Andre Ward: I Don’t Feel Ring Rust, But We’ll See

by David P. Greisman

Being out of the ring for more than a year and a half can take a pair of tolls on a fighter. Physically speaking, there can be ring rust when he returns in against top competition. And then there’s the idea of whether viewers will return to see someone who has been out of the public eye for so long.

Andre Ward thinks he’ll be fine on both fronts when he faces Paul Smith on June 20 on BET, Ward’s first appearance since he beat Edwin Rodriguez in November 2013. Afterward, Ward had a lengthy legal battle with now-deceased promoter Dan Goossen. The parties ultimately reached an agreement, allowing Ward to sign with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports.

“You just got to go out there and compete. You got to compete and you got to perform. One great performance and everybody will forget about the layoff,” Ward told BoxingScene.com on April 24. “Everybody’s kind of waiting and seeing, ‘What does Ward have left? Is he going to look the same?’ My job is to go out there and show them that I’m not only the same, but I’m better. I’ve dedicated myself throughout this last year and a half. Yes, there can be ring rust. I don’t feel it. But we’ll see come fight night.”

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