So Why Did Ward Retire?

[GrandpaBernard]

The injuries like others mentioned. He said in the first Kovalev fight, he had a knee injury that didn't allow him to run like he wanted to in that camp.

reminds me of Floyd saying his body was breaking down

this Was back in 2007

I guess wear and tear is heavy for the guys who train super hard

[Larry the boss]

reminds me of Floyd saying his body was breaking down

this Was back in 2007

I guess wear and tear is heavy for the guys who train super hard

yep and it starts early..hard workers have to have people around them who keep them healthy

[Boxing-1013]

I think he didn't have a ton of (money) options after Kov 2. Just tough fights for not great pay. Beterbiev at that time would have been a hellacious fight, for no real money, and no real legacy benefits.

Ward was shady as hell and overrated imo but he was tough and smart, both in the ring and out. He knew it was time to go. He tried to pull off the AJ fight and hell if Ruiz beat him, why not. That would have been a worthwhile money/legacy fight.

[LeOoze]

I honestly think he did everything he could. He retired as an undefeated ATG.

[Boxing-1013]

I honestly think he did everything he could. He retired as an undefeated ATG.

Eh, if we are going to co-sign that Kov 1 result, we may as well just stop caring about official results altogether

[GhostofDempsey]

For one thing, he had that ROC Nation money. Earned about $12.5M+ for the two Kovalev fights.

Pound-for-pound king and unified light heavyweight world titleholder Andre Ward said in a statement on his website that he is "leaving" boxing.

"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," the statement said. "If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting."

“People see what I do fight night," he said. "They see under the lights, but they don't see the toil, they don't see the grind, they don't see just the pain, the physical pain that you go through, not just in the fights, but to prepare and to get ready for those battles.

"I felt the physicality of the sport, not just in the ring stuff, but the training and the preparation, start to take its toll on me for the last two or three years, and I bit down and continued to push through, and at this point, it's time, and I know it's time."

[LeOoze]

Eh, if we are going to co-sign that Kov 1 result, we may as well just stop caring about official results altogether

I had Ward winning the Kov 1 fight. It was a razor close fight but I scored it for Ward.

[Boxing-1013]

I had Ward winning the Kov 1 fight. It was a razor close fight but I scored it for Ward.

lol.......man what's the point of even scoring fights

[GrandpaBernard]

For one thing, he had that ROC Nation money. Earned about $12.5M+ for the two Kovalev fights.

Pound-for-pound king and unified light heavyweight world titleholder Andre Ward said in a statement on his website that he is "leaving" boxing.

"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," the statement said. "If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting."

“People see what I do fight night," he said. "They see under the lights, but they don't see the toil, they don't see the grind, they don't see just the pain, the physical pain that you go through, not just in the fights, but to prepare and to get ready for those battles.

"I felt the physicality of the sport, not just in the ring stuff, but the training and the preparation, start to take its toll on me for the last two or three years, and I bit down and continued to push through, and at this point, it's time, and I know it's time."

Ward is wise

and could keep his ego under control

glad to see him still giving to the boxing world even in retirement

[bballchump11]

reminds me of Floyd saying his body was breaking down

this Was back in 2007

I guess wear and tear is heavy for the guys who train super hard

Yeah good analogy there. I think he would have came back for the right fight within a reasonable amount of time. Canelo could be it, but Ward probably thinks it's been too long now.