Andre Ward Rips Terence Crawford 'Smear Campaign' Amid Canelo Alvarez Fight Rant

Boxing legend Andre Ward went on a passionate tirade about Terence Crawford skeptics.

Dec 17, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Retired boxer Andre Ward on the sideline before the game between the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

There are only a few world-class boxers in the 21st century who have amassed perfect undefeated records to this point in their careers, and the majority of them are still active in the sport.

The three active male boxers who have amassed a strong enough resumé that where their undefeated record actually means something are Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk, and Naoya Inoue. And it isn't a coincidence that these are inarguably the top three pound-for-pound boxers in the sport right now (although the order in which they're ranked within the top three is still up for debate).

As for retired boxers, the two who produced immaculate records this century were Floyd "Money" Mayweather and Andre Ward. While Mayweather is the much more famous fighter and produced a more financially lucrative career, Ward can match up with anyone when it comes to pure talent. Not to mention that he's one of the brightest minds in the sweet science, and has transitioned smoothly into being a pundit outside of the ring rather than fighting inside of it.

And Ward was in the Netflix commentary booth alongside Max Kellerman and Jon Anik for Crawford's historic fight against Canelo Alvarez on September 13.

Andre Ward Makes Terence Crawford Opinion Extremely Clear

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Ward also runs the successful ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT podcast. And in a recent interview, he sent a strong message about Crawford in the wake of his win against Canelo.

"They tried to bury Terence Crawford. They tried to ruin his reputation and say that he wasn't a draw, when the numbers were there for you to see," Ward said.

MORE: The Biggest Winner From The Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford Fight Wasn't Crawford

"There was a smear campaign about his personality. 'He doesn't talk, he doesn't, nobody wants to hear him.' No. You don't want to hear him. So you try to speak for the masses, when the whole time, you have a star right here. You got to learn how to talk to this man."

Ward then continued, "Even as recent as his last fight... before Canelo, the smear campaign continued. I don't hear the smear campaign now. Them voices got really, really quiet, like they typically do when they get proven wrong. And they either try to jump on the wagon... or they get really, really quiet."

"They tried to bury him, Roy," Ward added, speaking to Roy Jones Jr. "It didn't work. He overcame that... and he did it again against Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night."

Many members of the boxing community said these same things about Ward during his career, which is why this feels like such a personal subject for him.

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