Andre Ward: A Career Appreciation

Published

8 years ago

September 21, 2017

What a year 2017 has been for boxing. We’ve seen a plethora of fantastic fights where the best have been fighting the best. On the downside, Floyd Mayweather, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley and Timothy Bradley retired. This morning (Sept. 21, 2017) Andre Ward announced that he too was hanging up his gloves.

Ward, who hasn’t lost a fight since he was 13 years old, reached the highest level as an amateur, winning a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics fighting as a light heavyweight. He concludes his pro career as one of three fighters who recently retired undefeated, joining Floyd Mayweather and Tyson Fury. Andre departs boxing with a career record 32-0 (16). He won world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight. On the day of his departure, Ward was the reigning WBA/IBF/WBO light heavyweight champion and was considered by many the top pound-for-pound fighter in boxing.

There are many things that stand out about Ward as a fighter, starting with his versatility and toughness. En route to winning the Super Six tournament, designed to crown the best super middleweight in the world, Ward defeated fighters with varying styles and skill sets. He nullified Mikkel Kessler’s reach and neutralized his jab. He out-maneuvered and out-muscled a strong and heavy handed fighter in Arthur Abraham and in the finale he beat Carl Froch at every turn. He forced Froch to box when Froch wanted to fight and when Froch became desperate and needed to fight with urgency, Ward boxed smart and avoided getting caught with anything meaningful.

After beating Froch, Ward induced WBC and lineal light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, who was coming off a decision over Bernard Hopkins, to come down in weight. After two close rounds, Ward dropped Dawson in the third with a right to the body and a short left hook. In the fourth Ward put Dawson down again. Showing great resiliency, Dawson survived the round but Ward never let up and when a tired and beaten Dawson went down again in the 10^th, the fight was stopped.

Due to injuries and contract disputes with his promoter, Ward was inactive for 19 months. In January of 2015 he announced that he would be fighting under the Roc Nation banner.

In his first bout with Roc Nation, he TKO’d Paul Smith in the ninth round fighting at a catch- weight of 172. Ward fought twice more at 175, beating previously undefeated Sullivan Barrera and the once-beaten Alexander Brand before back-to-back fights with WBA/IBF/WBO light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev, the opponent he will most likely be most remembered for. At the time of their first meeting Kovalev, a terrific boxer-puncher, was undefeated (30-0-1, with 26 KOs). He was considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world and clearly the elite fighter in the light heavyweight division.

Ward-Kovalev I was closely contested and went the distance. Ward was dropped by a big right hand in the second round, but once again Andre summoned great reserve, getting up and fighting off a charging Kovalev. He battled back and won the third round and eventually stabilized the tempo of the fight. He fought his best, counter-punching and going to Kovalev’s body from rounds six through 12. In what came as a surprise to many, Ward was awarded the decision, winning by scores of 114-113 on all three cards. The controversy over the decision made the rematch a natural. Seven months later, Ward and Kovalev fought again with Ward now in the role of the defending champ.

The bout was evenly contested in the beginning with little to choose between them, but as the bout progressed, Ward started to fight a little more aggressively, beating Kovalev to the punch. In the eighth round he hurt Kovalev with a big right hook and then backed him into the ropes where he landed three hooks to Sergey’s body that appeared to be at least borderline low. As Kovalev was doubled over against the ropes, the referee stepped in and declared Ward the winner. Kovalev complained that he had been fouled and that the bout shouldn’t have been stopped, but in the eyes of many ringsiders it was a moot point as Ward had seized control of the fight.

It’s plausible that a couple of Ward’s body shots did land a little south. Along with being a masterful technician, Andre wasn’t above stretching the rules and fighting rough. He was terrific at holding and hitting and made great use of his forearms and elbows on the inside, although he was seldom called on it.

Because he wasn’t flashy in or out of the ring, Andre Ward flew under the radar and was never a superstar. But he certainly had superstar skills. He was a quiet guy with integrity and failed to boast or do things against his character and good nature in order to bring attention to himself in the way that Floyd Mayweather did. And that cost him financially. (As a friend pointed out to me, Mayweather made more money in his last bout fighting a guy making his pro boxing debut than Ward made in his entire career.) So be it, but as a fighter Andre was Mayweather’s equal and maybe even more. And the reason for that is that Ward cleaned out two weight divisions fighting the most feared guy in both. And unlike Mayweather, he could not be accused of avoiding other elite fighters or waiting for the opportune time to fight them when their skills had declined.

As the years go by, not only will Andre Ward be inducted into the IBHOF, but his legacy will escalate. He had all the goods a fighter could want. He was a smart and versatile technician and he was much more durable and tough than he got credit for being. He had more than adequate speed and power and — something that’s often overlooked — he had an unbreakable will. It was impossible to shake his confidence or convince him that he couldn’t figure you out and beat you. Some considered his style boring, but I’d say efficient is more appropriate.

At the least Ward has to be considered one of the three or four greatest super middleweights in the history of the division. And he is without a doubt one of the greats to have fought over the last 25 years, right alongside Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, James Toney, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao.

He now says that his body is succumbing to the rigors of training and that the desire is no longer there. And because he took boxing so seriously, I believe he is serious and will never make a comeback. Andre Ward’s name will now be added to the short list of fighters who retired from boxing with their health, wealth and respect. Along with that, he leaves on top as champion when there’s still something left in the tank as a fighter if he wanted to call on it.

For a closer look at Andre Ward the man, check out this piece by that Thomas Hauser that ran here last November.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.

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Frank Lotierzo

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Ringside at the Fontainebleau where Mikaela Mayer Won her Rematch with Sandy Ryan

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Ringside-at-the-Fontainebleau-where-Mikaela-Mayer-won-her-Rematch-with-Sandy-Ryan

LAS VEGAS, NV — The first meeting between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan last September at Madison Square Garden was punctuated with drama before the first punch was thrown. When the smoke cleared, Mayer had become a world-title-holder in a second weight class, taking away Ryan’s WBO welterweight belt via a majority decision in a fan-friendly fight.

The rematch tonight at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas was another fan-friendly fight. There were furious exchanges in several rounds and the crowd awarded both gladiators a standing ovation at the finish.

Mayer dominated the first half of the fight and held on to win by a unanimous decision. But Sandy Ryan came on strong beginning in round seven, and although Mayer was the deserving winner, the scores favoring her (98-92 and 97-93 twice) fail to reflect the competitiveness of the match-up. This is the best rivalry in women’s boxing aside from Taylor-Serrano.

Mayer, 34, improved to 21-2 (5). Up next, she hopes, in a unification fight with Lauren Price who outclassed Natasha Jonas earlier this month and currently holds the other meaningful pieces of the 147-pound puzzle. Sandy Ryan, 31, the pride of Derby, England, falls to 7-3-1.

Co-Feature

In his first defense of his WBO world welterweight title (acquired with a brutal knockout of Giovani Santillan after the title was vacated by Terence Crawford), Atlanta’s Brian Norman Jr knocked out Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas in the third round. A three-punch combination climaxed by a short left hook sent Cuevas staggering into a corner post. He got to his feet before referee Thomas Taylor started the count, but Taylor looked in Cuevas’s eyes and didn’t like what he saw and brought the bout to a halt.

The stoppage, which struck some as premature, came with one second remaining in the third stanza.

A second-generation prizefighter (his father was a fringe contender at super middleweight), the 24-year-old Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) is currently boxing’s youngest male title-holder. It was only the second pro loss for Cuevas (27-2-1) whose lone previous defeat had come early in his career in a 6-rounder he lost by split decision.

Other Bouts

In a career-best performance, 27-year-old Brooklyn featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) blasted out Jose Enrique Vivas (23-4) in the third round.

Carrington, who was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials despite being the lowest-seeded boxer in his weight class, decked Vivas with a right-left combination near the end of the second round. Vivas barely survived the round and was on a short leash when the third stanza began. After 53 seconds of round three, referee Raul Caiz Jr had seen enough and waived it off. Vivas hadn’t previously been stopped.

Cleveland welterweight Tiger Johnson, a Tokyo Olympian, scored a fifth-round stoppage over San Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda. Johnson assumed control in the fourth round and sent Castaneda to his knees twice with body punches in the next frame. The second knockdown terminated the match. The official time was 2:00 of round five.

Johnson advanced to 15-0 (7 KOs). Castenada declined to 21-9.

Las Vegas junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (13-0, 11 KOs) blasted out Stockton, California’s Giovanni Gonzalez in the second round. Vargas brought the bout to a sudden conclusion with a sweeping left hook that knocked Gonzalez out cold. The end came at the 2:00 minute mark of round two.

Gonzalez brought a 20-7-2 record which was misleading as 18 of his fights were in Tijuana where fights are frequently prearranged. However, he wasn’t afraid to trade with Vargas and paid the price.

Emiliano Vargas, with his matinee idol good looks and his boxing pedigree – he is the son of former U.S. Olympian and two-weight world title-holder “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas – is highly marketable and has the potential to be a cross-over star.

Eighteen-year-old Newark bantamweight Emmanuel “Manny” Chance, one of Top Rank’s newest signees, won his pro debut with a four-round decision over So Cal’s Miguel Guzman. Chance won all four rounds on all three cards, but this was no runaway. He left a lot of room for improvement.

There was a long intermission before the co-main and again before the main event, but the tedium was assuaged by a moving video tribute to George Foreman.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

Published

3 days ago

March 29, 2025

David A. Avila

William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

No surprise, once again William Zepeda eked out a win over the clever and resilient Tevin Farmer to remain undefeated and retain a regional lightweight title on Saturday.

There were no knockdowns in this rematch.

The Mexican punching machine Zepeda (33-0, 17 KOs) once more sought to overwhelm Farmer (33-8-1, 9 KOs) with a deluge of blows. This rematch by Golden Boy Promotions took place in the famous beach resort area of Cancun, Mexico.

It was a mere four months ago that both first clashed in Saudi Arabia with their vastly difference styles. This time the tropical setting served as the background which suited Zepeda and his lawnmower assaults. The Mexican fans were pleased.

Nothing changed in their second meeting.

Zepeda revved up the body assault and Farmer moved around casually to his right while fending off the Mexican fighter’s attacks. By the fourth round Zepeda was able to cut off Farmer’s escape routes and targeted the body with punishing shots.

The blows came in bunches.

In the fifth round Zepeda blasted away at Farmer who looked frantic for an escape. The body assault continued with the Mexican fighter pouring it on and Farmer seeming to look ready to quit. When the round ended, he waved off his corner’s appeals to stop.

Zepeda continued to dominate the next few rounds and then Farmer began rallying. At first, he cleverly smothered Zepeda’s body attacks and then began moving and hitting sporadically. It forced the Mexican fighter to pause and figure out the strategy.

Farmer, a Philadelphia fighter, showed resiliency especially when it was revealed he had suffered a hand injury.

During the last three rounds Farmer dug down deep and found ways to score and not get hit. It was Boxing 101 and the Philly fighter made it work.

But too many rounds had been put in the bank by Zepeda. Despite the late rally by Farmer one judge saw it 114-114, but two others scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for Zepeda who retains his interim lightweight title and place at the top of the WBC rankings.

“I knew he was a difficult fighter. This time he was even more difficult,” said Zepeda.

Farmer was downtrodden about another loss but realistic about the outcome and starting slow.

“But I dominated the last rounds,” said Farmer.

Zepeda shrugged at the similar outcome as their first encounter.

“I’m glad we both put on a great show,” said Zepeda.

Female Flyweight Battle

Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle edged past Texas fighter Marlen Esparza to win their showdown at flyweight by split decision after 10 rounds.

Valle moved up two weight divisions to meet Esparza who was slightly above the weight limit. Both showed off their contrasting styles and world class talent.

Esparza, a former unified flyweight world titlist, stayed in the pocket and was largely successful with well-placed jabs and left hooks. She repeatedly caught Valle in-between her flurries.

The current minimumweight world titlist changed tactics and found more success in the second half of the fight. She forced Esparza to make the first moves and that forced changes that benefited her style.

Neither fighter could take over the fight.

After 10 rounds one judge saw Esparza the winner 96-94, but two others saw Valle the winner 97-93 twice.

Will Valle move up and challenge the current undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora? That’s the question.

Valle currently holds the WBC minimumweight world title.

Puerto Rico vs Mexico

Oscar Collazo (12-0, 9 KOs), the WBO, WBA minimumweight titlist, knocked out Mexico’s Edwin Cano (13-3-1, 4 KOs) with a flurry of body shots at 1:12 of the fifth round.

Collazo dominated with a relentless body attack the Mexican fighter could not defend. It was the Puerto Rican fighter’s fifth consecutive title defense.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 319: Rematches in Las Vegas, Cancun and More

Published

5 days ago

March 28, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-319-Rematches-in-Las-Vegas-Cancun-and-More

Rematches are the bedrock for prizefighting.

Return battles between rival boxers always means their first encounter was riveting and successful at the box office.

Six months after their first brutal battle Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) and Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) will slug it out again for the WBO welterweight world title this time on Saturday, March 29, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.

ESPN will show the Top Rank card live.

“It’s important for women’s boxing to have these rivalries and this is definitely up there as one of the top ones,” Mayer told the BBC.

If you follow Mayer’s career you know that somehow drama follows. Whether its back-and-forth beefs with fellow American fighters or controversial judging due to nationalism in countries abroad. The Southern California native who now trains in Las Vegas knows how to create the drama.

For female fighters self-promotion is a necessity.

Most boxing promoters refuse to step out of the usual process set for male boxers, not for female boxers. Things remain the same and have been for the last 70 years. Social media has brought changes but that has made promoters do even less.

No longer are there press conferences, instead announcements are made on social media to be drowned among the billions of other posts. It is not killing but diluting interest in the sport.

Women innately present a different advantage that few if any promoters are recognizing. So far in the past 25 years I have only seen two or three promoters actually ignite interest in female fighters. They saw the advantages and properly boosted interest in the women.

The fight breakdown

Mayer has won world titles in the super featherweight and now the welterweight division. Those are two vastly different weight classes and prove her fighting abilities are based on skill not power or size.

Coaching Mayer since amateurs remains Al Mitchell and now Kofi Jantuah who replaced Kay Koroma the current trainer for Sandy Ryan.

That was the reason drama ignited during their first battle. Then came someone tossing paint at Ryan the day of their first fight.

More drama.

During their first fight both battled to control the initiative with Mayer out-punching the British fighter by a slender margin. It was a back-and-forth struggle with each absorbing blows and retaliating immediately.

New York City got its money’s worth.

Ryan had risen to the elite level rapidly since losing to Erica Farias three years ago. Though she was physically bigger and younger, she was out-maneuvered and defeated by the wily veteran from Argentina. In the rematch, however, Ryan made adjustments and won convincingly.

Can she make adjustments from her defeat to Mayer?

“I wanted the rematch straight away,” said Ryan on social media. “I’ve come to America again.”

Both fighters have size and reach. In their first clash it was evident that conditioning was not a concern as blows were fired nonstop in bunches. Mayer had the number of punches landed advantage and it unfolded with the judges giving her a majority decision win.

That was six months ago. Can she repeat the outcome?

Mayer has always had boiler-oven intensity. It’s not fake. Since her amateur days the slender Southern California blonde changes disposition all the way to red when lacing up the gloves. It’s something that can’t be taught.

Can she draw enough of that fire out again?

“I didn’t have to give her this rematch. I could have just sat it out, waited for Lauren Price to unify and fought for undisputed or faced someone else,” said Mayer to BBC. “That’s not the fighter I am though.”

Co-Main in Las Vegas

The co-main event pits Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) facing Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) in a contest for the WBO welterweight title.

Norman, 24, was last seen a year ago dissecting a very good welterweight in Giovani Santillan for a knockout win in San Diego. He showed speed, skill and power in defeating Santillan in his hometown.

Cuevas has beaten some solid veteran talent but this will be his big test against Norman and his first attempt at winning a world title.

Also on the Top Rank card will be Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Emiliano Vargas, the son of Fernando Vargas, in separate bouts.

Golden Boy in Cancun

A rematch between undefeated William “Camaron” Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) and ex-champ Tevin Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) headlines the lightweight match on Saturday March 29, at Cancun, Mexico.

In their first encounter Zepeda was knocked down in the fourth round but rallied to win a split-decision over Farmer. It showed the flaws in Zepeda’s tornado style.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card that also includes a clash between Yokasta Valle the WBC minimumweight world titlist who is moving up to flyweight to face former flyweight champion Marlen Esparza.

Both Valle and Esparza have fast hands.

Valle is excellent darting in and out while Esparza has learned how to fight inside. It’s a toss-up fight.

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 12 p.m. Cameron Vuong (7-0) vs Jordan Flynn (11-0-1); Pat Brown (0-0) vs Federico Grandone (7-4-2).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. William Zepeda (32-0) vs Tevin Farmer (33-7-1); Yokasta Valle (32-3) vs Marlen Esparza (15-2).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Mikaela Mayer (20-2) vs Sandy Ryan (7-2-1); Brian Norman Jr. (26-0) vs Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1).

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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