BN: Six-and-a-half years into retirement, do you miss being an energetic fighter?
AW: Man, in fact I miss it. Not on a regular basis, although. Not on a regular basis. Most days I’m content material with the choice I made and proud of my life after boxing. I’m very, very relieved that I’m not on the clock anymore. Even when there’s not a battle developing, my thoughts was at all times, “Okay, what I gotta do now? I can’t eat this; I gotta be certain that my weight doesn’t get too excessive”. I’m now not taking a look at my watch, having to get to a boxing health club, and that’s a aid. However there are weeks, and there are days, after I very a lot wanna be again in that grind and wanna get my group collectively and I wanna undergo one other mission and see what occurs.
The vast majority of my days I’m at peace and I’m at relaxation. My determination wasn’t haphazard. It took numerous thought – it took years. It was years that I thought of retirement. My plan was to retire on high. I studied Jim Brown’s retirement, from the Cleveland Browns – American soccer participant. I studied George Foreman and the way he walked away, and I do know he got here again after 10 years, however he left on his personal phrases; he did issues his method. Rocky Marciano’s life was minimize brief however I checked out him retiring undefeated. I wished to depart this fashion, however really doing it, staying away, has been one of many hardest issues I’ve ever needed to do. I realised in retirement that my greatest battle and my greatest opponent wasn’t anybody particular person, it was the game itself, and I’m very motivated to beat the game and never be one other statistic or one other particular person or fighter that folks say, “You gotta be taught from him and don’t make the identical errors”.
I stepped away from ESPN – my contract was up – so proper now I’m not broadcasting. [But] recent in retirement I labored for HBO; then the ESPN factor got here. It was pivotal to be that shut however not be within the ring. I nonetheless get a few of the feels, being across the fighters; strolling within the enviornment; listening to the followers. That was wanted, as a result of it’s a detox – you possibly can’t do one thing like boxing for 20-odd years after which simply shut the door and by no means be round it ever once more. I needed to slowly get it out of my system. I’ll at all times have a chunk in boxing. I don’t know what my subsequent transfer goes to be however boxing’s at all times going to be part of my life. It’s given me a life that I by no means thought was potential, and I’ll be without end grateful for the game and at all times wanna give again to youthful fighters.
BN: What’s the closest you’ve come to returning?
AW: After “Canelo” [Saul Alvarez] fought [in 2019, Sergey] Kovalev, there was numerous clamour about us combating as a result of it was a standard opponent, and the clamour has continued to be there due to that frequent opponent. But it surely’s attention-grabbing no one ever talked about us combating earlier than Kovalev. Proper in regards to the time I at the very least was open to it. “If he calls my title or makes a push for this, that’s one thing I’m interested by”, and he simply didn’t do it. I used to be at a crossroads at that second, and I selected to go on ESPN and reaffirm, “I’m retired, and I’m going to remain that method”. That’s the closest I’ve ever come.
There’s at all times individuals fishing and asking questions. “What would it not take to get you again?” For this reason it’s onerous to stroll away. You’ve bought individuals pushing and prodding and poking; attempting to see if the choice you made was real. I gotta inform ‘em, “I’m content material, and I’m proud of my life”. That is the opposite factor – the transition isn’t seamless. As a lot as I believed I’d ready and thought I used to be prepared, you’re not as ready or prepared as you thought you have been. That doesn’t imply I did the fallacious factor; it means it’s lots more durable than I believed. The important thing takeaway for me is I’m a person who’s at all times had a mission, and most of my mission was to battle; to defend and construct what I had. You need to take that very same drive and refocus it to a different factor. I haven’t stopped shifting, whether or not it’s the documentary [The Book of Ward]; whether or not it’s the e book [Killing The Image]; being a youth pastor; elevating my household. I discover myself having totally different missions and you need to refocus the mind.
[Fighting Tony Bellew, then Anthony Joshua] didn’t get shut in any respect as a result of I retired three months after I fought Kovalev, so it didn’t have an opportunity to catch any steam. Bellew known as my title after considered one of his fights in 2018, and I used to be on the set filming The Contender, and that bought my juices flowing a bit bit, however it by no means materialised. These two fights by no means bought to a negotiation or something like that. But when I’d have stayed round they’d have, as a result of that’s who we have been focusing on.
[Financial security] is a significant part. I’m doing very, very properly for myself – my life-style hasn’t modified in retirement, and the aim is to maintain it that method. I’ve earned an amazing residing with out throwing a punch or taking a punch, and I don’t discuss lots about that – I don’t put it in entrance of the world’s eyes – however I’ve been very, very blessed in retirement and it has nothing to do with me throwing a punch or taking a punch, and that was the aim all alongside.
BN: How would you might have tried to beat Anthony Joshua?
AW: My fluidity, and my bodily energy – I do know no one can think about me having the ability to go energy for energy with Joshua due to his measurement and the best way he seems to be, however I don’t assume I’d have been overpowered from a bodily standpoint. The important thing factor would have been my motion and my inside combating, imagine it or not, and my aim would have been to put on him down. He has a rocket proper hand that could be very, very sturdy – if you happen to stand in line for it. I don’t see a complete lot outdoors of that. His most pure punch is the fitting hand. It’d have been a harmful proposition since you don’t wanna get hit with that with a man that measurement. It’d have been to put on him down spherical after spherical after spherical and keep away from his huge photographs in return. I might have let the battle come to me. I’d positively have been attempting to win. I’ve by no means had issues with greater fighters – by no means. Amateurs; professionals; sparring; I’ve at all times finished higher towards guys that have been bodily huge, or taller than me. It wasn’t a “gimme” battle, however I’d have come out on high.
BN: How a lot does your future well being concern you?
AW: I’m not gonna say I fear about my well being. I’ve thought of it sometimes, as a result of I’ve a household, and also you assume long-term – I’ve been boxing for a really, very very long time. However I’m grateful for being taught the craft and taught the fitting method, and even that – you’re gonna get hit and take some stage of punishment. God’s bought numerous work for me to do, and I can’t do this work if I’m tousled within the ring. I at all times knew I’d be tremendous if I finished on the proper time. We did that. I can’t get the sparring periods and difficult fights again however I’m assured I’m gonna reside an extended life and assist lots of people out alongside the best way. I’m very proactive [at monitoring my health].
Ward attends the battle between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia at T-Cell Area on April 22, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada (Mindy Small/Getty Photos)
BN: How essential to your general success was profitable Olympic gold at Athens 2004?
AW: It’s every thing, proper? I like to win, and I couldn’t think about life – although it’s an amazing achievement – with a silver or bronze. After I was a child it was, “I’m gonna win gold”. We by no means talked silver, or bronze. It was about profitable, and representing my nation, and after I come out of it I began to grasp how huge of a feat it really actually was, and that my title was within the historical past books with all-time greats, it doesn’t matter what I did as knowledgeable – that’s when it hits you.
I couldn’t think about life [without] that gold medal. If that was my street, I imagine it could have labored out – it could have been more durable; it’d have taken longer for me to get to sure pay and alternatives; it opened numerous doorways for me – however I couldn’t think about a professional profession with out it.
BN: How essential was getting into the Tremendous Six?
AW: That was a really dangerous proposition, in hindsight. I may have folded in that event. I simply may have been taken out by [in my first fight in it, Mikkel] Kessler. I hadn’t fought at that stage earlier than. He was a really, very, superb champion. It was a sink-or-swim second in my profession, and it was [via similarly tough opponents following in succession].
It made the entire world develop into believers. For those who don’t imagine that Andre Ward is the actual deal at that time limit, you’re simply hating. My flag within the sport was cemented. I nonetheless had fights that I needed to win [afterwards], however there’s no query about what I had. The one man that didn’t make it within the event, Lucien Bute – I gave Carl Froch that chance. That was my battle, however I didn’t assume it was proper for him to sit down on the surface and get the winner – he can get the man that was the runner up. Carl Froch by no means thanked me for that, by the best way. We went on to battle the light-heavyweight champion, Chad Dawson. It cemented that I belonged at that stage, and once you come out of one thing like you can solely be higher; you possibly can solely be harder, and more durable to beat.
BN: Who was the perfect you fought?
AW: Man, that’s one. There isn’t any finest – they’re totally different. They’re powerful for various causes. The hardest competitor that I’ve ever fought – the man that jogged my memory most of myself from an intangible standpoint and a man that doesn’t wanna stop, and also you gotta actually knock him out to show him away – can be Carl Froch. You are feeling the competitiveness about him. Kovalev was very, very sharp early on in our battle. Very crispy punches; very compact. He wasn’t the largest puncher however his punches have been very, very sharp and correct. However he didn’t have the identical drive and competitiveness that Froch had. I felt [Kovalev] break early in our first battle. “That is more durable than I believed – he’s not staying down after I knocked him down. What’s happening?” I by no means felt that about Froch. Some of the skilful needed to be Chad Dawson, and the toughest puncher was positively Edison Miranda – little doubt about that. The dirtiest fighter was Sakio Bika – he can have that award.
As a lot discuss as there was of my first battle [with Kovalev being controversial], that’s actually my crowning second. I needed to do one thing I’d by no means needed to do earlier than. Get off the canvas and are available from behind to beat that calibre of fighter. That’s the battle that sealed something for me about the kind of champion I used to be. I made a rookie mistake – we each noticed a chance for a proper hand, I had my left hand down, I took a half-step to the aspect to attempt to get leverage, he didn’t take that half-step, his proper hand was on the runway prepared, he launched his and bought there earlier than I bought there. The primary spherical and-a-half I used to be bit tight and considering – attempting to get my vary and determine issues out – and stunned at how sharp he was early on. He didn’t have a sense out course of. He was punching to get his rhythm and vary and I used to be considering and getting hit. After I went down, which sadly was the perfect factor that might have occurred to me, all bets have been off. I went from being shocked, to embarrassed, to indignant.
BN: Carl Froch was, final 12 months, inducted into the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame…
AW: He deserved it, for certain. Me and Carl have our banter backwards and forwards, and Carl is Carl – he’s gonna speak about himself; he’s gonna discuss in regards to the 80,000 [laughs]. It’s humorous, as a result of you understand how he’s and I don’t assume he may also help it. As a fighter, as a résumé and his physique of labor, I respect him as a result of he was not probably the most gifted man, by far, and it is a man who wrote down each exercise; who has booklets of each exercise; went about his craft the fitting method. He was very, very powerful; very, very sturdy. He believed in himself and had sufficient braveness to talk and put himself on the market – and more often than not he got here out on high. He completely deserves to be a hall-of-fame fighter, little doubt about it.
BN: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has succeeded you because the world’s finest super-middleweight. How good is he?
AW: He’s finished lots for the game. He has numerous fanfare; he has a rustic [Mexico] behind him; his marketability is thru the roof. The attention take a look at, and what you see – he’s a very, actually good fighter. The one drawback with Canelo is that due to the marketability and since he can promote out towards anyone, there’s no motivation to go and decide a few prime fighters to battle, and threat dropping your standing. I haven’t seen him towards the perfect, constantly, all through his profession, so he’s an excellent fighter – I simply don’t know the way good he’s. It’s related with [Gennady] Golovkin. Whenever you face a sure stage of competitors alongside the best way it’s, “Dude, you possibly can battle”. However I don’t know the way good – perhaps you wanted these different two or three fighters to carry out the perfect in you and we may have noticed you at one other stage. That’s my solely concern with Canelo. He’s a very good fighter; I like his model. He hundreds up lots; he may field a bit bit extra and conceal that energy a bit bit extra. However he’s been profitable; he’s made some huge cash. I simply don’t just like the choosing and selecting. You shouldn’t battle a high fighter each battle – that’s not sensible. However when that there’s a man on the market – there’s a pair proper now – I can’t assure he’s going to take these fights and threat all of it. His legacy is already set, however what’s gonna be the excuse? When you have the standing that he has, and there’s any person in your neighbourhood – at your weight class – you need to take care of him.
BN: Joe Calzaghe preceded you as the perfect. How good was he?
AW: Man, Calzaghe – he was one other man, a aggressive sort of particular person. He didn’t have numerous punching energy – threw 1,000,000 punches. At all times ready the fitting method; cherished the daddy [and trainer Enzo] doing it together with his dad, and he had that drive about him. He was a canine. I’ve nothing however respect for Calzaghe – he’s at all times finished it the fitting method.
BN: Would you might have crushed him?
AW: After all I imagine I’d have crushed him, however it wouldn’t have been straightforward. You gotta take care of the amount; you gotta take care of the angles; you gotta take care of the southpaw stance, and also you gotta discover a method. I’m a qualitative puncher over a qualitative puncher, and he’s the other – he’s punches in bunches, and I’m attempting to get my photographs in on the proper time, and preserve sufficient distance or smother you to chop down your punch counts. It’d have been an enchanting match-up.
The massive, one shot would have been my concern with Anthony Joshua. He doesn’t have the model – he’s not like a giant man, like George Foreman. George is aware of tie you up and stroll you again and put on you down. [Joshua’s] attempting to field and be cute as properly. I can look out for that proper hand lots simpler once you battle like that, so Joe Calzaghe would have been a harder battle. A special model, and a special mentality.
BN: How a lot does your success owe to your coach Virgil Hunter?
AW: I owe him lots. He’s greater than only a coach. He was an actual father determine. Key moments in my life, man – outdoors the ring – he saved me. Used his voice; used his phrases. His efforts to steer me again on the fitting path – to cease me from taking place the fallacious path too lengthy. You guys might by no means have had hall-of-famer Andre Ward. I give him immense credit score for what he’s given to my life and I’m simply grateful that we crossed paths.
He was the fitting match for me. In my e book I speak about how my father, Frank Ward, began me out, and my dad was an all-or-nothing form of man. “Throw the jab”, and if you happen to don’t do it, he’ll allow you to hear. As a younger child I might shut down and couldn’t carry out with that form of ridicule. He was sensible sufficient to go me on to Virg. Virg had a special method. Virg was very philosophical together with his method; very a lot in his head, and he made boxing enjoyable. I took what he initially gave me and took it to the subsequent stage. I wanted you to inspire me. I wanted you to provide me the fitting phrases on the proper time; assist me perceive the magnitude of the second; remind me who I’m and why I’m right here. Virg did these issues excellently. He was a grasp at realizing what to say to me battle week; proper earlier than a battle; in a nook. He knew what to say; when to say it.
BN: Why has the US struggled on the Olympics for therefore lengthy?
AW: It begins with USA Boxing. We’ve had an Olympic coach [Billy Walsh] for years now – he’s doing job – however through the years there’s been numerous turnover. The children don’t know who’s going to be their head coach from quad to quad; each 4 years. A number of that has to do with politics. That’s harm us. We’ve bought the perfect expertise on the planet, however we haven’t at all times proven it. It’s additionally a group effort. You’ve gotta pull on the alumni – individuals who have been there and finished that, to come back in and discuss to the children, as a part of the teaching workers, and provides again in ways in which they can provide again, as a result of the athletes will relate to those individuals. Possibly generally greater than the pinnacle coach. The mixture of not having stability, and never at all times having the fitting teaching scenario, together with not pulling on the alumni – which different nations do. That’s an issue. It’s hurting the athletes.
BN: What didn’t we see when the picture of you, Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford with Shakur Stevenson – earlier than Stevenson’s battle with Edwin de los Santos – was taken?
AW: It’s battle time for me, so I wasn’t actually doing numerous speaking. I used to be just about locked in – I really feel it lots after I bought individuals I’m near which might be combating. I get extra nervous for them than I did for myself. However Floyd simply got here to help – [Stevenson] has a relationship with Floyd; he clearly has a relationship with Terence Crawford. We didn’t anticipate to take that picture – it simply form of occurred. It’s simply individuals rallying round a younger fighter and attempting to provide again and present help.
He’s gonna take a bit bit from all people and he’s nonetheless attempting to determine it out. However he’s achieved lots alongside the best way. [Observers] overpassed that. He’s bought every thing it takes [to earn parity with the others in that photo].
You need to be very cautious to not pigeonhole all people, as a result of some don’t really feel this fashion. However I’m not going to behave like I haven’t confronted that; haven’t needed to area these questions, and be pressured – and it’s onerous to know what that strain is except you stroll in our sneakers for a younger African-American fighter – to be the subsequent Floyd Mayweather. That’s the type of leisure that lots of people wanna see, so, “I’ve to speak like Floyd; I’ve to show up like Floyd; All Entry; 24/7; no matter it’s, and I gotta discuss like that”. I don’t really feel like we’ve the fitting or the chance at occasions to be soft-spoken, be household males, or to go about our enterprise in a sure form of method – that’s deemed as boring. Then I see people that aren’t even from our nation that come right here, and earlier than they will discover their voice and discover their footing, numerous time’s the media’s talking for them. “He’s probably the most averted.” I’ve seen this happen for years. These are issues individuals don’t speak about or wanna speak about. They appear stunned after I carry it up. I don’t carry it up typically, however it’s a factor and it has been a factor, and all people, no matter what race or color they’re, ought to be capable of be themselves.