Andre Ward dominated Edison Miranda, but does that really put him among the 168-pound division's best? (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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Many of us were waiting for former Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward to truly prove himself as a professional. When he signed a fight with Colombian slugger Edison Miranda, that was his first genuine step into legit competition.

Ward dominated Miranda in every facet of the game on Saturday night, not exactly an unexpected outcome. As far as pure skill goes, Ward was always Miranda's superior. There were some questions about his chin, about how deep he was willing to wade into the waters of a tough fight, and whether or not he could or would stand up to a bully fighter.

Like Arthur Abraham and Kelly Pavlik before him, Ward seemed to figure out before he even got in there that Miranda may be a bully, but he's a bully who's exceptionally easy to push around. When met with resistance anymore, Miranda seems to lose his chutzpah, his machismo. Ward not only beat him handily at range, but he pushed Miranda around, out-muscled him, and beat him up when they fought in close.

But given what we know now about Miranda, what did this really prove?

It might seem like I'm saying Ward didn't prove much, but I'm not. Miranda may well be nothing more than a gatekeeper with a big right hand at 168, but Ward so impressively dominated him that we can now say for sure he's a legit contender, a solid pro, and a guy with some fantastic skills. His ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances may well be the best in the sport. Offensively, he even seems to do better as a southpaw.

He may be among the world's 10 best at 168, but if he's not, it's no longer because of any doubts about his ability, simply that 168 is among the best divisions in the sport. I will say that I think he's a tough matchup for just about anyone.

Where can he go next? Showtime no doubt would like to position Ward for a marquee matchup. Hey, if Allan Green finds himself unable to land an opponent, that'd be a heck of a matchup to make paired with something bigger. Green is another guy that can punch, but might not get so easily discouraged so early the way Miranda did. Skills-wise, though? That one's got a Ward win all over it, and then he's even more legit.

(And yes, I know Miranda beat Green at 160, but for one thing I really believe Green wasn't at all healthy for that fight, and for another thing I truly believe Kelly Pavlik's wicked beating of Miranda took a lot out of "Pantera." If Green and Miranda fought at 168, I think Green stops him.)

Jermain Taylor fought pretty well against Carl Froch and needs an opponent. It'd be serious crossroads time for Taylor -- a loss to Ward would really plummet him, and a win against Ward would be big. Beating an undefeated gold medalist would put him back in line.

And what about Sakio Bika? Ward taking a challenge from the guy no one wants to fight would say a lot about his guts.

Right now, it's just a guessing game. But Ward acquitted himself quite nicely on Saturday, and he has earned his due propers. There's still work to do, but then again there always is, isn't there?

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Andre Ward v. Edison Miranda (Super MIddleweights - 12 Rounds, Non-Title)

Andre Ward (18-0, 12 KO) faces the greatest test of his career this Saturday night in Oakland when he takes on Colombian wrecker Edison Miranda (32-3, 28 KO).

It's an interesting fight from many viewpoints. Ward is facing a genuine puncher for the first time. Miranda is looking to get back on track in a highly-publicized fight (or at least close enough to it). A guy like Miranda always will find a home on TV because of his style and because of the way he fights. It's all or nothing. The only times he's lost has been against the world's top two middleweights. Kelly Pavlik whomped him over seven rounds, and his other two losses came to Arthur Abraham. In their first bout he broke Abraham's jaw and lost a 12-round decision; the second time around, at a 166-pound catchweight, Abraham finished him in the fourth.

But Miranda is always dangerous, and Ward, 25, has yet to go against a big, hard-hitting guy. His February win over Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan was hardly inspiring, which is owed in part to Buchanan's non-aggressive nature and Ward's inability to really press him, which likely would have led to a stoppage. He was the bigger man, far more naturally skilled, and had it all on "Sugar Poo."

Miranda, 28, isn't the best fighter around or anything. He's a big-talking slugger whose chin can take some shots, but he's very, very beatable. Still, Miranda has some physical advantages. Ward is 6'1" with a 73" reach; Miranda, at just 5'10", has very long arms (77 1/2" reach), and the power that can be generated at the end of his fists is very real.

Technically, Ward is Miranda's superior. The ex-Olympian is no doubt a far, far better pure boxer than Miranda, and if he stays back and works his game, he should win a wide decision. But Ward promises to be in Miranda's face, perhaps looking at what Pavlik and Abraham did: The bully (Miranda) can be very effectively bullied, and can't fight worth a damn off moving backward.

If Miranda catches Ward and pulls the minor upset, I will not be surprised. But I can't pick Edison over a good boxer, which Ward definitely is, and his power is there, too. Gotta go with the guy with the better pedigree. Ward UD-12