Andre Ward open to fight against Bernard Hopkins

ward544WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) and his promoter Dan Goosen are both open to a fight against IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO’s) if he’s game.

Ward says he’d like to take on the younger fighters, but he’d take the fight against the 48-year-old Hopkins. His promoter Goosen thinks it would be an excellent fight and believes they could make it for pay-per-view.

Ward said via Fightnews “I don’t have a desire to call Bernard out, but I am a fighter. If it makes financial sense, I’ll step to the plate. I’m more interested in fighting guys from my era, but at the same time I don’t back down from fights.”

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Andre Ward’s world title showdown added to stacked BoxNation calendar

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LONDON (31 Oct) – BoxNation’s knockout November is set to pack even more of a punch with the channel adding super-middleweight supremo Andre Ward’s crunch world title clash with undefeated Edwin Rodriguez to its star studded lineup.

The encounter sees the world’s best 168-pounder, Ward, defend his WBA world super-middleweight title on November 16th in Ontario, California against the ferocious 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic, adding yet another mouth-watering matchup on the ‘Channel of Champions’.

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao’s ring return against the formidable Brandon Rios in Macao, China on November 23rd and Queensberry’s Copper Box extravaganza on November 30th, featuring heavyweight hitman Dereck Chisora and former world champion Nathan Cleverly, are the other main attractions in a jam-packed November schedule.

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Andre Ward vs. Edwin Rodriguez: Game on

ward1In the sport of boxing, the first shots of battle are often fired long before a single punch is ever thrown in the squared circle.  

On November 16th, two genuine “good guys” of the sport will tangle to decide 168 pound supremacy when universally recognized Super Middleweight Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward steps in the ring with undefeated contender Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez.   

Despite the positive and sportsmanlike reputation both combatants have garnered throughout their respective amateur and professional careers, an unexpected issue has worked its way into the pre-fight banter.  

During the first official press conference, which took place in Manhattan Beach, California, on September 28th, announcing the big Super Middleweight showdown, Rodriguez declared that he would indeed be participating in the “24/7/365” drug testing program administered by VADA, Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, and publicly challenged the historically outspoken anti-drug advocate to get involved with the same program before the date of their highly anticipated championship contest.

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Quotes from Andre Ward’s Bay Area Open Workout

ward445With under a month remaining until his highly anticipated return, WBA and Ring Magazine Super Middleweight World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward went back to his roots at King’s Gym in Oakland, Calif., to discuss his upcoming battle with Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez. After a 14-month layoff due to a shoulder injury, Ward will step back in to the ring on November 16 at Citizen’s Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif., on HBO World Championship Boxing. He shared his thoughts about the importance of staying in shape throughout the year, the impact of the layoff and his young, hungry opponent with the Bay Area media assembled at his childhood gym.

ANDRE WARD, WBA AND RING MAGAZINE SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION – “I’ve always tried to respect this sport, I’m not a guy that always says this is my best training camp ever. Every training camp is my best training camp because I’ve always approached it the right way.”

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Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Provodnikov’s Stunning Performance, Ward’s Steroid Testing Position, & What’s Next for Provodnikov & Bradley!!!

provodnikov10Andrei S. (Miami Lakes, FL): Provodnikov is a countryman of mine and I was very excited to see him get the victory over Alvarado. How did you rate his performance and what do you see happening next for him?

Vivek W. (ESB): Coming into the fight I had Provodnikov winning, and the failed weight attempt by Alvarado made me feel even more comfortable with that choice. It should be duly noted that Alvarado is an absolute warrior and a couple losses will not define his legacy. That being said, Provodnikov was viewed by most coming in as the hungrier fighter, and it was clear that he would not be denied. A week ago I pointed out a very similar subplot that existed in the Bradley/Marquez showdown. In that fight, we had Bradley coming in with something to prove, following a victory where most felt he could have lost and didn’t perform well. To his opposite, we had Marquez, riding the high of a stunning KO victory. In this fight we had Provodnikov coming off a loss with something to prove, and Alvarado, who was also riding the wave of a great victory.

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Ward vs. Rodriguez – Ringside with Raymundo: The Return

ward453434 Just off the I-10 freeway in Southern California stands an electric-powered billboard that flashes images of upcoming events, and in-between promoting an upcoming Cher concert and the inaugural game for the Ontario Reign minor league hockey team is an advertisement that simply states, ‘The Return’, with a picture of the consensus No. 2 fighter in the world, Andre Ward, and the date of November 16.

The Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California will be the venue for ‘The Return’ of the fighter who is the closest ranked to the No. 1 boxer in the world in Floyd Mayweather Jr.

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Andre Ward vs. Edwin Rodriguez: Saturday, November 16 Live on HBO

ward1SHERMAN OAKS, CA (September 20, 2013) – Following slightly more than a year’s absence from the ring due to injury, Bay Area hero, 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist and current WBA and Ring Magazine World Super Middleweight Champion, Andre “S.O.G.” Ward makes his highly anticipated return to the ring defending his title against Edwin Rodriguez on Saturday, November 16 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA.

Simply and appropriately billed as “The Return,” Ward (26-0, 13 KOs) will risk his title against the undefeated Rodriguez (24-0, 16 KOs) in the scheduled 12-round World Championship main event which will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

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Andre Ward picks Mayweather to beat Canelo

ward23WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward doesn’t see any way for the WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO’s) to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr/. (44-0, 26 KO’s) this Saturday night other than maybe getting lucky by landing a big shot that knocks out Mayweather. Ward doesn’t think that there’s any possibility that Canelo can out-box the much faster and much better skilled Mayweather Jr. over 12 rounds.

Ward also thinks that the weight that the 170+ Canelo will be taking off to get down to the 152 lb. catch-weight could lead to Canelo running out of gas in the later rounds of the fight.

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Andre Ward Greets Passionate Throng of Fans at Los Angeles Appearance

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(OAKLAND, CALIF.) – Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (Oakland, Calif.) recently hosted a meet and greet opportunity in conjunction with Everlast and Sports Chalet in the Los Angeles area, taking the opportunity to connect with his southern California fan base. The number ranked two pound-for-pound boxer in the world was touched by the lengths that his fans went to for the chance to meet him.

As he boarded his flight in Oakland, fans were already beginning to line up, more than four hours ahead of his scheduled appearance time. After arriving at the location, he saw the long line of people waiting to meet him, many of whom had traveled a great distance to get their own autograph and photo with the Olympic champion.

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Zsolt Erdei Calls Out Andre Ward

ward3432New York, NY (7/29/13) – Former light heavyweight and cruiserweight world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-1, 18KO’s) isn’t looking for any easy fights after suffering his first professional defeat in a razor-thin and questionable split decision loss to Denis Grachev in the first leg of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4 Tournament. Erdei is instead offering up his services to super middleweight kingpin and ESPN.com’s pound-for-pound number two-ranked fighter in the world, Andre Ward.

Ward, who is coming off a shoulder injury and extensive rehab, hasn’t fought since scoring a 10th-round TKO over Chad Dawson in September of last year. Erdei says he has no problem in moving down to super middleweight and would jump at the opportunity.

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