Undefeated Champ Andre Ward Retires, Desire No Longer There
By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Light heavyweight champion Andre Ward is retiring from boxing with an undefeated record because he no longer has the desire to fight.
The 33-year-old Ward released a statement on his website Thursday titled "Mission Accomplished ." He says his body now cannot withstand the "rigors of the sport," and he shouldn't keep fighting if he can't give it his all.
Ward has won all 32 of his fights, with 16 knockouts. He won the Olympic gold medal as a light heavyweight in 2004. Ward won the WBA super middleweight title in 2009 and unified that title in 2011.
He won the light heavyweight title in a unanimous decision against Sergey Kovalev in 2016 and then beat Kovalev more decidedly in a rematch in June that was stopped in the eighth round.
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