Steven boxing commentator10/7/2023 ![]() Ward's skill-set is of such a higher level that the contest would not get off the ground were he not facing a man who can make a claim to being the single strongest man on earth. Instead both men seem genuinely intrigued by what is a potentially interesting equation. The pre-fight bravado has been non-existent, and the pretence of a personal rivalry between the pair has not even been attempted. In the case of Bjornsson versus Ward however, neither participant appears interested in building their meeting into something that it is not. "You don't play boxing" is often the warning. A bit of a mad one like, but sure why not?" 'I've replaced my boxing shoes with a pair of runners'Įxhibition fights are not a new phenomenon in boxing, although recent years have seen a rise in the number of heavily-publicised contests involving celebrities drawn to a sport where there is exposure and money to be made from driving their sizeable audiences to pay-per-view platforms.įor die-hard fight fans such events do not sit easily. "This is an opportunity that was handed to me. "Life's about taking risks and taking opportunities, this is one that was handed to me," says Ward, who like all boxers had his career and earning potential thrown off course by the Covid-19 pandemic. ![]() What's in it for the Northern Irishman know as the 'Quiet Man'? It is still a hugely unusual proposition, but it makes sense for the Icelander. ![]() "We thought it was a great fit even though there's a huge size difference there, but there's also a huge difference in skill as well," explains Bjornsson. The backstory to the fight is perhaps not peculiar as the match-up on paper might suggest.ījornsson has signed up to face long-time strongman rival and 2017 world champion Eddie Hall in what is being dubbed 'the heaviest fight in history' in September.Īlthough considerably lighter, Ward's similar height to Hall and availability was deemed good enough to set up a three-round exhibition as Bjornsson steps up his training. "He's tall, but it's the width from his chest to his back and shoulder to shoulder." "The first time I met him, the lift doors open, he dips down and comes out sideways because he's so wide," laughs Ward. Bjornsson won the 2018 World's Strongest Man and set a new deadlift world record last year He is 2.05m (6ft 9in) tall and weighs in at around 156kg (24.5 stone).įor comparison, Ward's cruiserweight opponents weigh roughly 91kg - and having spent most of his professional career at light-heavyweight he is most used to fighting those around the 79kg mark. Or simply as 'The Mountain'.ījornsson's sheer size and presence saw him gain worldwide notoriety in the role of Ser Gregor Clegane in HBO's Game of Thrones. Standing in the opposite corner from Ward this weekend in Dubai will be Iceland's Hafthor Bjornsson as they battle in an exhibition bout.īetter known perhaps as the 2018 World's Strongest Man. ![]() He also has a Twitter account with the handle which has about 53.7k followers.That said, even for 30-year-old Belfast cruiserweight Ward, his upcoming venture inside the ring marks a peculiar leap. His Instagram handle is and it has about 10.2k followers. Steve Kim utilizes social media extensively. Even we are unaware of his marital status or the existence of any other relationships. There is no information available regarding Steve Kim’s wife. In addition, he lacked employable skills and was destined for a life of industrial work. Since he was young, he had wanted to be a sports reporter, but his average grades made that seem all but impossible.Īdditionally, Kim dropped out rather than completing his degree because he and his working-class parents were unable to continue paying the relatively modest tuition at Cal State L.A. He only liked playing sports and believes that reading illuminates ideas more than studying textbooks. He claims that he is not your typical Asian student with a 4.0 GPA and that he hasn’t taken 100 SATs. He did not fit the developing stereotype of an overachieving, academically stressed child during his boyhood, according to his memories. In the 1980s, he grew up in Montebello, a largely Mexican-American suburb of Los Angeles, as a first-generation Korean-American. As an announcer and analyst, Steve has further worked for RingTV, Thompson Boxing, 360 Promotions, and CBS Sports Network.
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