By Edward Chaykovsky

WBA, WBO, IBF light heavyweight champion Andre Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) is very proud of his performance from last November, when he won a twelve round unanimous decision over Sergey Kovalev (30-1, 26 KOs).

Ward was knocked down in the second round, but managed to gather himself and won by a score of 114-113 on all three of the official cards.

That fight marked only the second time in Ward's career that he got dropped and had to regroup to get a victory.

This was the first time, says Ward, where he was required to come from behind to get the win. The majority of Ward's victories were clear and dominant, but this was the first time where there is actual doubt over his win - with a number of observers who felt Kovalev did enough to win the fight.

"I'll be honest, I've had a lot of fights in my career but this is probably the proudest I've been of myself based on how the fight went and having to just show the world, show myself, show my team that I can win a different way," Ward told Rolling Stone.

"I've never had to come from behind and it wasn't against a B-class, C-class fighter. It was against who many said was the best light heavyweight, if not the best fighter in the world. I'm happy about the performance."

"I didn't need to get knocked down to know the fortitude that I have in me. Being a champion is not just being a frontrunner and being ahead, but it's facing adversity. If something happens and you're behind and you get hit in the mouth early like that, you have two options: You can either pack it in mentally and internally and go into survival mode and quit, or you're going to get up and go to work. We were fortunate enough to get up and go to work."

Ward has no complaints over being caught by a big shot and dropped by Kovalev.

"These things happen. You're going to face adversity. It's not if, it's when. The question is how you respond, and I'm just really, really pleased with my team, my head coach and myself by the way we responded to adversity in the biggest fight of my life. That's my historical piece and having my piece of history knowing that's true. That's only the second time that I've touched the canvas in a 22-year career, so it's not bad," Ward said.

Kovalev has exercised an immediate rematch clause, with the second fight targeted to take place on a date in April or June.