Andre Ward Leaves The Door Open - "I Do Miss Fighting"

[Ruthless-RKO]

The 33-year-old Northern California native hung up his gloves after his eighth round stoppage victory over Sergey Kovalev in their rematch in June. That fight also took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center and Ward admitted that being back in the same building was an emotional experience.

"I don't know man. Like right now I am not thinking about fighting. I do miss it. When you retire - especially when you retire on top it is like a detox. It hits you in waves and you are minding your own business when all of a sudden you start missing it like when I flew in on Thursday I was fine. Then I started walking to my room and I realized this was the last place that I fought and I just started getting hit with all these emotions. It is not easy but it is part of the territory and you just have to deal with it," Ward explained.

Ward said that one of the key reasons why he decided to hang up his gloves was his health. He has battled a number of physical ailments over the past few years and said that he is working on a documentary to detail the struggles he had to overcome.

"It was a succession of moments. It wasn't just one moment. I have been dealing with a lot of physical issues for years. I don't talk about it. I just put my head down and deal with it. Right now I am working on my documentary and that is going to be really revealing," Ward said.

"You guys are going to see some of the things I had to go through before the first Kovalev fight and it is going to be alarming - the fact that we even made it to the fight. The shape that my shoulder was in before the surgery in 2013.

"All of those things we are going to open up and kind of pull the curtains so to speak and talk about a lot of these things. I have been dealing with this stuff for a while. It just came to a point where I would rather stop one early than one late."

[SenorPipino]

Obviously, Ward will return.

It's a rare fighter who leaves the sport when they're at the top. They quickly grow bored and yearn for a return to the spotlight

A little rest, the right opponent and the right money will eventually lure SOG back to the ring.

Can McGregor fight at 175?

[gilgamesh]

Not the least bit surprising.

[Ricky_]

Might be a fake retirement so he can juice.

[Kalan]

Ward said... "You guys are going to see some of the things I had to go through before the first Kovalev fight and it is going to be alarming - the fact that we even made it to the fight. The shape that my shoulder was in before the surgery in 2013 .... All of those things we are going to open up and kind of pull the curtains so to speak and talk about a lot of these things. I have been dealing with this stuff for a while

Here come the self-aggrandizement and myriad excuses…

Why did Ward preform badly in the Kovalev fights and need the help of fouling and corrupt referees and judges??? He's going to "pull back the curtain." … He wants to talk about his shoulder trouble and the other "health" issues he alone had to deal with in the sport... And reveal what a truly stupendous, courageous, and self-sacrificing hero he was.

[gilgamesh]

Might be a fake retirement so he can juice.

Wouldn't surprise me.

[KiwiRider]

Personally I don't miss him.
How exciting has the LH division been with him gone?
Throw the belts out to the wolves to scrap over- it's been great!
If he hadn't retired we would have him fighting once this year-maybe- after Kov, and still waiting vainly for Chickenson to have a meaningful fight.
Bit since he has retired we have had 3 LH fights much more entertaining than anything I've seen Ward in.
May he rest in peace.

[gilgamesh]

Personally I don't miss him.
How exciting has the LH division been with him gone?
Throw the belts out to the wolves to scrap over- it's been great!
If he hadn't retired we would have him fighting once this year-maybe- after Kov, and still waiting vainly for Chickenson to have a meaningful fight.
Bit since he has retired we have had 3 LH fights much more entertaining than anything I've seen Ward in.
May he rest in peace.

Unfortunately Ward is coming back. You had to know that all along. Guys almost never retire at a young age with a lot left to give in this sport. It's happened, but it's rare as hell.

[Enlightened-One]

The video frim this interview is about a month old.

Ward ain't coming back. He carries a lot of injuries, which means his body is pretty much "broken", and he never possessed the desire to fight that often anyway.

It was a case of "no big payday -no fight" for Ward during the final stage of his career.

I hope he doesn't comeback anyway, because he can't enhance his legacy any more than he already had done.

[KiwiRider]

The video frim this interview is about a month old.

Ward ain't coming back. He carries a lot of injuries, which means his body is pretty much "broken", and he never possessed the desire to fight that often anyway.

It was a case of "no big payday -no fight" for Ward during the final stage of his career.

I hope he doesn't comeback anyway, because he can't enhance his legacy any more than he already had done.

I hope your right EO, I am happy with the LH as it is, there are some potentially awesome unification fights possible next year and I for one, want them to happen without Ward throwing his oar in.

[gilgamesh]

The video frim this interview is about a month old.

Ward ain't coming back. He carries a lot of injuries, which means his body is pretty much "broken", and he never possessed the desire to fight that often anyway.

It was a case of "no big payday -no fight" for Ward during the final stage of his career.

I hope he doesn't comeback anyway, because he can't enhance his legacy any more than he already had done.

I hope your right EO, I am happy with the LH as it is, there are some potentially awesome unification fights possible next year and I for one, want them to happen without Ward sttowong his oar in.

What unifications do you expect next year? Because if you expect Stevenson to grow a pair of balls and fight one of the top guys you're sh*t outta luck.

Badou Jack might beat Stevenson. Eleider Alvarez has stepped aside one time too many, and his reward is Gvozdyk next. So he can kiss his title shot goodbye.

[SmoothStyle1]

Ward has all of his faculties intact, hasn't lost a fight since age 12, has money in the bank, has a promising commentating career in place and walked away as P4P#1.

He turns 34 in a couple of months; boxing is a young-man's sport. I hope he does not return.

[gilgamesh]

Ward has all of his faculties intact, hasn't lost a fight since age 12, has money in the bank, has a promising commentating career in place and walked away as P4P#1.

He turns 34 in a couple of months; boxing is a young-man's sport. I hope he does not return.

He had a tentative hold on P4P #1 I'd say, but I agree that's where he was when he left. Chances are Loma would've overtaken him with his clear, controversy free win over Rigo whether he'd retired or not.

[SmoothStyle1]

Ward has all of his faculties intact, hasn't lost a fight since age 12, has money in the bank, has a promising commentating career in place and walked away as P4P#1.

He turns 34 in a couple of months; boxing is a young-man's sport. I hope he does not return.

He had a tentative hold on P4P #1 I'd say, but I agree that's where he was when he left. Chances are Loma would've overtaken him with his clear, controversy free win over Rigo whether he'd retired or not.

Debatable. I think Ward would still be #1. Loma beat a great fighter, but one who was best two weight classes lower. The equivalent would be Ward fighting and beating Canelo @ 175lbs.

[Blodhemn]

You mean "I miss getting overpaid" since retiring you haven't fought any less than you normally would have at this point.

He had a tentative hold on P4P #1 I'd say, but I agree that's where he was when he left. Chances are Loma would've overtaken him with his clear, controversy free win over Rigo whether he'd retired or not.

Ward was never P4P #1 at any point. Crawford and Loma would be above him at this point, at the very least.

[SmoothStyle1]

Ward was never P4P #1 at any point. Crawford and Loma would be above him at this point, at the very least.

Ward was P4P #1 as a result of recently beating another top 10 P4P opponent and given the breadth and depth of his resume (S6 winner, undefeated, etc.)

Crawford is an amazing talent but his best opponent thus far is nowhere near the top 10 P4P.

Loma's win over Rigo was great, but Rigo moved up 2 weight classes in the process.

[Blodhemn]

Ward was never P4P #1 at any point. Crawford and Loma would be above him at this point, at the very least.

Ward was P4P #1 as a result of recently beating another top 10 P4P opponent and given the breadth and depth of his resume (S6 winner, undefeated, etc.)

Crawford is an amazing talent but his best opponent thus far is nowhere near the top 10 P4P.

Loma's win over Rigo was great, but Rigo moved up 2 weight classes in the process.

Ward-Kovalev is so full of controversy, it's hardly worth noting. First fight was a robbery, second fight Kovalev seemed less prepared than Rigo was for Loma. P4P performance, it wasn't.

[boxing_rocks]

He can only return if he gets realistic in his financial demands. Nobody will give him undeserved donations anymore like RN did.

[SmoothStyle1]

Ward was never P4P #1 at any point. Crawford and Loma would be above him at this point, at the very least.

Ward was P4P #1 as a result of recently beating another top 10 P4P opponent and given the breadth and depth of his resume (S6 winner, undefeated, etc.)

Crawford is an amazing talent but his best opponent thus far is nowhere near the top 10 P4P.

Loma's win over Rigo was great, but Rigo moved up 2 weight classes in the process.

Ward-Kovalev is so full of controversy, it's hardly worth noting. First fight was a robbery, second fight Kovalev seemed less prepared than Rigo was for Loma. P4P performance, it wasn't.

Hardly worth noting? That's a disingenuous statement that reeks of bias.

The first fight was close. I scored it a draw. Second fight was conclusive. The low blows were overblown by Kathy Duva. In the immediate post-fight interview Kova didn't complain about them; it wasn't until Kathy lost her sh!t in the presser that Team Kova began using that as an excuse. Kova was prepared, just not for the sustained body attack he received.

[Blodhemn]

Hardly worth noting? That's a disingenuous statement that reeks of bias.

The first fight was close. I scored it a draw. Second fight was conclusive. The low blows were overblown by Kathy Duva. In the immediate post-fight interview Kova didn't complain about them; it wasn't until Kathy lost her sh!t in the presser that Team Kova began using that as an excuse. Kova was prepared, just not for the sustained body attack he received.

You're just as biased, if not more so.

[Bard of Boxrec]

we don't miss ya andre.

[boxing_rocks]

we don't miss ya andre.

[jamamb]

hed still beat everyone at 175. would like to see how far his skills would take him at cruiser.

[Enlightened-One]

hed still beat everyone at 175. would like to see how far his skills would take him at cruiser.

I think you're probably right, but I would prefer to see him stay retired. I fear that the severity of his injuries, coupled with being slightly past-his-prime, will inevitably result in him suffering his first defeat in almost two decades against an opponent that is pugilistically inferior than himself.

[boxing_rocks]

hed still beat everyone at 175. would like to see how far his skills would take him at cruiser.

The only Ward fights I woulldn't mind to see are against Beterbiev and Bellew who would respond with dirtiness to his dirtiness. Bica made Ward work hard to win. These guys will outdirty and outpower him.