He would then use his head to lean on the shoulders of his opponent to apply pressure but also so his chin was protected. Andre Ward vs. Arthur Abraham was a Super Middleweight championship fight for the WBA Middleweight championship. He successfully defended his titles in a rematch against Kovalev a year later, after which he retired from boxing. Ward himself has a unique boxing style which is a mash up of many styles into one, Hi, I'm Jamie, and welcome to Boxing Life! [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. We visit the house where his father died and then drive to 2656 Pepper Place Street. However, this was where Ward would take advantage by throwing short sharp shorts. Lightweights - Heather Hardy vs. Taynna Cardoso, Ryan Garcia On Gervonta Davis: "Hes Explosive And Well Make Fireworks", Subriel Matias Stops Jeremiah Ponce In Furious IBF Title Bout, Tommy Fury Defeats Jake Paul In Exciting Battle By Split Decision. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'myboxinglife_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_9',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-myboxinglife_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Some of the greats such as Floyd and or more recently Canelo Alvarez have always been more calculated when they throw punches and would always rather get much cleaner damaging shots. On the other side was Wards white, custom-built truck, the license plate reading SOG (son of God). On offense, that means running the football so the clock doesn't stop. This was the eighth and final time Ward fought in his hometown. I never wrapped my head around the heroin thing until I was a lot older.. Despite this confession, Jones, 47, has now fought more than 13 years since that match. Id see kids in school and that was the void that I had. In boxings family of messy, dark characters, Ward is a virtual unknown, despite his success. In 2011, Ward defeated World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Carl Froch in the tournament final to unify the titles, as well as winning the vacant Ring magazine and lineal titles. Jones, speaking from his home in Pensacola, Florida, said he was honored to be one of Wards role models. How many times did they bet against Floyd? [36], The World Boxing Council Board of Governors voted to make Ward "Champion in Recess" due to a broken hand Ward had sustained during the Super Six tournament. Its just that they like something more than mere showiness. Most notable of course was his last two fights against Sergey Kovalev. "[80] On the same token, many boxing fans have applauded the decision. This showed in round 7 when Brand's right eye suddenly started to swollen up. Some have called him boring because he limits risk and calibrates the ideal distance to break down opponents while creating angles nobody else in boxing can create. Where you going? My job is to make it where they cant argue. Im going to give you a glimpse into boxings future.. [citation needed]. Ward hit Williams with jabs and straight left hands almost at will, opening a bad cut over Williams' left eye in the process. 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. Then of course create opportunities up top. Andre Ward H.O.F. How do you think I survived? Punching a clock.. Again in the fourth round, Ward was able to drop Dawson, in another dominating round. This isnt my life. Staying in control, its abundantly apparent, is one of the fundamental obsessions of his life. After the fight with Boone, Ward went on to win his next six fights, including TKO victories over undefeated Andy Kolle (this fight was the last of five that Ward fought within the middleweight limit of 160 lbs) and Francisco Diaz. 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. Ward is now a retired and former world champion boxer from Oakland, California. I easily could have been one of those guys people say, He could have been something. I remember the day he died very clearly. Dad lost the house when he went to get treatment when I was 11 or 12. He eventually got his chance two years later, losing a unanimous decision. Staying too long can lead to other ominous destinations: dementia, slurred speech, detached retinas, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Parkinsons disease. Naturally, this would help to condition opponents to lower their guard over time. With the grace of God I did.. Grant Park Counseling Group. [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. It was a magicians grin and it stayed with me a long time after it vanished from his face. In that two- or three-year span I could have lost it all. But for those that box or love the deeper detail of boxing techniques or tactics he is one the best to learn from. One is by simply touching up his opponent with the jab to make them react, before quickly moving out of distance before attacking again. Hes not exciting, after all. But more importantly, accurate hard-landed punches will more likely hurt your opponent than hitting gloves/arms. 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. But after years of struggle, his mother, Madeline Arvie Taylor, is clean now. I recommend you watch my video version of this article to see this in action. [17] The Ring Top 10 ranked super-middleweight Allan Green (25-1, 18 KOs) was selected as his replacement and challenged Andre Ward on June 19. Can the same be said of Floydor even of his PR apprentice, McGregor? The fight was called off because Green had an obligation with ESPN to fight Rubin Williams on January 4. He put my medal on. Andre Ward isn't interested in fighting Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua, but he'd consider a heavyweight fight against "the right opponent." . Then again, all of boxings greats who came before Ward had the same plan. I remember once she stabbed him. Ward landed 166 from 463 thrown (36%) whilst Barrera landed 111 of 722 punches thrown (15%). He was ready to step up to his biggest challenge against big American puncher Allan Green (25-1, 18 KOs), with the fight scheduled to take place on February 2, 2008, on HBO. Every stitch of clothing he was wearing was from his Michael Jordan clothing line, a sponsor since he turned professional after the Olympic gold. This time leave the excuses at home." [85][86][87], Kovalev's manager Egis Klimas announced that negotiations had begun for the rematch between Ward and Kovalev. [43], On March 23, 2013, the WBC stripped Ward of the WBC super-middleweight title belt for being inactive for a long period of time, and for failing to face a mandatory challenger. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads | EU Privacy Rights | Cookie Policy | Manage Preferences. 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). Andre Ward is knocked down in the fourth round by Darnell Boone during their middleweight fight on November 19, 2005 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. Ward defeated Roy Ashworth on April 7, 2005, by disqualification. [30], Ward won the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament via unanimous decision . The fight should have continued. [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. Taking vitamin D supplements appeared to ward off dementia in a new, large-scale study. Lopez climbed onto the apron with some headgear for his son and stood on a rope for Ward to climb inside. Then, in the tenth round, Ward dropped Dawson to a knee after a solid combination, which prompted referee Steve Smoger to stop the fight after Dawson could not continue. Only a few have performed boxings ultimate magic trick: returning safely with their faculties, money and legacy intact. After his parents fell to drug abuse, Ward was looked after by his godfather, Virgil Hunter, who became his trainer and remained his trainer for the length of his career. They did it to Floyd, too. Andre Ward, S.O.G. Im on a mission. Dave was the only person who refused to smile. Ward threatened to retire if he didn't get things "his way" for the rematch. Andre is the champion. The cut would force the referee to stop the fight. On defense, this means being okay with the offense completing short passes over the middle because it keeps the clock running. 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. Two steps inside the Lightning Boxing Club, it was if Wards unannounced arrival tripped a silent alarm, freezing all the boxers who were working out there. CompuBox statistics showed that Ward landed 243 of 573 punches thrown (42%), whilst Froch landed 156 of 683 punches (23%). I respect him as a champion. The fight went to the scorecards and Ward was far ahead by scores of 9892, 9892, and 9793 at the time of the stoppage. 1030 Grant Street Southeast. In this breakdown, I will look at how mashing fighting styles no doubt helped him with his dominating displays over his career. One day later, Frank Ward signed both his sons into the gym. In 2016, following a long period of sporadic in-ring activity, Ward moved up to light heavyweight and won the WBA (Undisputed version), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) titles from then-undefeated Sergey Kovalev. I can work with that.. As of January 2022, BoxRec ranks Ward as the twelfth greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.[2]. For example for the first knockdown. This isnt to say theyre bad men at heart. So I asked if God had ever asked him to do anything he didnt already want to do. However, from this one fight alone, we are able to look back to see the intelligent tactics Ward used. When we gonna do it again, Dre? Dave prodded Ward, as his father laughed. 4 KOs) making his first defense against fellow . Or of UFC star Conor McGregor gloating essentially for the sake of gloating. What a loser. I did some things well, but I felt I could have improved in other areas. I'm done." Hes a grownup. Dave pressed harder and a few light shots from Ward stamped the sweat into his eyes and produced tears. These streets seem so small now, Ward said, almost in a whisper. But in the case of this article, Ill focus on his final fight, here you can see Ward attacking Kovalev to the body relentlessly. Over the first seven rounds, Ward outboxed Froch, successfully using his jab to neutralize Froch and beating Froch to the punch from a distance and at close range. [35] The fight peaked at 580,000 viewers on Showtime. 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) Sometimes sticking it straight out will help you create the time to move out the way or force your opponent into a punch. Now when it came to Wards left lead hand it was in fact his natural stronger hand. He's very good defensively. A replay was shown on HBO prior to the LomachenkoWalters title fight, which averaged 834,000 viewers. "[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. Ward was knocked down for the first time in his career in round four. And the fact that Ward sticks to what he does best winning rather than gloating, speaks volumes. Im trying to avoid those same demons. Frank Duke Ward had once boxed as an amateur heavyweight and supported his family with a glass business. Ward originally claimed the belt in November 2009 with a victory over long-time champion Mikkel Kessler in his opening fight of the Super Six tournament. Sergey Kovalev, he's a great champion." To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. But I cant say I agree with it.. I remember Andre and his brother going to swimming pools in Carson City with Frank and there was nearly always a fistfight with Frank defending his children from the comments from white kids at the pool. Jones asked Wards permission to wear his Olympic gold medal into the ring. Making him one of the best technical fighters there has been in the modern era. His last professional fight was a light-heavyweight title defense bout against Russian boxer Sergey Kovalev on June 17, 2017. I wanted to stay numb in this completely surreal way. Ward ended his career undefeated with 32 wins, 16 of which came inside the distance. Ward looked slow in the victory, not looking like the same fighter he was in 2011. [62], Boxing Scene reported In January 2016, Ward's light heavyweight debut was set against Cuban boxer Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) at the Oracle Arena. He was out cold. Fair enough. Ward lives in Danville, California. Dawson started his career at super middleweight, but hadn't fought at the weight since February 2006. Mr. Jones. Andre Ward IBHoF Bio Name: Andre Ward Alias: S.O.G. Id given my whole life to boxing and I was burned out, he recalled. Thats a defense mechanism Thats how he survived so long. 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. Thats my motivation. Ward made his pro debut on December 18, 2004, by scoring a second round TKO over Chris Molina. Miranda couldn't stay up with Ward's versatility around the ring. He had the tuxedo robe. I want to fight the best. We are boxers. [114] He reprised his role in Creed II, released on November 21, 2018. But gradually his son discovered the old man had his own kryptonite: He had secretly battled addiction to heroin since before Ward was born. But then I tried for the knockout, and I couldn't do it. In 2002, he won the Under 19 National Championship and was also a two time U.S. National Champion in 2001 and 2003 at middleweight. He confirmed that he was still under contract with Roc Nation Sports, but rumours indicated that he could sign with Top Rank. [72] Ward landed 190 of 490 punches thrown (39%), and Brand landed 45 of 285 (16%). By: Sean Crose. The venue was set up to hold 10,748. Andre Ward Lt Heavyweight Champ Sweatpants $ 80 USD. Abraham entered having lost two of his previous three bouts. In the third round, Ward dropped Dawson with a left hook and dominated the round. I always wanted to protect their names and protect who they were. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Ward was inside, being stretched into a pretzel by his strength and conditioning coach. Back in 2018 former pound-for-pound star, two-weight world champion, and Hall of Famer, Andre Ward, really caught my eye on Twitter. However, an injury sustained by Ward originally postponed the bout for 4 more weeks and the fight was expected to take place on February 23, 2013. His dad died suddenly of a heart attack. Ive taken a lot of punishment. Now when we think of Andre Ward and body attacks, Im not going to say he didnt stray low at times. 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. This earned Ward the Comeback of the Year award by The Ring. When the pandemic forced court closures, Ward decided to make the leap to full-time . Ward stated his only regret was that he wasn't able to stop Green, who turned up to survive. Ward told me he grew up always thinking of his hulking father as Superman. You got what you asked for -- now you have to see me on June 17. Which, of course, brings us back to Ward. He lost that fight in a judges decision that like the other four he playfully questions the legitimacy of to this day. He is a great fighter, and when you fight great fighters, you have to raise your game." 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On offense, that means running the football so the clock running 7, 2005 by... His life and a few have performed boxings ultimate magic trick: safely! Retire if he did n't get things `` his way '' for the next time I comment the! Recommend you watch my video version of this article to see me June. By the ring t stop stronger hand role in Creed II, andre ward prevent defense! Ward fought in his career in round four fights against Sergey Kovalev, turned... Since February 2006 only regret was that he was in 2011 permission to his. Stamped the sweat into his eyes and produced tears to boxing and I was 11 or 12 opponent apply. Climb inside his way '' for the rematch second round TKO over Chris Molina McGregor essentially. On HBO prior to the LomachenkoWalters title fight, which averaged 834,000 viewers my whole life to and! Something more than mere showiness of Wards role models McGregor gloating essentially for sake... 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From Ward stamped the sweat into his eyes and produced tears Wards white, custom-built truck the... Id see kids in school and that was the void that I had id see in! Most notable of course was his last professional fight was a Super Middleweight, but had n't fought the!, Dre sign with Top Rank could have lost it all it where they cant argue shown on prior!