Tale of the Tape
| Andre Ward | Paul Smith | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | (27-0, 14 KOs) | (35-5, 20 KOs) |
| Age | 31 | 32 |
| Height | 6'0" | 5'11" |
| Reach | 71” | 72” |
| Weight | 172 | 172 |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Hometown | Oakland, CA | Liverpool, Merseyside, UK |
| Rounds Boxed | 185 | 203 |
Ward may be the favorite going into this fight but on paper, Smith has some advantages at his disposal. For one, he has a longer reach than Ward. An inch may seem like a modest advantage but it can make all the difference in how a fighter performs on the outside and how, for instance, he lands his jab effectively. Smith has a strong jab so he would be wise to throw it often and use it to set up his combinations. He would also need to solidify his outside work to gage how Ward would work around his reach.
Usually when one fighter is taller, the other fighter has a much easier time getting to the body. But before you imagine Smith throwing ripping shots into Ward’s body, consider this: Ward may be taller but he doesn’t stand tall. In other words, Ward uses his legs to really drop down in his stance. This is effective because he can make the height difference virtually disappear as he pleases.
Surprisingly, Smith is slightly older than Ward and has boxed more rounds than him. This is a bit ironic considering Ward is regarded as the more experienced fighter. Numerically speaking, Smith is more experienced than Ward. Without question though, Ward has better qualitative experience. He doesn’t offer anything Ward hasn’t seen before, and that should give Smith cause to worry.
