'There's No 'E' in Micky'

By Elliot Worsell

16.09 - There's no 'E' in Micky. It's Micky Not Mickey. The E is gone cos' 'Irish' Micky Ward, the recently retired 140 lb punch machine from Lowell, Massachusetts say's so. Micky Ward has never had it 'E'asy inside or outside the ring, so therefore why should there be an 'E'?

Known as one of an elite band of fighters who 'get all the respect and none of the money' Ward has won the hearts and livers of boxing's hardcore with his humbling and courageous approach to the noble art throughout his staggering 18-year, 38-13 (27 KO's) career.

Ward, now 38 years of age and happily engaged to his fiancée Charlene, decided to finally hang his gloves up following a plucky third bout with his long-time nemesis and now good friend Arturo 'Thunder' Gatti, which he lost on the cards, but lost nothing in the eyes' of the millions of fans watching on HBO television.

Micky Ward is a fighter you can simply not root against. Combining a mixture of down-to-earth professionalism, enough energy to fill the National Grid and a left hook to the liver that'll make you piss blood for a week, Ward typifies everything in a fighter, we as fight fans love.

There was never any goading or lack of respect towards a fellow professional. There was never any showboating to provoke a reaction. There was never any seedy stories or promoter wrangles. Micky ate off his wooden spoon and unlike Oliver Twist never asked for 'more' out of turn.

You've all had the dream. The dream where you win the heavyweight championship of the world. I can bet you for all I'm worth, that Micky Ward was the template you based yourself on. A model professional, the kind of fighter lazy couch potatoes and fight fans aspire to be like.

Micky Ward only knows one way to live, and that is to fight. Split open his head, and more than likely you'll find a boxing glove in place of his brain. Some guys are just born to fight, and Micky Ward has shown over his drawn out and bloody career he is one of these guys.

His trilogy with human crash dummy Arturo Gatti was the stuff of legend. Ward took the first one narrowly in a fight proclaimed by many as 'The Fight Of The Century' including one of the greatest rounds ever (the now famous 9th round). The second would never reach the dizzy heights of the first, but was a humdinger nonetheless, this time with a pumped up Gatti levelling the scores with a unanimous decision.

The final fight between the two blood brothers acted as the time to bring down the curtain on a legacy, and to call halt to the career of the 'last great old - school fighter'. Ward announced, before the fight was even signed, that the dustup with Gatti would be his last, and he stuck to his word. Courageously, through injuries, Ward battled his way to the final bell, dropping Gatti in the process but losing a competitive decision.

It was the perfect way to go. Ward had proved his naysayers wrong (Some said a 3rd fight shouldn't have occurred) and finally after years of swapping sweat and blood for peanuts, the pauper became the prince. A fat wad of dough from chief boxing channel HBO, new found stardom in his hometown, and a juicy spread in respected US boxing rag 'Ring magazine', it was a far place from where Ward had spent most of his topsy turvy career.

He began his now legendary professional career back in June 1985, and racked up a career best 14 professional wins. The run was halted by Edwin Curet in 87' when Ward suffered his painful first defeat on a unanimous decision in New Jersey. Ward was disappointed of course but rebounded with a renewed zest and worked his way towards championship class and a shot at the USBA title in January 89' against the respected Frankie Warren. Ward lost to Warren over the 12 evenly competed rounds, and it triggered the beginning of a very difficult period for the Irish - American fighter.

He lost his 2nd title shot (IBF International title) against Harold Brazier in April 90'. He followed up this defeat with three further defeats against top operators such as Charles 'The Natural' Murray, Tony Martin and Ricky Meyers. Ward believed he had reached the point where he was nothing more than canned fodder for up and coming 140 lb pug's feeling peckish early in their careers. The blue-collar brawler didn't like it, and after the Meyers defeat Ward began a much-needed 3-year break from the sport.

He came back with a bang in 1993 picking up nine straight wins, the most notable being, two wins (9th round stoppage and UD) against unbeaten prospect Louis Veader for the WBU International title and a come from behind stunner (7th round stoppage) of another unbeaten prospect Alfonso Sanchez in Vegas.

It was a breakthrough fight for the rejuvenated Ward, who had now kicked down the door for the right to challenge World IBF Light Welterweight champion 'Cool' Vince Phillips. Unfortunately for Ward, his big night was 'cut' short, and 'Cool' Vince won via a TKO in the 3rd after Ward picked up a nasty gash over his eye.

His next high profile bout was against fast - rising, brash, 'future Pound 4 Pound star' Zab Judah. Ward put on a hugely credible performance; taking the inexperienced Judah to places he'd never been before in his young and explosive career. Judah stated after the fight, that a left hook to the body in round 11 was the only time he'd ever been hurt in a ring. Ward was defeated on points, but as ever, lost nothing in defeat.

He rebounded with two stoppage wins after the Judah defeat (Jose Luis Mendez and Jermal Cobain) before engaging in phone booth warfare with Reggie Green who had just come off a points loss to Sharmba Mitchell for the WBA bauble. Ward was down on the cards, and had to rally through a torrid few opening rounds, but in typical 'Irish' Mick fashion his 'never say die' attitude prevailed and he stopped Green with merely 20 seconds left on the clock. Both warriors fought like they were sleeping with the same woman, it was brutal stuff.

Ward was now riding high. He had now beaten a top 10-ranked opponent in Green, and the title chances he had been praying for would soon arrive.

And so, let's introduce England's Shea Neary, WBU Jr Welterweight champion and the self proclaimed 'Arturo Gatti of British Boxing'.

Neary chose to defend his title against Micky, on the night of 11th March 2000 as chief support to the Naseem Hamed - Vuyani Bungu spectacle in London, England. A move Shea would later regret, as he was dismantled in merciless fashion by Micky's ferocious body attack, and specifically his left to the ribs that left Neary bent over in excruciating pain, resembling a blind man trying to pick up change off the canvas. Ward was the new WBU 140 lb champion, stopping Neary in a blood-spattered, liver lacerating 8th round.

His next fight was another 'toughie', this time against quality Mexican - American banger Antonio Diaz over 10 rounds in Connecticut. Ward's WBU title was vacated and therefore not at stake, but what was clearly at stake was pride, as the two warriors stood on each other's toes for 10 punishing rounds as if a point deduction would occur if they disconnected from one another. Ward lost, and had to endure more shots to the head and body than 'John McClain' of 'Die Hard' fame but nevertheless Diaz was thanking the heaven's that he had seen the back of the crazy Irishman.

The Diaz loss was a major blow for Micky, but it didn't deter the interest in him from fans and media alike. HBO screened the Diaz blood fest, but Micky's real home was undoubtedly on ESPN2, where he made a record 26 appearances throughout his astonishing career. His most notable being, a titanic battle with wily old journeyman Emmanuel Burton, Augustus, or whatever he may want to call himself these days.

Think 'Speed' the movie with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Remember the bus that couldn't go under a certain speed limit or it blows to smithereens? Ward - Burton were fighting like two guys whom, if they stopped throwing hooks, crosses or uppercuts, would be detached from the sport for life. Hell, the punch stats guy needed an 'Enswell' for his fingers the way these two were going at it. It was a 'lump in the throat' advertisement for the sport, and both were praised from the turnbuckles, many calling for 'better pay' or a title shot.

Micky's choice of entrance song that night, Whitesnake's 'Here I Go Again On My Own' didn't need any explanation, Micky had no help from promoters or TV companies throughout his career, and did the best he could with what he had.

A now 'in demand' Ward next fought the tough, Texan contender and former world super featherweight champion Jesse James Leija in his hometown. Unfortunately for Micky those ghastly cuts came back to haunt him again. This time however, the cuts weren't on the face Micky, but were disfiguring the looks of his opponent. The ever - professional Leija could have fed a family of Vampires with the depth of his cut, but in truth it was caused by a Micky Ward punch not a head butt as ruled. Leija walked away with a controversial technical decision in the 5th, but both Micky and Dick Ecklund complained vehemently, but unsurprisingly, to no avail.

The fuming from the Ward camp died down somewhat when they got wind of who was being lined up as Micky's next opponent. A big HBO date with fellow blood donor and former world champion Arturo Gatti on May 18, the only rival to Micky Ward's title of 'most exciting fighter in the sport'.

The fight would go down in history, and both were at last being given the kind of money and accolades they deserved for the blood, sweat, tears and Vaseline they had put forth for the enjoyment of the fans over the duration of their careers. Boxing did have a heart after all.

Micky Ward had a right to feel hard done by throughout his blood-curdling career. He ducked opponents as much as he ducked hooks and jabs. His face resembled a 'Domino's pizza' after every fight. He was a street tramp who could fight, but had to wait for a smug businessman to walk past him to get a dollar. Black, blue and red were Ward's colours; nothing ever came in Silver or Gold.

To Micky Ward, blood resembles his war paint, his left hook is his rifle and his paycheck is his 'woman'. Put a bear in front of him, or a damn tiger, and Ward would still try and walk the sonofabitch down. The guy is old school in every sense of the word, and puts the 'fight' in 'fighter'.

Fighters like Micky Ward don't come around very often, and in an era of neo lights, showgirls, and hip - hop entourages, the days of guys 'coming to fight' and wearing their hearts on their protector cups may be long gone.

Fight fans know when boxing is 'good', and when Micky Ward fought there was no need for commentating or pieces of wise cracking advice, we all knew what was going on in there, and boy did we know it was good.

I was given the unique opportunity to speak to Micky about all things black and blue, and on how he sees the sport now he is on the outside looking in...click here for the full interview with Micky Ward