In an interview with ESPN, WBA Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward shared his feelings about Strikeforce welterweight title holder Nick Diaz.
While Ward said he was pumped to see Diaz enter the boxing ring against Jeff Lacy this fall, he did nothing close to endorsing a victory for the elder Diaz brother.
Ward, like Diaz, trains in California, and the two have spared together on “six or seven occasions” for multiple rounds, according to the super middleweight boxer.
Anyone who doubts that Ward’s opinion holds water on this matter needs to realize that on top of being a current champion, “The Son of God” won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
He also holds a professional boxing record of 23-0, with 13 wins by way of knockout.
“I appreciate and admire [Diaz’s] courage,” Ward told ESPN.com while in Las Vegas to watch Manny Pacquiao’s recent win over Shane Mosley. He added, “It remains to be seen how well he’ll do, though.”
The last time a boxer tried to enter the cage, fans certainly recall how James Toney fared against Randy Couture.
Ward wants to let fight fans know that the opposite should not be any easier. “Nick has good hands, some of the best hands in MMA. But professional boxing is totally different. Totally different.”
Hopefully, Diaz was not expected an endorsement from Ward, as the boxer choose not to answer whether or not Diaz could hold his own in the ring.
“I can’t really talk about that,” Ward said. “That’s something fighters don’t reveal out of respect for each other. It was good work, though. He’s a southpaw and he just keeps on coming. It’s definitely good work.”
Fans, fighters and even Diaz’s own manager Cesar Gracie seem to think that Diaz would pass on the fight with Lacy all together if a welterweight unification match with UFC champ Georges St-Pierre became a legitimate possibility.
Diaz actually has one boxing match under his belt, a four-round unanimous decision victory back in 2005.
Meanwhile, Lacy has a professional record of 25-4, with 17 wins via knockout.
He also held the IBF Super Middleweight title between October of 2004 and March of 2006, but some critics seem to think Lacy’s days in the ring are numbered after losing three of his past four bouts.
Regardless of where Lacy’s boxing career is heading in the long term, Andre Ward feels that Lacy still makes for a very difficult opponent for Diaz.
“Lacy is dangerous,” Ward said. “I don’t know what everyone is talking about with Lacy. He is dangerous and he’s a very difficult fight for Nick. Jeff is a friend of mine and Nick is a friend of mine. I just want to sit back and watch it. It remains to be seen how it will all work out.”
Ward puts his WBA Super Middleweight Title on the line when he faces Arthur Abraham in the semifinals of the Super Six World Boxing classic tournament.
The title fight is set to take place on Saturday, May 14 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, so there is no doubt that Ward will be a big hometown favorite.
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