In boxing, it’s rare to retire unbeaten, but for Andre Ward, his decision to walk away as the pound-for-pound number came as a massive surprise.
Enjoying just 13 years in the ring as a professional, Olympic gold medal-winning boxer, Ward enjoyed one of the most dominant runs in the squared circle in recent years.
And calling time on his career back in 2017 — at the very pinnacle of the sport, Ward sent shockwaves throughout the roots of boxing, especially as he was considered one of the greatest super middleweight fighters of all time.
Below, let’s delve into the life and career of Andre Ward.
Who is Andre Ward?
Andre Ward is a former professional boxer who competed from 2004 until his retirement back in 2017. A former unified super middleweight and light heavyweight champion during his tenure in the ring, Ward also topped the pound-for-pound rankings at the time of his retirement.
Why is Andre Ward nicknamed ‘S.O.G.’?
A practising Christian, Ward used the nickname ‘S.O.G.’ during his professional career in the ring — an abbreviation for ‘Son of God’ due to his religious beliefs.
How old is Andre Ward?
Ward was born on February 23, 1984, in San Francisco, California and is currently 41 years of age at the time of publication. At the time of his retirement back in 2017, Ward was aged just 33.
Andre Ward’s Olympic Games record
Ward competed at the light heavyweight limit at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Making his way to the final, Ward took on Belarus-born opponent, Magomed Aripgadjiev where he won via points (20-13).
Why did Andre Ward retire?
Back in 2017, Ward announced his official retirement from professional boxing with immediate effect, to much surprise. Back in 2021, Ward was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Boasting light heavyweight crowns and the pound-for-pound number one rank at the time of his retirement, Ward, who was 33 at the time, revealed wear and tear on his body through years of competition and training led him to call time on his career.
How much money did Andre Ward make?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ward currently boasts an impressive net worth of $8 million.
During his ultimate swansong, Ward earned $5.5 million for his first title fight with Sergey Kovalev, before then earning $6.5 million for his rematch win over the Russian star.
Andre Ward’s professional boxing record
Retiring unbeaten, Ward’s record in professional boxing sits at 32-0. Winning both super middleweight and light heavyweight gold, Ward turned in notable victories over the likes of Kovalev, as well as Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Sakio Bika, and Arthur Abraham, to name a few.
Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev II
Having turned in a unanimous judging win over Russian veteran, Kovalev to win the WBA, WBO, and IBF light heavyweight championship in 2016, an immediate rematch between Ward and the former was slated for the following year.
Simply billed as The Rematch, Ward and Kovalev met in Las Vegas, this time with The Ring crown up for grabs.
And going one better, Ward stopped Kovalev with an eighth-round knockout win in what would come as his final venture to the squared circle.
Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch
Back in 2011, Ward met with British boxing star, Carl Froch in the finale of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament, putting his WBA super middleweight title on the line.
And competing for the WBC and The Ring super middleweight crowns, Ward would once more prevail — this time in unanimous decision fashion.
Starting brightly and actively against Froch early in the fight, Ward was caught to some degree in the latter half of proceedings, riding out a decision win against a big name.
Andre Ward vs. Mikkel Kessler
An eye-catching pairing just two years prior saw Ward battle with Danish veteran, Mikkel Kessler in another appearance at the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament.
Matching up with former super middleweight kingpin, Kessler in the group one bracket, an accidental clash of heads in the penultimate round saw Ward take home a technical decision win over the Dane on home soil in Oakland, California.