Andre Ward retires – two-weight world champion hangs up his gloves with an unbeaten record
The 33-year-old American reigned supreme in the super-middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions and won the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics
ANDRE WARD has stunned fans by announcing his retirement from boxing, citing a loss of desire as the main factor.
The two-weight world champion hangs up his gloves with an unblemished record – winning all 32 of his professional fights – 16 by way of KO.
Issuing a heartfelt statement on his website, he said: “To the sport of boxing – I love you. You’ve been by my side since I was 10-years-old. You’ve taught me so much.
“You’ve humbled me. You’ve promoted me. I’ve sacrificed a lot for you, but you’ve given me more than I ever thought possible.
“You gave me a platform, made me a champion and helped me provide for my family. I am forever grateful to you. You and I will always be synonymous, connected at the hip.
“Thank you for all the wonderful people I’ve come in contact with because of you. I’ve made friends for life. As I walk away from the sport of boxing today, I leave at the top of your glorious mountain, which was always my vision and my dream. I did it. We did it.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has played a part in my journey. You know who you are. I could not have done this without you.
“I want to be clear – I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there.
“If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting.
“Above all, I give God the Glory, for allowing me to do what I’ve done, for as long as I have.”
Ward – a world champion in the super-middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions – stopped fearsome Russian Sergey Kovalev in his last fight.
It was the first time Kovalev had ever been stopped, and he lost his own unbeaten record against the 2004 Olympic gold medallist in their first clash last November.
With the WBA, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight titles on the line, Ward ripped them away from ‘The Krusher’ despite tasting the canvas in the second round.
Ward boats a plethora of world class opponents on his resume, beating them with ease as he asserted himself as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
He picked up his first world title – the WBA super-middleweight belt against Danish legend Mikkel Kessler – then unified the division when he outpointed Carl Froch with the WBC and the Ring Magazine titles up for grabs.
Arthur Abraham, Sakio Bika, Paul Smith and Chad Dawson all tried in vain of dethroning the ‘Son of God’ before he jumped up a weight class.
Unbeaten Cuban Sullivan Barrera was Ward’s first opponent up at light-heavyweight, and was comprehensively outpointed.
And after beating Alexander Brand for the vacant WBO international belt, he set up a mouth-watering match-up with Kovalev, and fulfilled his dream of being a world champion in two divisions.
His trainer Virgil Hunter suggested he could take on heavyweight king Anthony Joshua, while Tony Bellew wanted to face Ward at cruiserweight.
