Andre Ward had two shock opponents lined up from the UK on his hit list before calling time on his career
Former super-middleweight king and light-heavyweight conqueror Andre Ward has revealed that he was eyeing up two potential opponents before he decided to call an arguably premature time on his career aged just 33-years-old.
Ward stood atop the booming 168lb scene during the 2010’s, defeating the likes of Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham before stepping up and stopping a prime Sergey Kovalev at light-heavyweight, in a pair of generational performances at 175lbs.
Yet, shortly after those impressive nights, Ward shockingly announced his retirement from the sport, much to the disappointment of fans around the globe.
In an interview with TalkSPORT, the ‘Son of God’ claimed that he had two names in mind at the point at which he hang up the gloves, both being Brits in higher weight-classes that he believes he would have triumphed over.
“I just fought the biggest name in the division, I’m not going backwards. So there was nothing left at 175lbs.
“If I’d stayed around it was going to cruiserweight, I was going to target Tony Bellew, I know he would’ve took the fight.
“And once I’d felt that at 200lbs and got my feet underneath me, I would’ve gone after Anthony Joshua.
“I don’t see a problem with me fighting and beating Joshua because I would’ve worn him down.
“I’m not standing there for you to hit me, and if you did land I believe I would’ve took the right hand.
“I was gonna find a way and I think it would’ve been a lot easier than people realise.”
Had Ward beaten Anthony Joshua he would become just the second fighter to have won a world title at super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight, with Roy Jones Jr the only man to have achieved the astounding accomplishment.