ANDRE WARD, now the IBF, WBO and WBA light-heavyweight champion, has indicated that, rather than defend his place at the top of the division, he is actually considering retiring.
After winning a close decision against Sergey Kovalev in November, there is great interest in a rematch. But in an interview with Rolling Stone, Ward indicated that he might not fight again. “I really just got to take my time right now because I really don’t have to fight anymore,” Andre said. “I’ve accomplished pretty much everything that I’ve wanted to accomplish.”
Ward is satisfied with his performance against Kovalev, despite having to pick himself up after Kovalev dropped him heavily early in the fight. “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,” he continued.
But the American’s victory over the Russian was not well received. Boxing News saw it as an excellent, close fight but thought Ward deserved the win. The decision was not outrageous though it was lambasted by other media outlets. Read the Boxing News editor’s take on that here.
Ward also commented on that subject. “It’s just amazing to me that – and I’m not just talking fans, I’m talking boxing media – that it was some kind of robbery or that we didn’t deserve to win,” he said.
“If we did the rematch it would be more just to silence Kovalev and silence his team and to just put a stamp on the rivalry we had. It would be more of a personal thing to me.”
