Ward stated his only regret was that he wasn't able to stop Green, who turned up to survive. Over the last four or five years, shes come back into my life and my childrens life., The statistics I was faced with? Ward was inside, being stretched into a pretzel by his strength and conditioning coach. [72] Ward landed 190 of 490 punches thrown (39%), and Brand landed 45 of 285 (16%). if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'myboxinglife_com-box-4','ezslot_3',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-myboxinglife_com-box-4-0'); When it comes to how Ward would fight. Frank Ward, the son of an alcoholic, never touched a drop. Ward is now a retired and former world champion boxer from Oakland, California. I don't feel cheated. Millsap and Shadowbox Studios want to clear cut 170 acres of forest to build the largest movie soundstage in America. Sale. A new study of more than 12,000 participants found a link between taking vitamin D supplements and living dementia-free longer. He would then have some tune-up fights before going for gold again against the much-feared and top light heavyweight at the time Sergey Kovalev in their classic encounters over 2 fights. I didnt want people to grab a hold of that and just run with the typical African-American who came from the ghetto., When I visited Oakland in May, his longtime publicist gave me his gyms address and warned, Theres no signage anywhere, but dont think you are in the wrong place when you arrive.. I didnt hear no bell! he yelled. Andre Ward, left, punches Paul Smith during a cruiserweight boxing match in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, June 20, 2015. His appearance as an analyst for the Crawford vs. Indongo fight sparked further rumours. Andre Ward, S.O.G. Guarded is what got me by. I just came to visit, Dave! Ward shrugged. Ward threatened to retire if he didn't get things "his way" for the rematch. Why didnt you move in with any of your relatives? I ask. It was a magicians grin and it stayed with me a long time after it vanished from his face. Hes a man. Ward was knocked down for the first time in his career in round four. I give it everything I have.. But I want people to know what Ive come through and overcome because maybe that can inspire somebody.. I know, I know, we're all supposed to hate Andre Ward. Id given my whole life to boxing and I was burned out, he recalled. 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. "[29], Advancing to the final of the Super Six, Ward fought WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (28-1, 20 KOs) in front of 5,626 at Boardwalk Hall on December 17, 2011. Faith was a crucial part of his road back. Hed respond, he said. I finally spotted a mural of Ward on the side of a van parked behind a warehouse. The fight went to the scorecards and Ward was far ahead by scores of 9892, 9892, and 9793 at the time of the stoppage. The fight was called off because Green had an obligation with ESPN to fight Rubin Williams on January 4. But in the case of this article, Ill focus on his final fight, here you can see Ward attacking Kovalev to the body relentlessly. Kovalev is an absolute device of destruction in the ring. For a 32-year-old world champion and the last American male boxer to win a gold medal at the Olympics back in 2004, youd expect at least a few barrels of ink had been spilled connecting the dots of his biography. Again in the fourth round, Ward was able to drop Dawson, in another dominating round. [47] The fight started with rough tactics until Jack Reiss made an unprecedented move, penalizing both fighters two points each and warning them that he would end the fight if it did not clean up. Theres a strange metaphor at work as you pull a third U-turn, trying to distinguish one anonymous beige cluster of office buildings and warehouses from the others, all moated with nearly vacant parking lots. The bout was held on May 14, 2011, at Home Depot Center, in Carson, California and was televised on Showtime. 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. Ive taken a lot of punishment. But gradually his son discovered the old man had his own kryptonite: He had secretly battled addiction to heroin since before Ward was born. Sergey Kovalev, he's a great champion." Wards identity to those outside his private circle has been just as elusive as where he trains. It would give his opponent a false sense of security that he only has one arm available to use, so cant do anything. So I asked if God had ever asked him to do anything he didnt already want to do. I always wanted to protect their names and protect who they were. [93][94] On April 10, Kathy Duva said that there would be no rematch clause in place for a third fight, meaning whoever would win, would not be obliged to fight another rematch. But there was a twist. We are boxers. Every time I step in a ring to spar with a young fighter trying to prove something or make a name for themselves. This project would cement Atlanta as the new Hollywood, making the cost of living in our city outrageous. Andre Ward, S.O.G. This full video can be found on my master class page (link in bio). Andre Ward of the US celebrates after defeating Arthur Abraham of Germany during their WBA Super middleweight Championship bout at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, California on May 14, 2011. Retained NABF and NABO super middleweight titles. Prevents Big Plays. He successfully defended his titles in a rematch against Kovalev a year later, after which he retired from boxing. For example, if the offense has a third-and-24 situation, a . But its a dangerous fight for him too. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. But he never did. Weve spent enough time on the past, Ward said. The lesson we can take from all this is that it is possible to apply many different boxing styles into one, but most importantly stick to the fundamentals of boxing. Every so often, Dave would force Ward into a corner and throw everything he had until, once, Ward was forced to defend himself with a right that bloodied Daves nose. Win, lose or draw, however, you wont see the guy peacocking around after the fight (and, in fairness, the same can most likely be said for Kovalev, who is basically too much of an all-around bad ass to engage in such silliness). Ward and Froch were rated #1 and #2 respectively by Ring magazine, and the vacant Ring magazine super middleweight title was on the line, as well as Froch and Ward's super middleweight titles. But no doubt he couldve done more often than if he wished to. Your email address will not be published. I want to end up in that category.. Staying too long can lead to other ominous destinations: dementia, slurred speech, detached retinas, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Parkinsons disease. Many claim his boxing style is boring, and to a certain degree, I do understand why people think this is the case. I was getting ready for the Under 19s [amateur tournament]. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'myboxinglife_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-myboxinglife_com-leader-3-0'); Check out my otherboxer style analysis features hereor why not look at my other analysis on the following boxing stars: If you are looking for more discipline in your boxing training and life I recommend you check out my article on Andre Wards 10 habits to bad avoid in boxing. Arthur is strong, and he's a hard hitter, [but] we showed that we can win in a way other than our original game plan [] "I wish the ref had let me fight on the inside, because that's what I had planned for. But getting back to Wards exact style as I mentioned earlier in this article. [18][19] Ward, defending the WBA super middleweight title, outclassed an opponent who spent most of the fight with his back against the ropes. 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. It wouldve been nice to see Ward box a couple more years, but I have nothing but respect for all he achieved, in particular, his gold at Athens, coming out on top in a competitive super middleweight division and finishing off by defeating the much-feared Kovalev at the time. Im trying to shake those ghosts.. Virgil Hunter kept him as an orthodox fighter. But after years of struggle, his mother, Madeline Arvie Taylor, is clean now. Three months before Ward had his first professional fight late in 2004, Jones invited him to Memphis, Tennessee, to attend his fight against Glen Johnson. But Ive taken punishment. Couldn't get caught up in the first defense too much mentally. 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. Only a few have performed boxings ultimate magic trick: returning safely with their faculties, money and legacy intact. Offers online therapy. Andre Ward has never lost a fight in his professional boxing career. [103][104], On August 23, 2017, Ward announced that his contract with HBO had expired, making him a free agent. They did it to Floyd, too. If I seem like Im guarded, I probably am. 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. 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. "[9], On September 12, 2009, at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, Ward defeated Shelby Pudwill by TKO in the 3rd round. 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. [73] The fight averaged on 742,000 viewers on HBO. Thats a defense mechanism Thats how he survived so long. I did it. Ward reiterated how the events of the evening unfolded, "I got off the canvas against the hardest puncher in the division and smiled. (Son of God) was regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound champions in his era as a pro. Ward remembered seeing his father retire to his room after work and transform himself into a glassy-eyed, entirely different person. During his reign as light heavyweight champion, Ward was ranked as the world's best active boxer, pound for pound, by The Ring magazine and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB), as well as the world's best active boxer in the division by The Ring, the TBRB, and BoxRec. Sports, the fight only generated around 130,000 buys on HBO PPV. [44], On May 20, Ward relinquished the champion emeritus title, stating that he did not believe the WBC had the right to strip him of the world title because he was willing and able to defend it within the period specified by the WBC's rules. Now when it came to Wards left lead hand it was in fact his natural stronger hand. He did this in his world title fight vs Kessler and more notably at the end of his career vs Brant. There was also the great use of arm control where he would use his arms against the opponent to move out the way. So I just began spiraling out of control in a way I know a lot of people never come back from.. My dad was gone. Gods not a genie. [66][67][68] The fight averaged 1.064 million viewers and peaked at 1.152 million viewers. [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. Boxing is a tough sport, after all, and no one watches it for willowy flights of fancy. This time leave the excuses at home." How many people walk away with all three? Manage Settings This type of defense is typically used before halftime or the last play of the game. 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. But Ill be long gone by then, he said and grinned. Ward earned a purse of $850,000 compared to the small amount of $30,000 earned by Brand. In the co-featured non-televised portion of the card, heavyweight world contender Cristobal Arreola took on Nagy Aguilera of the Dominican Republic. Paulie Malignaggi noted the high degree of difficulty both fighters faced that night and doubted the prospect of a one-sided affair in the case of a rematch. "I could never leave Oakland." Its all truly impressive and I probably need the whole article alone for this. Home Depot Center, Carson, California. Indeed, he looked less like a stereotypical boxer than an MTV heartthrob or an Abercrombie & Fitch model. [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. [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. 2. 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) , punches Paul Smith during a cruiserweight boxing match in Oakland, Calif., Saturday June. Wanted to protect their names and protect who they were to do van parked a. D supplements and living dementia-free longer Studios want to do anything through and overcome because maybe that can somebody! 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