I whispered in his ear, Im going to finish what we started. But we also got a bad decision, which is not what boxing needed. [97] Tony Weeks stopped the fight, with Kovalev sitting on the middle rope, visibly hurt from the strikes he was subjected to. [36] In 2013, Dawson spoke out about the fight and said it was a "set-up by HBO and other people." So I asked if God had ever asked him to do anything he didnt already want to do. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads | EU Privacy Rights | Cookie Policy | Manage Preferences. Andre Ward USA Lt. Heavyweight Champ Sweatshirt $ 80 USD. He lost that fight in a judges decision that like the other four he playfully questions the legitimacy of to this day. However, from this one fight alone, we are able to look back to see the intelligent tactics Ward used. If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting. As of January 2022, BoxRec ranks Ward as the twelfth greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.[2]. Ward looked at Lopez and tried to keep a straight face. The fight should have continued. There was blood everywhere, on the walls and the floor. There was nobody out there like him.. But at the time, even with the possibility of the Olympics just a few years away, Wards commitment to boxing began to unravel. Needless to say, some will smile in satisfaction if they end up seeing Ward splattered on a Las Vegas canvas this weekend. Ward had been a fan of his since the mid-90s. "[80] On the same token, many boxing fans have applauded the decision. Continue with Recommended Cookies. There were 40% fewer dementia diagnoses among people who took vitamin D supplements in a study. Ward stated his only regret was that he wasn't able to stop Green, who turned up to survive. Ward dominated Ravelo for most of the fight en route to a TKO victory in the eighth round. But Ive had many. Suite 2. Back in 2018 former pound-for-pound star, two-weight world champion, and Hall of Famer, Andre Ward, really caught my eye on Twitter. ANDRE WARD MASTER CLASS ON DEFENSE: "KNOW HOW TO USE IT AND WHEN TO USE IT" 157,070 views Jul 5, 2020 4.5K Dislike Share FightHype.com 1.2M subscribers "All fighters throw punches but not. I know Im very guarded. She sees the aftermath. This kid reminds me a lot of myself.. 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. Ward advanced to the semi-finals. [4] Andre's career started when his father took him to U.S. Karate School of the Arts,[5] a boxing gym in Hayward, California, when he was nine years old. [35] The fight peaked at 580,000 viewers on Showtime. I was better, and he was better this fight. Theres a rickety wooden deck built over a carpet of brick and as he climbed the lone step, the wood creaked under his sneakers. I also have a lot of reason to be. MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images Soaking in the response, Ward shook his head. 2023 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. This is the first time in his life hes been inside the ring with somebody where he couldnt do exactly what he wanted to, Lopez said. My wife sees it. Besides, Ward, in case you dont know, is also an amazing fighter. However, Wards footwork was exceptional at controlling his opponent. Jones asked Wards permission to wear his Olympic gold medal into the ring. Gods not a genie. Even to use it to create counter-punching opportunities. With the biggest bout of his career looming, he opens up about his family and his faith. [60] Despite being available in over 90 million homes, the fight averaged 323,000 viewers on BET. On offense, that means running the football so the clock doesn't stop. [95] The fight purses were revealed before the fight with Ward taking a guaranteed $6.5 million and Kovalev, not having a base purse, would receive a percentage of PPV and gate revenue. I know the great ones that have gone before me who said some of the same things Im saying and didnt finish strong. I did some things well, but I felt I could have improved in other areas. I know I would like to see it! Id given my whole life to boxing and I was burned out, he recalled. And then hed relapse. The American finally decided to hang up the gloves in 2017 after retaining his world title belts against Sergey Kovalev in his rematch. For the fight, Ward earned $1.85 million and Barrera earned a $450,000 purse. Ward signed with Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports in January 2015 and this was announced to be the first event under the Roc Nation banner. I did it. My job is to make it where they cant argue. I was just teetering. link to Andre Ward On 10 Habits To Avoid To Succeed In Boxing, link to How To Box Like Andre Ward | Boxing Style Analysis, These Are the Best Muay Thai Styles to Knockout an Opponent, Andre Ward Boxing Style A True Pugilist | Full Breakdown (https://youtu.be/MEFkGSCqfFI), Andre Wards 10 habits to bad avoid in boxing. As an amateur boxer, Ward won the light heavyweight gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and turned professional later that year. He retired with an undefeated record and held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including unified super middleweight titles between 2009 and 2015, and unified light heavyweight titles between 2016 and 2017. His last task and final opponent may be breaking free from that bitter inheritance. Ward came up against big tough fighters such as Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, and Sergey Kovalev, who were all very dangerous at mid to long. And in a word of grownup problems, its nice to see the grownups take center stage every once in a while. 2. In my opinion, Andre Ward was a true pugilist and once in generational talent who I believe couldve fought in an era of boxing. But thats enough to walk away and be happy. Ward threatened to retire if he didn't get things "his way" for the rematch. [108][109], On December 15, 2020, Ward was announced as being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021, his first year of eligibility. He looked good. He would use his feet to move around the ring effectively and determine the distance. However as his left hand was naturally stronger, Ward would on occasion turn southpaw on occasion against some opponents. Miranda couldn't stay up with Ward's versatility around the ring. Going into the first fight, there was a cadre picking Ward, not just to win, but to win with relative ease. His appearance as an analyst for the Crawford vs. Indongo fight sparked further rumours. When the pandemic forced court closures, Ward decided to make the leap to full-time . In the super middleweight division, Ward competed in a highly competitive super six tournament where he won his first world title and also unified which was a massive statement at the time. If I seem standoffish, forgive me. Or by being too close for opponents to hit him cleanly or effectively. They dont tell you that really its everyone else around you that changes. In a statement, he said, "I want to be clear I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there. He very much has a misunderstood boxing style which is a combination of many styles into one. This only enraged the boy further until he was working so hard to clip Wards grinning face that sweat poured down from his brow and stung his eyes. The bout was held on May 14, 2011, at Home Depot Center, in Carson, California and was televised on Showtime. In three years I wont be able to do that with him again, he said. Ward was introduced to the sport of boxing by his father at the age of 9 and then taken under the guidance of boxing trainer Virgil Hunter who became his godfather and trainer for the rest of his career. Indeed, he has not lost a fight since 1998, when he was 13. Manage Settings Its in a cul-de-sac on a quiet, narrow street. Whether that be gear reviews, fighter analysis, news, training tips, or my own personal journey, I'll be covering it on 'Boxing Life'. In other words, Ward knows full well what hes getting himself into. Ducktail on the back. At the time of stoppage, two judges had Ward ahead 6766, whilst the third judge had it 6865 in favor of Kovalev. Why didnt you move in with any of your relatives? I ask. I always wanted to protect their names and protect who they were. You remember that, Andre? Before we left, as Ward stood up to say goodbye, his aunt brought out some gloves for her nephew to sign. When we gonna do it again, Dre? Dave prodded Ward, as his father laughed. He is now a boxing pundit on ESPN, with many still calling him out to return one last time. No fighter today more skillfully solves boxings best crosswords in blood than Ward, who is 29-0 as a professional with 15 knockouts. But in the case of this article, Ill focus on his final fight, here you can see Ward attacking Kovalev to the body relentlessly. And has been reported that he hasnt lost a fight since being 12 years old. Ward is not a brawler, despite all those knockouts. Really down. All three judges scored the fight lop-sided 120108 for Ward, who said post-fight of his win, "This means a lot to me. We wanted to fight on the inside and on the outside, and we pulled it off tonight. [8] Green won the bout, and had hoped to fight Ward later in the year. Its simply to say their public images kind of suckno matter how popular they may be. Dirrell's trainer and uncle Leon Lawson Jr., told ESPN that Dirrell had neurological problems. He did this in his world title fight vs Kessler and more notably at the end of his career vs Brant. This Man DOMINATED Boxing's TOUGHEST Tournament | Andre Ward Motivedia - Boxing 1.09M subscribers 646K views 4 months ago A warrior who would push every boundary and dig into every reserve to. Although Ward himself was a massive success in his career. [105], On September 21, 2017, via his website, Ward announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 33. Andre Ward, after an extended layoff, promotional issues and three pedestrian comeback fights, is finally ready to face an elite opponent again. [13] The fight was stopped in round 11 due to cuts on Kessler's face caused by what was deemed unintentional headbutts by Ward. [24][25][26], Ward's opponent at the semi final stage was top 10 ranked super middleweight Arthur Abraham (32-2, 26 KOs). I'll see you in November." I'm a boxing analyst, amateur boxer, and blogger looking to pass on my boxing experiences and passion to anyone looking to learn or find out more about the sport of boxing. I just came to say hello., They circled one another for a few moments, exchanging smack until a buzzer sounded and Daves father called out, Time!. Then again, all of boxings greats who came before Ward had the same plan. Pre-Fight: Defense - Kovalev B+; Ward A. Pre-Fight: Intangibles - Kovalev A+; Ward A+. What a loser. He has perfected a combination of boxing styles over many years. As the high-tech Aerospace and Defense Industry continues to advance, organizations are constantly seeking ways to increase efficiency and productivity while improving safety for their employees. 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. The same year Wards father died, he met his boxing hero, Roy Jones Jr., for the first time. But now it is important to go into these individual aspects he used within his style throughout his career. This was Ward's third fight in eight months, after only fighting three times from 2012 to 2015. Ward would then look to use more of a Philly shell stance with defensive waist movement to make him harder to hit in the pocket. The three judges scored the fight 118106, 117107, and 116108 all in favor of Ward. [74], Ward fought the unified IBF, WBA (Super) and WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev at the T-Mobile Arena on November 19, 2016. But its a dangerous fight for him too. Before me who said some of the fight peaked at 580,000 viewers on Showtime a professional with knockouts. 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