In this breakdown, I will look at how mashing fighting styles no doubt helped him with his dominating displays over his career. From beginners to champions, learning defense takes time. Ward hit Williams with jabs and straight left hands almost at will, opening a bad cut over Williams' left eye in the process. But Ive had many. Perhaps worse still, hes openly religious and takes the whole appearing humble thing seriously. I was better, and he was better this fight. Has God ever told you no? Seriously, guys like Mayweather, McGregor, and others behave like kids sometimes. The prevent defense can also be run in early-game situations. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. In my opinion, Andre Ward was a true pugilist and once in generational talent who I believe couldve fought in an era of boxing. In a career-defining performance, undefeated hometown favorite Ward put the U.S. on the board in the Super Six and captured the WBA super middleweight title with a dominant 11 round technical decision over Denmark's Kessler in their Group Stage 1 bout. They granted him champion emeritus status. This kid reminds me a lot of myself.. The fight was billed as No Excuses. From fifth round until the end of the fight, Ward was able to neutralize Dawson's jab and work rate, seemingly out boxing and frustrating Dawson throughout. [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. Sale. Ward's lead acts as hand feint, measuring stick, and defensive deterrent all at once. Sergey Kovalev, he's a great champion." Manage Settings Youre left asking, Who am I? . When its hard to get out of bed two or three days after a fight and she has to help me? Ward looked at Lopez and tried to keep a straight face. Give us videos of Floyd throwing money at a bunch of twerking strippers. [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. "[113], In 2009, Ward married his high school sweetheart Tiffiney, with whom he has three sons and a daughter. The American had an illustrious Amateur and Professional career winning multiple titles at all levels. 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. But combined with the occasional Philly shell or flashy movement from one of the previous names I just mentioned. The venue was set up to hold 14,227. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'myboxinglife_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-myboxinglife_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); A lot of fighters only get taught to use their hands first and not their feet and is often a part that gets neglected by many fighters. Ducktail on the back. [24][25][26], Ward's opponent at the semi final stage was top 10 ranked super middleweight Arthur Abraham (32-2, 26 KOs). Barrera was also dropped in the eighth round from a body shot, but referee Raul Caiz Sr. saw it as a low blow and as a result deducted a point from Ward. Hes Roy! I want to fight the best. Andre is the champion. Its simply to say their public images kind of suckno matter how popular they may be. 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. But I want people to know what Ive come through and overcome because maybe that can inspire somebody.. [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. 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.. At that point, nearly everyone in the gym flooded toward the ring. Truth be told, he doesnt have to. [81] Promoter Eddie Hearn added that Kovalev lacked a sense of urgency after the halfway point. 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. I came from some really tough circumstances and almost didnt make it out. Ill never forget that day. [90] On April 4, Roc Nation Sports and Main Events confirmed that terms were agreed for the rematch to take place on HBO PPV. After the bout, Ward gave a victory speech, "I can't believe it, I can't believe it -- it's not so unbelievable that we never thought we were going to win, but now that it's happened, it is unbelievable. As of January 2022, BoxRec ranks Ward as the twelfth greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.[2]. [114] He reprised his role in Creed II, released on November 21, 2018. Throughout the fight, Ward out landed Green by nearly 200 punches. 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. Some people, though certainly not all, like fighters who have a degree of maturity about them. There are those in this era of Kim and Kayne who undoubtedly believe any semblance of modesty is indicative of false modesty. But Ill be long gone by then, he said and grinned. Im on a mission. But just like the great champions, his defense was just very good fundamentals for the most part. CompuBox statistics showed that Ward landed 243 of 573 punches thrown (42%), whilst Froch landed 156 of 683 punches (23%). Andre Michael Ward (born February 23, 1984) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2004 to 2017. 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. I told him I loved him. When the pandemic forced court closures, Ward decided to make the leap to full-time . I never wrapped my head around the heroin thing until I was a lot older.. [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. 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. But Ward was always a very good body puncher for the most part throughout his whole career. I recommend you watch my video version of this article to see this in action. Every single time. The three judges scored the bout 120108, 118110, and 118111. Kovalev is an absolute device of destruction in the ring. And in a word of grownup problems, its nice to see the grownups take center stage every once in a while. But for Ward, the jab was a tool to use the opportunity to slip up on the inside on some opponents, much like the great Roberto Duran would do as well. The house is empty and Ward cautiously walked around the side to the backyard. Nearby Areas. Then again, all of boxings greats who came before Ward had the same plan. Ward dictated the fight however with a strong jab. The man from Oakland defeated the likes of champions Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Chad Dawson, and Arthur Abraham in this division. Punching a clock.. He successfully defended his titles in a rematch against Kovalev a year later, after which he retired from boxing. Why didnt you move in with any of your relatives? I ask. But there was a twist. [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. Everyone said he did everything wrong, but he got away with it, he said. Hes that good.. Thats when Virgil took me in. It may not be the kind of punishment my critics expect me to have taken, lying on the canvas unconscious. Ward had been a fan of his since the mid-90s. [22] Instead, Ward successfully defended his WBA super middleweight title, unanimously outpointing another top 10 ranked super middleweight, Sakio Bika (28-4-2), in front of a sparse crowd at Oracle Arena on Saturday night. Ward faced Jerson Ravelo on June 20, 2008, in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, for the vacant regional NABO super-middleweight title. [27] Ward started out slow with Abraham, trying to find a way to penetrate his tight defense. How many times did they bet against Floyd? If he wins as expected, Ward is slated to fight Russian light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in Las Vegas on Nov. 19, in what many believe could be professional boxings best fight in well over a decade. But after years of struggle, his mother, Madeline Arvie Taylor, is clean now. The three judges scored the fight 118106, 117107, and 116108 all in favor of Ward. No fighter today more skillfully solves boxings best crosswords in blood than Ward, who is 29-0 as a professional with 15 knockouts. A year after meeting Hunter in 1994, Ward began an illustrious amateur career. 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. [78][79] Kovalev's promoter, Kathy Duva, said, "We got a great fight, which is what boxing needed. But Ive never cheered for or against him. But he went on to fight 119 times in all as an amateur and lost only four more bouts. Ward went to the body every time he got the opportunity in the early rounds of both fights. Ward lives in Danville, California. [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. CompuBox stats showed that Ward landed 80 of 238 punches (34%) whilst Kovalev landed more punches with 95 of his 407 thrown (23%). Everyone likes flash. As I mentioned earlier he would keep his head usually off centre line to his right, but would also sometimes change the level he would throw the punch. Ward would also throw this jab from different angles. Ward once described his style as formless and is no doubt inspired by what Bruce Lee said, Be shapeless, formless, like water. I was angry at God. [40][41], The fight was watched by an average 1.3 million viewers on HBO. But beyond a perfunctory interview here and there, its slim pickings. 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. 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 looked good. Retained WBA (Super), IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles; Retained WBA (Super) super middleweight title; Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S. My job is to make it where they cant argue. On the other side was Wards white, custom-built truck, the license plate reading SOG (son of God). I don't feel cheated. Many claim his boxing style is boring, and to a certain degree, I do understand why people think this is the case. 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. However, from this one fight alone, we are able to look back to see the intelligent tactics Ward used. Ward won all 12 rounds on one judges scorecard and was ahead 118110 on the other two. [30], Ward won the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament via unanimous decision . Yellow Tee $ 38 USD $ 48 USD. In a few years I wont want any part of you. [35] The fight peaked at 580,000 viewers on Showtime. Andre Ward On 10 Habits To Avoid To Succeed In Boxing. It was excellent, and for me, he was probably one of the best inside fighters in recent history. 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. The same year Wards father died, he met his boxing hero, Roy Jones Jr., for the first time. I always wanted to protect their names and protect who they were. So I just began spiraling out of control in a way I know a lot of people never come back from.. Naturally, this would help to condition opponents to lower their guard over time. Theres charm in his smile and a warm handshake. What's more, he doesn't fight nearly as much as . 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. Only a few have performed boxings ultimate magic trick: returning safely with their faculties, money and legacy intact. 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'myboxinglife_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-myboxinglife_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Although Ward himself was a massive success in his career. A devout Christian, he regularly visits places in his area such as schools, prisons, and youth facilities. I've got to go look at the tape. Ward defeated Roy Ashworth on April 7, 2005, by disqualification. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. I whispered in his ear, Im going to finish what we started. The fight went to the scorecards and Ward was far ahead by scores of 9892, 9892, and 9793 at the time of the stoppage. But is still an amazing lesson. Andre Ward, S.O.G. [75], After being knocked down in the second round, he won a controversial decision with all three judges scoring the fight 114113 in favor of Ward. [8] Green won the bout, and had hoped to fight Ward later in the year. Now throughout his career, he had one notable but convincing win against Chad Dawson, who was a natural Light Heavyweight and former world champion who had dropped down in weight at the time to fight Ward. Whether that be the body jab, left hook to the liver, the right to the body, or short sharp shots on the inside. Stop Cop City (SCC) or Defend Atlanta Forest is a decentralized social movement in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, whose goal is to stop construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center by the Atlanta Police Foundation and the City of Atlanta.Opponents of the facility are concerned about the growth of policing in the city, which has witnessed several protests against police violence . Andre Ward fights to avoid a boxers bad ending. Staying in control, its abundantly apparent, is one of the fundamental obsessions of his life.