Late Saturday, Andre Ward walked out of Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City as the Super Six World Boxing Classic winner and new Ring Magazine super middleweight champion. Ward put on a clinic Saturday evening as he dominated British fighter Carl Froch to claim Froch's WBC title and secure the previously vacant Ring Magazine title.
Although the score cards were a bit surprising with two judges giving Ward the fight by only a 115-113 margin, there was no question Ward dominated the fight. Even as the two 115-113 scorecards were read aloud, Froch shook his head in a bit of disbelief. Afterward he acknowledged that Ward had decisively beaten him. Froch thought he might have a better shot with a new game plan, but there is no doubt at this point that Ward is the superior fighter and the class of the 168 pound division.
After the fight, Ward said he was going to tale a long, well deserved rest while he and his promotional team figured out his next fight. The past two years have featured nothing but top of the line competition for Ward, so it is understandable he wants to take a brief break before returning to the ring. It is not a retirement by any stretch of the imagination, but rather just a breather.
While fighters often mix in some easier fights once in a while, Ward will likely be looking at continued top-level competition. The fight much of the boxing world wants to see now is Ward vs. Lucian Bute. Although Bute is now a Showtime fighter, he was not invited to the Super Six when it first got started. He has been considered the best super middleweight not taking part in the Super Six, so that is likely a fight that will happen at some point.
If Ward-Bute does not happen, another possibility would be Andre Ward versus fellow 2004 Olympian Andre Dirrell. There was a chance they could meet in the Super Six, but Dirrell had to withdraw from the tournament due to neurological issues. He will fight Darryl Cunningham in the next couple weeks, and if he wins it could set up a bout with Ward.