UNBEATEN WARD RETIRES, SURPRISES BOXING WORLD
Andre Ward, the undefeated and unified light heavyweight champion and consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, stunned the sport Thursday by announcing his retirement while still at the peak of his career. Ward, 33, is coming off an eighth-round technical knockout against Sergey Kovalev in June in Las Vegas that solidified his hold atop the mythical poundfor-pound list. It was his second victory against Kovalev, who held the WBA, WBO and IBF world title belts and was unbeaten before losing them to Ward in their first fight in November. Ward finishes his pro career with a record of 32-0 (16 KOs) and has not lost a fight since he was a 12-year-old amateur. He said he could no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and had lost his desire to fight. “To retire from the sport and not have the sport retire me, I have that opportunity today,” Ward said on ESPN’s First Take on Thursday morning. The Oakland fighter nicknamed “SOG” (Son of God) is the last U.S. male to take home an Olympic boxing gold medal, winning his division in the 2004 Athens Games. He is also a former super middleweight champion in the professional ranks. Between 2012 and 2015, Ward fought only once because of a protracted legal battle with his promoter, the late Dan Goossen of Goossen-Tutor Promotions. In a statement Ward released Thursday, he asked for space from reporters seeking interviews for at least awhile: “As I transition from being a professional boxer to the next phase of my life, I plan to celebrate my retirement with family and close friends. In due course, I will make myself available for interviews. I sincerely appreciate the space, as well as your support and understanding. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon!”
— Bob Velin