Andre Ward is a dirty fighter

Blatant use/positioning of head. You don't have to dig your head into your opponent's face when your'e both clinched and he's already in a compromised ring position (i.e. back against the ropes)

"Subtle" rabbit punching. When you know your opponent is going to weave under your hook so you purposely add extra arc and less range so the punch lands on the back of his head but looks accidental.

Holding an arm out to cover your opponents vision, Technically illegal but it never gets called.

Holding your opponent's head down with forearms after missing a hook. Putting opponent in headlock after missing a jab. Both are technically illegal but rarely get called.

Let's not forget the elbows thrown in the Bika fight (i also specifaclly remember one in the Froch fight). Although I'll let the Bika fight slide because Bika played dirty himself.

Hopkins used to piss me off with his thigh and butt punches and especially his right cross-"accidental" headbutt combo.I'm not condoning Hopkins' use of "accidental" fouls but Ward is not some 46 year old man in need of a handicapp. Ward is in his physical prime and the handicapp in this fight was already built in with Dawson's weight loss and Ward's homecourt advantage.

Ward is a great fighter. So good in fact that he doesn't need to fight dirty, and that's what pisses me off. Being super-religious and still commiting multiple "accidental" fouls only makes it worse.

The thread was about Ward being dirty on todays rules and what you can get away with. The guys you mentioned were from a different era when the rules were a little different. They stop fights quicker today then in the 40's. Alot has changed the equipment, well you name it. They even check your urine today...ask Chavez. Now he's a dirty fighter in more ways then one.

i think hopkins is who you could classify as a dirty fighter as his head is now used as his left jab to set up his overhand or straight right. a good example of this was against both dawson and winky. when he was younger he had a good jab(trinidad) and only added the headbut into his repertoire as his skills diminished and he moved up in weight.

i dont think that people truly appreciate the greatness of bernard hopkins and what he was able to accomplish evolving into different styles in multiple weight classes.