”
“I think that they got him at the right time with the age (37) and the weight but that goes with the territory.”
“He did what he had to do and I don’t think anybody expected Rigondeaux to quit,” Ward told BoxingScene.com.
Excited to have @andreward working tonight's HBO Boxing broadcast. The #SalidoRoman tripleheader kicks off at 10:20 pm ET/PT on HBO Boxing After Dark. pic.twitter.com/C6Qcij4Rd4
— HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) December 10, 2017
Following the fight, “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko shared his targets moving forwards, Lomachenko shared at the post-fight press conference he would like to aim his crosshairs on a meeting with Mikey Garcia.
Garcia has been very vocal about his chances in that matchup in the past and has stated on many occasions that it is a fight he wants. Garcia and his brother who is also his trainer, Robert Garcia have well documented their belief given their enormous size advantages that this is a fight that he can win by knockout.
“Mikey is a beast. That is a super fight in my opinion,” Ward shared.
Pressed on giving a prediction on that potential match-up, Ward stayed firmly on the fence. However, Ward once again shared his view that the match-up will be a super-fight.
“It is tough to say. I am not really big on picking winners unless I know. Super fights and big fights that are 50-50 – they are just that.”
Furthermore, Ward detailed he can foresee a gameplan that could see both combatants claim a potential victory.
“You gotta let it play out because I got an argument for Mikey and I got an argument for Lomachenko,” explained Ward.
Meanwhile, Ward earlier declared his retirement from professional boxing following scoring a stoppage of former unified world light-heavyweight champion, Sergey Kovalev in their highly anticipated rematch in June.
He has since very recently refused to rule out a potential return to the ring. Ward claimed ‘never say never’ on a potential third fight against ‘The Krusher’ Sergey Kovalev.
Additionally, Andre Ward suggested being around the sport and the Las Vegas hotels do get the juices flowing again while also confirming that he will always “a burning desire inside him” to fight.
Ward added that the early phase of his retirement has been somewhat of a detox.
“When I flew in on Thursday night, I was fine.”
“Then I started walking towards my room, I realised that this was the last place that I fought and I just started getting hit by all these emotions,” Andre Ward told ThaBoxingVoice.
Ward also touched on his former nemesis’ Sergey Kovalev returning to winning ways in late November against Vyacheslav Shabranskyy.
Giving his opinion on ‘The Krusher’s knockout victory, Ward began by saying, ” I think he had the right guy in front of him. It is easy to say he’s back and all that kind of stuff.”
“I wish him nothing but the best,” Ward added, on a lighter note.
Ward was pressed on his own career path after announcing his retirement and if there was any chance of a trilogy with Kovalev coming to fuition. Ward reaffirmed what he has said all along, but left a little room for future lingering doubts; “that chapter of my life is over, (but) never say never!”
“You never know how things are going to turn.”
Returning the topic back to Kovalev, Ward added “The issue with him is not technical or physical, it was mental and psychological. You won’t know if that has been changed or dealt with until he is put in the same situation.”
READ MORE:
Manny Pacquiao: Conversations have taken place with McGregor!
Lomachenko reigns supreme! Rigondeaux quits on his stool after round 6
Bellew says he is “running at” Fury, ‘The Gypsy King’ retorts he will annihilate Tony Bellew
Lomachenko: No surprise to me that Rigondeaux quit!
Tyson Fury: I have b***s like King Kong and a heart of steel!