En route to a wide unanimous decision victory, Ward dropped Barrera to the canvas in the third round as he turned a left hook while on the ropes. Some people, though certainly not all, like fighters who have a degree of maturity about them. First time around, the man is world champion, and he's been on top a long time. Maybe Ward has one more profound trick up his sleeve: rising to the top of his craft and claiming a happy ending, not just as his reward, but as a central part of his legacy. I respect him as a champion. Statistically, I shouldnt have made it out.. I give it everything I have.. Ward made his pro debut on December 18, 2004, by scoring a second round TKO over Chris Molina. Ward still has a copy of the sign-up sheet. [110], His trainer, Virgil Hunter, says Ward harnesses his speed and ring intelligence to control distance and pace in fights while maintaining high punch accuracy and counterpunching skills. In the fight he would fence with Dawsons southpaw jab, with his own, however, he would use it to condition the southpaw into a rhythm over time by touching w with him. Ward UD 12 Arthur Abraham. Andre Ward has never lost a fight in his professional boxing career. Abraham hurt Ward a couple of times in the final round, but it wasn't enough to finish Ward, who had dominated the fight and won a lopsided unanimous decision. In 2015, Ward made his acting debut in the American sports drama film and Rocky franchise spin-off, Creed, as the light heavyweight boxer Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler. On offense, that means running the football so the clock doesn't stop. It was a magicians grin and it stayed with me a long time after it vanished from his face. He said, "We're going to the final, baby. on March 26, 2016, on HBO. Im trying to shake those ghosts.. But as most know, footwork isnt everything in boxing and it was in fact his lead hand that he would use alongside this footwork that really made him difficult to hit. He elevated in California, anf the husband elevated to get great friend with boxer Andre Dirrell while he was just 17. Indeed, he looked less like a stereotypical boxer than an MTV heartthrob or an Abercrombie & Fitch model. [50][51] Dan Goossen died of complications from liver cancer in September 2014, leaving the future of Andre Ward's boxing career even further in doubt. Ward dictated the pace for the vast majority of the bout, showcasing good strength and ring generalship against Barrera. They came over and Ward threw his arm around Dave. [52], On February 19, 2015 The Ring stripped Ward of the Ring champion belt due to him not having defended his title against a top #5 contender in the last two years. EP 52: Heather Hardy and Ronica Jeffrey on Women Boxing, Tyson Fury On Brother Tommy: "If He Loses To Jake Paul Then Hes Finished With The Boxing", Boxing Insider Fight Night: 8 Rds. [65] 8,532 fans packed the arena on fight night. Nearby Areas. And, should Ward best the terrifying Sergey Kovalev this weekend in their battle for light heavyweight supremacy (sorry, Adonis, youve taken all the oomph out of your own lineal championship), he will unquestionably be regarded as one of the greats. Now, this wasnt something Ward would use too often toward the end of his career, but more in his amateur days and younger professional career. I was walking back to the hotel where everybody was staying and I saw a Rolls-Royce. Dave was the only person who refused to smile. As an amateur, he was almost unstoppable winning multiple national championships before being picked for the U.S Olympic team and then going on to win Gold at light heavyweight in 2004. I cramped up, and I got too tense." This was all while attempting to control and hold at least one arm. Birth Name: Andre Michael Ward Hometown: Oakland, California, USA Birthplace: San Francisco, California, USA Stance: Orthodox Height: 183cm Reach: 180cm Pro Boxer: Record Amateur Boxer: Record Trainer: Virgil Hunter (1994-2017) Manager: James Prince (2004-2017) Boxing is a tough sport, after all, and no one watches it for willowy flights of fancy. They did that to Roy Jones his whole career. [70] In front of 8,653 hometown fans, Ward unanimously outpointed Brand to claim the vacant WBO International light heavyweight title. Retained WBA (Super), IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles; Retained WBA (Super) super middleweight title; Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S. In the later rounds, Ward seemed to take his foot off the gas, leaving Froch to win a couple rounds near the end of the fight, though they were close and fairly competitive rounds. Dad was picking me up for a run like he always did. But combined with the occasional Philly shell or flashy movement from one of the previous names I just mentioned. Punching a clock.. Required fields are marked *. Ive had that over and over again my whole career. Im going to give you a glimpse into boxings future.. Barrera became the mandatory to Kovalev's IBF title when he stopped German Karo Murat in December 2015. He lost that fight in a judges decision that like the other four he playfully questions the legitimacy of to this day. This is fighting. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. I was better, and he was better this fight. [8] Green won the bout, and had hoped to fight Ward later in the year. For more info on the land swap, and to donate to a lawsuit against Millsap, visit StoptheSwap.org. Whats more, he doesnt fight nearly as much as he should (as least he hasnt until recently). Now another big part of Wards game is of course his defense and counter punching. On February 5, 2005, Ward fought in his second pro fight against Kenny Kost. Though the 30-year-old gamely fought on, the knockout he needed to win never appeared remotely likely and he looked a spent man by the end as he picked up the second loss of his 31-fight pro career. He went down. Guarded is what got me by. For the most part, the American would float between stances using a. The case has been to court or arbitration on 3 separate occasions. But just like the great champions, his defense was just very good fundamentals for the most part. Dad lost the house when he went to get treatment when I was 11 or 12. [83] CompuBox stats showed that Kovalev landed more punches, 126 of 474 punches; Ward landed 116 out of 337 thrown And has been reported that he hasnt lost a fight since being 12 years old. Prevent defense in football is when the defense lines up their linebackers and defensive backs near the goal line to prevent a long pass. I didnt hear no bell! he yelled. Its what I do, its not who I am. Atlanta, GA 30315. What a loser. but this itself definitely gave Ward an advantage by giving him a much more powerful lead hand earning much respect from opponents. Thats my motivation. Unfortunately for Ward, he was tremendously good, and it was detrimental to him as an entertaining fighter for the casual. Every stitch of clothing he was wearing was from his Michael Jordan clothing line, a sponsor since he turned professional after the Olympic gold. Ward won all 12 rounds on one judges scorecard and was ahead 118110 on the other two. After I won the heavyweight title [in 2003 against John Ruiz], I was just fighting just because. The venue was set up to hold 14,227. From Smith's perspective, he sees a hand obstructing his path to the target, which can be very discouraging when he wants to initiate offense. How can he be that good while still being a cipher? I easily could have been one of those guys people say, He could have been something. I remember the day he died very clearly. Ward, who fought his biggest name to date said, "This is kind of a bittersweet victory. [20][21], Ward was exempt from the final preliminary fight in the Super Six because he had already secured a number one position in the elimination rounds and his designated opponent (Andre Dirrell) had dropped out of the tournament. But while the Germany-based Armenian had lost none of his strength and durability . Whether that be to keep at range from a power puncher and not let them be able to get off their shots to frustrate them. I was angry at God. [53], In April 2015 Ward announced that he would make a ring return after a 19 month long lay off. Your email address will not be published. "[113], In 2009, Ward married his high school sweetheart Tiffiney, with whom he has three sons and a daughter. We are boxers. A replay was shown on HBO prior to the LomachenkoWalters title fight, which averaged 834,000 viewers. But Ive had many. [45] Ward was praised for standing up to the WBC. Daves father was beaming with approval. On May 16, 2009, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, Ward defeated former prospect Edison Miranda by unanimous decision. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Weve spent enough time on the past, Ward said. He would stay at the stance for too long. Ill never forget that day. He had the tuxedo robe. Yet there are those who actually find Wards lack of swagger refreshing. Can the same be said of Floydor even of his PR apprentice, McGregor? [23] Fighting in front of his hometown crowd as part of a dual-site co-main event, Ward didn't land many big shots but repeatedly hit Bika with a stinging left jab that the challenger was unable to counter. Frank Ward, the son of an alcoholic, never touched a drop. (404) 390-4075. If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting. . (see below). I rushed to the hospital and had to see him lying on that cold slab. [54] Roc Nation did reach out to HBO, where Ward had worked as an analyst previously, but upon hearing his opponent, they passed on the opportunity to showcase Ward's long-awaited return. Because shed promise and promise and promise and never show. As a professional he fought at two weight categories in the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight divisions, picking up and retiring with an impressive undefeated boxing record of 32 fights and victories (16 KOs). Although Abraham was somewhat passive at times, he gave an earnest effort and frequently threw combinations that were mostly blocked by Ward. Still, he concluded that Kovalev faded late in the fight. Sharing Jones words with Ward almost has him blushing as he drove us to meet with his dads sister, Sandy Boos, to look over old photos from his childhood. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Im trying to avoid those same demons. He would touch with Dawson before instead quickly changing the route of attack by throwing a right to the body before going up top again. He successfully defended his titles in a rematch against Kovalev a year later, after which he retired from boxing. [36] In 2013, Dawson spoke out about the fight and said it was a "set-up by HBO and other people." Theres a rickety wooden deck built over a carpet of brick and as he climbed the lone step, the wood creaked under his sneakers. For his counter punching, it was more used with opponents who rushed in because of frustration that would be caught by him. This full video can be found on my master class page (link in bio). Boxing News", "Duva and Roc Nation start talks for rematch of Ward-Kovalev June 17 The Ring", "Sergey Kovalev indicates he signed deal memo for Ward rematch The Ring", "Andre Ward set to defend title vs. Sergey Kovalev in June ESPN", "Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev rematch set", "Ward agrees to give Kovalev rematch in June", "Andre Ward, Sergey Kovalev agree to rematch June 17 in Vegas", "Ward vs. Kovalev II: No Rematch Clause For Third Fight Boxing News", "Andre Ward, Sergey Kovalev purses revealed", "Andre Ward finishes Sergey Kovalev in eighth round, retains titles", "Andre Ward Stops Sergey Kovalev in Eight To Retain Belts Boxing News", "Ward vs Kovalev II: Andre Ward produces stunning stoppage win over Sergey Kovalev in rematch", "Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 Disappoints Greatly On PPV Buys", "Ward-Kovalev Rematch Replay Peaked at 947K Viewers on HBO Boxing News", "Ward-Kovalev rematch underperforms at gate", "Ward-Kovalev Rematch: Paid Attendance Was Only 6,366 Boxing News", "Andre Ward says contract with HBO is up", "Ward 'leaving' boxing, says 'desire not there', "Andre Ward: American two-weight world champion retires from boxing", "Andre Ward stuns boxing world by announcing his retirement", "BOXINGTALK: ANDRE WARD ABRUPTLY RETIRES", "VIRGIL HUNTER MENTOR OL' G BOB EXPLAINS WHY ANDRE WARD IS THE MOST COMPLETE FIGHTER TODAY", "ANDRE WARD SAYS HE'S A COMBINATION OF ROY JONES, BERNARD HOPKINS, & FLOYD MAYWEATHER; EXPLAINS WHY", "Kovalev vs Ward: 5 keys to victory for Andre Ward", "The star of 'Creed' wants a sequel here's why it will probably happen", "Ward-Kovalev does just over 160,000 PPV buys, source says", "Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev rematch flops on PPV", "Ward-Kovalev II predictably flops on PPV", Article about Andre Ward's involvement with Victor Conte, Olympic boxing champions men's light heavyweight, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andre_Ward&oldid=1141337195, Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in boxing, International Boxing Federation champions, World super-middleweight boxing champions, 21st-century African-American sportspeople, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2022, Pages with login required references or sources, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 2001 United States Amateur Middleweight Champion, 2003 United States Amateur Light Heavyweight Champion, Won the Light Heavyweight gold medal for the United States at the 2004, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 15:17. 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