Andre Ward is already growing uneasy in his recently confirmed retirement.
Matchroom mogul, Eddie Hearn is ready to pounce on any uncertainty in the man they dubbed ‘SOG’s thinking.
Only yesterday, Andre Ward revealed a picture which will only solidify the belief of many, that his retirement will be shortlived.
Eddie Hearn has, however, suggested that he will look to tempt the former consensus pound-for-pound number one with an offer to take on the former WBC world cruiserweight champion, Tony Bellew.
Bellew is currently 10 weeks away from his highly anticipated rematch with David Haye.
But Bellew has already highlighted plans to fight past that date.
“[Ward is] flirting with the idea of a comeback already,” Hearn said.
“But I would like to see Tony fight him after this fight.”
“It’s a great fight. I know everyone always writes off Tony but at cruiserweight, it’s a tough fight for Andre, a very tough fight for Tony.”
Always a pleasure.. #BellewHaye#Repeatpic.twitter.com/cxzjhDKJu7
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) February 21, 2018
Hearn added that he doesn’t expect Andre Ward to do what Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe did and stay true to his word and stay retired as a reigning world champion.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see Andre Ward come back, so we’ll see,” Hearn told Boxing News.
Furthermore, Eddie Hearn shared that he’d rather see Bellew lock horns with the former light-heavyweight kingpin Andre Ward as opposed to the idea of returning to his natural weight class to take on either of the WBSS finalists Murat Gassiev or Oleksandr Uysk.
“It’s a less dangerous fight [than Usyk] because Ward isn’t overly dangerous or a huge puncher but he’s technically excellent.”
🔥
"You've cost me a whole year! The position I was in mentally for the last fight… You could have torn my legs off and I'd have still tried to fight!" – @TonyBellewpic.twitter.com/t6WJP8NNzv
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 21, 2018
Additionally, Hearn believes Bellew would garner more exposure and acclaim for beating Ward.
As opposed to either of the WBSS finalists who while they are phenomenal fighters in their own sense, lack the high-profile status Ward has.
“I think he’d get more credit, Tony, beating Ward than someone like a [Murat] Gassiev.”
“Who’s very well known in the fight community but not the wider audience,” the promoter said.
“[Ward] is a big fight,” Hearn said
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