Legendary Andre Ward once claimed he could beat anyone who smoked or drank in last 10 years during his prime

Retired professional boxer Andre Ward once claimed that he could beat any boxer who smokes or drinks.

Legendary Andre Ward once claimed he could beat anyone who smoked or drank in last 10 years during his prime

Andre Ward (image credit- Bleacher Report)

Andre Ward is widely considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of his era, with an undefeated record of 32-0. Subsequently, Ward also had an impressive amateur career before turning professional. In addition, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Subsequently, Ward went on to have a successful professional career, competing in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Ward knew as a kid that his mother was addicted to crack and that his father was addicted to heroin. However, as he grew older, things seemed to improve. However, Andre Ward’s father relapsed and overdosed on heroin, and he was found dead with a syringe in his hand. Hence, Ward developed a strong stance against substance abuse, which can be seen in a tweet where he stated:

made up my mind when I was active ....that if you smoked or drank in the last 10yrs....you weren’t going to beat me. That’s just how I felt.
YouTube video

Having two parents who were addicted to drugs and a troubled teenage life led Ward to sell drugs and lose his dad before he ever had a professional fight. However, these circumstances motivated Ward and catapulted his journey into greatness after he developed a strong stance against substances.

Furthermore, Ward’s father encouraged him to play baseball and boxing from a young age and would often work out with him. Hence, if it weren’t for his guidance, Ward would have never become a Hall of Fame boxer in the future.

Andre Ward is ready to come out of retirement for Jake Paul 

Ward hasn’t fought since he beat Sergey Kovalev in their rematch in 2017 via a TKO, after which Ward retired. In their first bout, Ward was announced as the winner after a controversial split decision. Subsequently, Ward continued with his decision to stay in retirement even after high-profile fights with Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin arose.

Jake Paul and Andre Ward
Jake Paul and Andre Ward (image credit- IMAGO)

However, Ward has announced that he would still like to fight one last time and can come out of retirement. In addition, the former Light Heavyweight Champion addressed the possibility of a return on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. Subsequently, Ward expressed his interest in a match with the celebrity boxer Jake Paul.

Ward stated that he does not intend to make a mockery of his heritage or professional boxing career. However, Ward is ready to fight a professional bout or an exhibition fight with Paul in the future.

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