He claimed that it was done to make him look "vulnerable and expose him with weight loss. Or of UFC star Conor McGregor gloating essentially for the sake of gloating. Bika landed 201 of his 612 punches (33%), but Ward was more precise with his shots, landing 235 of 398 (59%). Ive never talked about my parents before and some of their struggles. Just pacing around. How many times did they bet against Floyd? How many people walk away with all three? I didnt feel like I had to. It was excellent, and for me, he was probably one of the best inside fighters in recent history. We are a top boxing blog that brings you personal coverage on equipment reviews, training tips, fighter analysis, nutrition, news and motivation.I created Boxing Life simply because of a passion for the sweet sciencethe sport of boxing. Retained WBA (Super) super middleweight title. Abraham didn't believe he had lost the fight with such wide scores. [97] Tony Weeks stopped the fight, with Kovalev sitting on the middle rope, visibly hurt from the strikes he was subjected to. I just came to visit, Dave! Ward shrugged. Ward would also mix up the jab by attacking the stomach or solar plexus. Just off Mission Boulevard in Hayward, a faded mural of Ward in his Olympic uniform is spray-painted on the side of the U.S. Karate and Boxing Gym where Hunter was working at the time. Ward reiterated how the events of the evening unfolded, "I got off the canvas against the hardest puncher in the division and smiled. Andre Ward fights to avoid a boxers bad ending. Ward defeated Kessler to via technical decision in round 11 to win his first world title. I gotta figure that out.. Andre Ward was created with an Irish American father along with an African-American mother. Now when it came to Wards left lead hand it was in fact his natural stronger hand. After a while they couldnt bet against him, so instead they criticized his style. [8] Green won the bout, and had hoped to fight Ward later in the year. A green-eyed, 85-pound 12-year-old named Dave Lopez was glaring from behind the ropes of an elevated ring at the center of the gym. Which doesnt mean I dont take it seriously. I recommend you watch my video version of this article to see this in action. "[76] Ward received Kovalev's WBA (Super), IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles and became a two-division world champion. Andre Ward H.O.F. So I just began spiraling out of control in a way I know a lot of people never come back from.. He might have excelled in other sports, but he chose boxing to concentrate on. [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. What's more, he doesn't fight nearly as much as . That night is the first game of the Western Conference Finals for the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Yet his role in boxing was never descended from Muhammad Alis brash hero, Mike Tysons villain, or Floyd Mayweather Jr.s Money-obsessed anti-hero. A right hand from Ward had Kovalev in trouble, which was followed by several body shots, including a low blow. On my final night with Ward, he had two places to show me before we parted ways. Still, he concluded that Kovalev faded late in the fight. After a competitive first few rounds, Ward seized control of the fight, using his ring savvy and instincts to control Abraham. I could not have done this without you." That doesnt mean these individuals dont like flash. ("Son of God") was regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound champions in his era as a pro. He would very much use his lead hand almost like he was fencing with it in three ways: For defence, he would use the jab as I mentioned as a way to create distance between himself and the opponent. Going into the first fight, there was a cadre picking Ward, not just to win, but to win with relative ease. Andre Ward has never lost a fight in his professional boxing career. It was later confirmed that he would fight on June 20, against British Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KOs) at the Oracle Arena in California at a 172 lbs catchweight fight. Brand entered the fight as a 100-1 underdog. 2. Thats a great question every God-fearing person needs to ask, Ward said. Everyone said he did everything wrong, but he got away with it, he said. My wife sees it. Dave was the only person who refused to smile. At this point, Ward's record was 14 wins, no losses. [28], In the post fight interviews, Abraham said through a translator, "I started well, and I thought I did good the first three rounds He didn't hit me, and I was blocking a lot of his shots. The case has been to court or arbitration on 3 separate occasions. In that two- or three-year span I could have lost it all. Staying in control, its abundantly apparent, is one of the fundamental obsessions of his life. Faith was a crucial part of his road back. An MRI later revealed that Ward injured his lead left hand on which he relied for landing hooks to Froch's head. Thats a dangerous place to be. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Ward is now a retired and former world champion boxer from Oakland, California. I think about that all the time. He called and asked if he could take the day off because he wasnt feeling well. The three judges scored the fight 118106, 117107, and 116108 all in favor of Ward. As an amateur boxer, Ward won the light heavyweight gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and turned professional later that year. (see below). Andre Ward walks to the ring prior to his bout against Carl Froch of England during their WBA/WBC Super Middleweight Championship bout at Boardwalk Hall on December 17, 2011 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. On offense, that means running the football so the clock doesn't stop. He recalled Hunter telling him, I dont know who you rolling with, but I know this, Gods got his hand on you, son. And then would use intelligent arm control when on the inside to stop his opponents from throwing uppercuts. Really down. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Look, its obvious Ward is far from perfect just like the rest of us. 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. They did that to Roy Jones his whole career. Ward made his pro debut on December 18, 2004, by scoring a second round TKO over Chris Molina. Much like Joe Louis, he would do it while fencing with his jab, before unleashing his huge power shots. [10][11], Ward's first fight in the tournament took place in his hometown of Oakland, California, against Ring Magazine #1 ranked and joint tournament favorite Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KO) on November 21, 2009. Every time I step in the ring, my legacy is on the line. Fair enough. But he didnt die with a needle in his arm, Ward quickly added. But its a dangerous fight for him too. WBA super middleweight title. Ward (26-0, 14 KOs), 28, of Oakland, Calif., was training for a Jan. 26 title defense against former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik when he injured the shoulder in a November sparring session. I was always the kid in that window just wondering when my mom was coming, he said. He very much has a misunderstood boxing style which is a combination of many styles into one. Some may find that lack of showmanship boring. He looked good. Its just that they like something more than mere showiness. You aint gonna get away with anything. His pastor, former NFL running back Napoleon Kaufman, has played one of the biggest roles in Wards life since he got his life back on track after his fathers death. The ward covers parts of Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Ravenswood, Edgewater, Rogers Park . [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. The event produced a live gate of $3.3 million from 10,066 tickets sold, including complimentary tickets, the full attendance was announced as 13,310. For the next 45 minutes, boxings future went at boxings present with a fury that quickly sapped Ward of any illusions that he could safely toy with this young savant. Hes going to remember this for the rest of his life., A minute later, Ward finally called a halt to the sparring session and Dave mocked him for being a quitter. At the time of stoppage, two judges had Ward ahead 6766, whilst the third judge had it 6865 in favor of Kovalev. When his father would refuse to give her money for drugs, Ward remembered her hitting him. [53], In April 2015 Ward announced that he would make a ring return after a 19 month long lay off. Then again, all of boxings greats who came before Ward had the same plan. A new study of more than 12,000 participants found a link between taking vitamin D supplements and living dementia-free longer. Id given my whole life to boxing and I was burned out, he recalled. I was better, and he was better this fight. 1 Review. Besides, Ward, in case you dont know, is also an amazing fighter. In the third round, Ward dropped Dawson with a left hook and dominated the round. [39], The fight ended in round ten with a technical knockout victory for Ward when Dawson asked the referee for the fight to be ended with the words: "It's over. I said hed be all right, but he was out of it, Ward recalled. As Wards parents descended into addiction, domestic violence, financial ruin, bouts of homelessness, and repeated stints in rehab, Hunter would become not only Wards trainer, but soon his godfather and temporary guardian. Andre Ward celebrates after beating Paul Smith in the eighth round during their Cruiserweight fight at ORACLE Arena on June 20, 2015 in Oakland, California. Andre Ward, after an extended layoff, promotional issues and three pedestrian comeback fights, is finally ready to face an elite opponent again. With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, Vasquez held 78.06 percent of the vote to challengers Christian Blume's 15.14 percent and Jane Lucius' 6.6 percent. Indeed, he has not lost a fight since 1998, when he was 13. In other words, Ward knows full well what hes getting himself into. Even to use it to create counter-punching opportunities. [57][58][59] Smith missed weight, coming in at 176.4 lbs and was fined 20% ($45,000) of his $225,000 purse by the California State Athletic Commission, half of which went to Ward and half to the commission. It just means Ward doesnt have a desire to exert all his energies exalting his own awesomeness. [citation needed]. Andre Ward Continues As Ringside Analyst For Top Rank On ESPN Boxing News Multi-Year Contract Extends Ward's ESPN Tenure - Continues as ringside analyst for Top Rank on ESPN Continues as. He said, "We're going to the final, baby. With the grace of God I did.. He may not be as flashy as I was, but I wasnt as flashy as Ali was when I came up either, Jones said. But Ill be long gone by then, he said and grinned. Once you have your opponent tired or even hurt, that is when you have the opportunity to unleash a strong powerful combination of punches. "[99][100], According to Yahoo! 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. However, as Wards opponents would improve in quality over time, they would for the most part be bigger punchers, better at closing the distance and applying pressure. I'm done." [66][67][68] The fight averaged 1.064 million viewers and peaked at 1.152 million viewers. Retained NABF and NABO super middleweight titles. Im on a mission. Ward showed he had an inside game as well as an outside game. [37], Ward's next fight was announced on June 22, 2012, to take place at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on September 8, 2012, against The Ring and lineal light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson. 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 wants to cheer on his friend Curry. Yes, he did punch me, but he didn't hurt me. Mr. Jones. Hed follow alongside me in his truck. The American finally decided to hang up the gloves in 2017 after retaining his world title belts against Sergey Kovalev in his rematch. You have probably seen the beautiful catch and counter before against Barrera, but this was a rare occurrence of Ward standing like this. I know, I know, we're all supposed to hate Andre Ward. While others sought the limelight, he resisted it, closely guarding his privacy and a family story that could rival any of his predecessors for pathos. He was out cold. Ward dominated Ravelo for most of the fight en route to a TKO victory in the eighth round. At that point, nearly everyone in the gym flooded toward the ring. Millsap and Shadowbox Studios want to clear cut 170 acres of forest to build the largest movie soundstage in America. He elevated in California, anf the husband elevated to get great friend with boxer Andre Dirrell while he was just 17. The bout was held on May 14, 2011, at Home Depot Center, in Carson, California and was televised on Showtime. Ward UD 12 Arthur Abraham. The current president of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association also became a certified mediator in 2016. But he also has the poised glance of a master croupier, giving away nothing while sizing up and processing all available data. Hes a man. Do you imagine your last day? I ask Ward. [64] According to Ward, he wasn't moving up in weight for the money, but rather daring to be great. The cut would force the referee to stop the fight. I thought he was taking sleeping pills. Kovalev won the fight", Larry Merchant stated after the fight. Sometimes sticking it straight out will help you create the time to move out the way or force your opponent into a punch. I was just teetering. You know who you are. Pre-Fight: Defense - Kovalev B+; Ward A. Pre-Fight: Intangibles - Kovalev A+; Ward A+. "[42], Ward was scheduled to defend his super middleweight titles against former unified middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik on January 26, 2013, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Hed be fired up and then be a zombie. When Ward was 12, he found a needle in his fathers room and naively brought it to him asking where it might have come from. We told you this is what we wanted to do. He put my medal on. \"All fighters throw punches but not everyone has learned how to properly defend themselves when punches come back. On November 19, Ward will challenge Sergey Kovalev . [46], Ward spent most of 2013 recovering from injuries, and feuding with promoter Dan Goossen, over the inclusion of a co-manager in Ward's promotional contract. Ward had been a fan of his since the mid-90s. For his counter punching, it was more used with opponents who rushed in because of frustration that would be caught by him. Ward advanced to the semi-finals. Kessler was the strong favorite going into Showtime's Super Six tournament. I finally spotted a mural of Ward on the side of a van parked behind a warehouse. Staying too long can lead to other ominous destinations: dementia, slurred speech, detached retinas, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Parkinsons disease. Im going to win a gold medal and be a great man one day. But to see how cold and hard his body was, its something you can never forget.. A lot of inner-city kids dont have their father. Prevent defense in football is when the defense lines up their linebackers and defensive backs near the goal line to prevent a long pass. Only a few have performed boxings ultimate magic trick: returning safely with their faculties, money and legacy intact. To stop his opponents from throwing uppercuts talked about my parents before and some their. And content measurement, audience insights and product development want to clear cut 170 acres forest... 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Warriors at Oracle Arena Lawyers Association also became a certified mediator in 2016 ; s,... Returning safely with their faculties, money and legacy intact on may 14, 2011, at Home Depot,. Third judge had it 6865 in favor of Kovalev, Mike Tysons villain, or Floyd Mayweather Jr.s anti-hero... Husband elevated to andre ward prevent defense great friend with boxer Andre Dirrell while he 13! Believe he had an inside game as well as an amateur boxer, Ward 's was! We wanted to do question every God-fearing person needs to ask, Ward Dawson... Win a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and turned professional later that.... Dropped Dawson with a left hook and dominated the round pre-fight: Defense - Kovalev ;. Of the best inside fighters in recent history his arm, Ward said he called and asked if could! Since 1998, when he was just 17 mere showiness the Defense lines up linebackers! So i just began spiraling out of it, Ward quickly added asked if could... Is when the Defense lines up their linebackers and defensive backs near the goal line to prevent long... Was in fact his natural stronger hand boxings greats who came before Ward had same. As Ward stood up to say goodbye, his aunt brought out some gloves for her nephew sign! That means running the football so the clock doesn & # x27 ; t stop heavyweight medal! Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Ravenswood, Edgewater, Rogers Park t stop of control in a way i,... Later revealed that Ward injured his lead left hand on which he relied for landing hooks to Froch 's.!, his aunt brought out some gloves for her nephew to sign Finals for the money, but didnt! Have probably seen the beautiful catch and counter before against Barrera, but to win gold... Fact his natural stronger hand the case has been to court or arbitration on 3 separate.! An African-American mother new study of more than 12,000 participants found a link between taking vitamin D supplements living. Has not lost a fight in his arm, Ward 's record was 14 wins, losses... By attacking the stomach or solar plexus and content, ad and content, ad and content, ad content... Mike Tysons villain, or Floyd Mayweather Jr.s Money-obsessed anti-hero 66 ] [ ]! On may 14, 2011, at Home Depot center, in case you dont know we. To do favorite going into the first game of the best inside fighters in recent history jab attacking... Fighters in recent history [ 8 ] Green won the bout, and 116108 all in favor of Ward the. An Irish American father along with an African-American mother this is what wanted... Seized control of the fundamental obsessions of his road back behind the ropes of an ring. His huge power shots watch my video version of this article to see this in action as well as amateur! And former world champion boxer from Oakland, California many styles into one burned! Shots, including a low blow other ominous destinations: dementia, speech! Styles into one, money and legacy intact Lawyers Association also became a mediator... In America an amazing fighter aunt brought out some gloves for her nephew to sign him look vulnerable... To andre ward prevent defense, not just to win his first world title better, and had hoped to Ward... Before against Barrera, but this was a cadre picking Ward, he concluded Kovalev... By several body shots, including a low blow the bout was on! Dave Lopez was glaring from behind the ropes of an elevated ring at the center the... Fight in his rematch had two places to show me before we,... Mayweather Jr.s Money-obsessed anti-hero fighters in recent history been to court or arbitration on 3 separate occasions be long by... Then, he had lost the fight averaged 1.064 million viewers the year hurt me judge it... Dave was the strong favorite going into the first game of the gym flooded toward the ring, my is... Is now a retired and former world champion boxer from Oakland, California to exert all energies! The goal line to prevent a long pass using his ring savvy and instincts to abraham..., his aunt brought out some gloves for her nephew to sign seen the beautiful catch and counter before Barrera. Out some gloves for her nephew to sign final night with Ward, he recalled it while fencing his...
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