Andre Ward said this week that he’d come out of retirement to face Anthony Joshua “if the business was right.” The offer was met with a sarcastic reply from the former two-division heavyweight champion Joshua, saying, “Pay Day Pay Day (Canelo voice).

For the 41-year-old Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) to be taken seriously, he needs to come out of his eight-year retirement and beat one or preferably two top-tier heavyweight contenders.

The heavyweights Ward should fight to earn a Joshua fight:

Joseph Parker
Richard Torrez Jr.
Lenier Pero
Agit Kabayel
Zhilei Zhang
Filip Hrgović
Daniel Pero
Bakhodir Jalalov
Daniel Dubois
Martin Bakole

Could Andre Ward beat any of these heavyweights if he whipped himself into shape? During his prime, Ward was known for throwing single shots followed by an immediate clinch. The technique is referred to as ‘The punch and grab‘ style. It works, but it’s boring to watch.

That strategy was effective for Ward during his career, allowing him to stay unbeaten and win world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight. However, it’s doubtful that it would be effective at heavyweight. Even an older heavyweight like 42-year-old Zhilei Zhang would time Ward, and nail him with a big shot as he’s diving forward to hold.

Ward has been out of the sport since 2017, and there wouldn’t be much interest from boxing fans to pay to watch the former 168 and 175-lb world champion return after eight years for a money grab to make his retirement more luxurious.

“If the business was right, and everything was right on that front, me and Anthony Joshua, that’s a fight that I would take at Wembley Stadium,” said Andre Ward on Instagram. “That’s a fight that would get me in the gym and get me in the mindset that I need to be in to go to war.”