Ward returns fine money to overweight Paul Smith

Super middleweight champion Andre Ward’s return to the ring after a self-inflicted 19-month layoff could not have gone better on Saturday night. Paul Smith’s night could not have gone worse both in the ring and financially. Ward, fighting in his hometown of Oakland, California (and in his first bout since signing with Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports), looked sharp, fast and powerful as he laid waste to England’s Smith, a former two-time super middleweight title challenger. Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) bloodied and beat on Smith (35-6, 20 KOs) until his corner threw in the towel during the ninth round. Smith was due to earn $225,000, according to the California State Athletic Commission contract. However, because Smith was way over the 172-pound contract limit for the non-title fight -- he was 176.4 at Friday’s weigh-in -- he was fined 20 percent of his purse ($45,000), half of which went to Ward and half to the commission. When the camps negotiated a Saturday morning weight check, they agreed that Smith would pay Ward an additional $5,000 per pound he was above 181 pounds. He was 184.4, costing him another $15,000, which meant the two fines had shrunk his purse to $165,000. But Ward, who earned $2 million, showed the charitable kind of guy he is after the fight. According to a source familiar with the transaction, Ward forgave the fines and gave all of the money he was due back to Smith -- $37,500. The commission kept its $22,500 share of Friday’s weigh-in fine. There are not many fighters who would do that. Nice gesture. Bravo Ward.

how on earth can you not admire andre ward as a boxer and a man? he's admirable. as admirable as any fighter in boxing.

Never been a Ward fan but I have to admit he is a top fighter and class act.

Wards aaaaaa a dirty fighter....Ward scared to fight anybody who won't come to Oakland.....Ward won't yo yo his weight....Ward a prima donna.... Wait a minute? Not to tip the scales but it would be good to get a few things straight about Mr Ward that a few posters, more enlightened than I have mentioned: a) first off 37K IS A LOT OF MONEY! Saying it is not does not make you seem rich only stupid. b) Ward might be the best prize fighter on the planet....He arguably does as many things as well as Mayweather and some things better. I stress the word arguably because a case can certainly be made for mayweather as well and I am not basing this on his tune up fight. but when analysing Ward the man is incredible and will beat you up inside in ways other guys just can't do now a days (exception cotto). c) Wards a good guy. he stays in Oakland not to hang in Danville with the richies but to volunteer time and energy to kids in Oakland...and take it from a former San Francisco school teacher, the kids in Oakland could use the encouragement. d) Instead of muscial trainers, unlike musical promoters haha Ward has stuck by the man who stuck by him....So notions that he is off kliter regarding the late Goosen are some what exxagerated. Not picking sides, just saying. E) NO recent ATG Fighter has been as dominant in his weight class as Ward. he blitzed the straight six...nobody could touch him with one arm! Even Floyd gets clipped now and then! Just saying!

Like him even more now.

Stupid move. Smith did not honour his contract and Ward just approved it. This sends a bad precedent. If Ward did not want the Money, he should have donated them to the Weight-Watchers instead. I agree. Smith was thoroughly unprofessional. He shouldn't get any concession for that. Especially when everyone around here has been complaining of boxers not making weight lately. :lol1: found them. batto isn't a real brit, but they're "european enough" for him. the british rhetoric concerning andre ward is truly pathetic.

the brits were asleep when you posted the thread :lol1: lets wait for them to find a way to spin this. ward's evil, after all.

Truly a class act!

thats honor forreal

I might not have done it but kudos to Ward for doing it.

Classy as always. Ward joins Canelo in giving money back to fighters who are less financially secure than themselves, much respect.

I'm with you guys - very classy move. I feel like if I were in that position I would be angry at Smith for deliberately missing weight, and therefore not even consider giving him back that money. For Ward to do that shows that he's a bigger man than me. You can learn from an act like this. I think because he punished him enough in the ring, he felt sorry for smith, plus paul smith comes across well and i have no doubt he apologised sincerely to them before ward handed the money back. If he would have caused ward trouble, maybe ward would have kept it due to it being a tougher fight but that wasn't the case. Not taking anything away from ward, hes a classy guy, and exceptional fighter cant wait to see the big fights now.

Exactly. Why reward a guy so unprofessional? Especially when everyone around here has been complaining of boxers not making weight lately.

I agree. Smith was thoroughly unprofessional. He shouldn't get any concession for that. Exactly. Why reward a guy so unprepared and untrained? In fact Smith jeopardized the Whole Card with his unprofessionalism. SMH.

Stupid move. Smith did not honour his contract and Ward just approved it. This sends a bad precedent. If Ward did not want the Money, he should have donated them to the Weight-Watchers instead. I agree. Smith was thoroughly unprofessional. He shouldn't get any concession for that.

Stupid move. Smith did not honour his contract and Ward just approved it. This sends a bad precedent. If Ward did not want the Money, he should have donated them to the Weight-Watchers instead.

Lol, how can anyone honestly find fault in a such a kind gesture? dude this is boxing scene, it don't matter what a boxer does, there's always going to be some hate a boxer could singlehandedly save the earth from an alien attack but if he gets knocked down by one of them in the process they'll say that his chin is glass and that the alien took his soul and advise him to retire

I think he understands Paul Smith situation Hes a fallen fighter who was just inches away from being World champ but never quite got there, probably not of a lack of hardwork but sometimes you just gotta deal with the cards you've been dealt. Hes no superstar unlike Andre Ward relatively speaking. Ward is a human being and he understands hardship just like Paul. Life goes beyond the ring, boxers are just people at the end of the day.

Ward is a deep dude..great gesture by him

He figure the ass whooping was punishment enough. Props to ward though classy thing to do