American · Oakland, USA · Born 23 February 1984Andre Ward retired undefeated at 32-0, becoming a unified champion at super middleweight and light heavyweight.
Andre Michael Ward was born on 23 February 1984 in San Francisco, California, and began boxing at nine years old, growing up in Oakland, California, and being inspired by his father, Frank, an undefeated amateur boxer. He compiled an outstanding 115-5 amateur record, winning two U.S. national championships, before claiming light heavyweight gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, becoming the last American man to win an Olympic boxing gold medal for well over a decade afterward. Ward turned professional later that year and developed into one of the most technically complete and defensively sound fighters of his generation, rising to prominence through the 2009 Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament, in which he defeated Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch among others to unify the super middleweight titles. Ward, nicknamed "S.O.G." (Son of God) for his devout Christian faith, moved up to light heavyweight and defeated Sergey Kovalev twice, in 2016 and a more decisive 2017 rematch, to unify the championship at 175 pounds. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 2011 and ranked the world's top pound-for-pound boxer by multiple outlets during his light heavyweight reign. Ward retired undefeated in September 2017 with a professional record of 32 wins, citing the physical toll the sport had taken on his body, and has since worked as a boxing broadcaster and briefly appeared in the film Creed and its sequel, playing a role that echoed his own standing as one of boxing's most respected champions.
Undefeated two-division unified world champion; 2004 Olympic gold medalist
How They Played
Technical boxer with excellent defense and ring IQ
Lasting Impact
Retired undefeated with victories over elite competition
Career Honours
- 2004 Olympic gold medal
- Ring Magazine No.1 pound-for-pound 2016-17
American Athletes