Undefeated Andre Ward used a steady left hook to repeatedly score and unanimously outpointed Alexander Brand to take the WBO Intercontinental light heavyweight championship on Saturday night.
Ward (30-0) was never seriously threatened by Brand (25-2), the 39-year-old Colombian who lost for the first time since 2012.
Ward stunned Brand early and opened a small cut over his right eye while winning every round. All three judges had the fight 120-112 for Ward.
Photo: AFP
“We knew this guy was going to be really, really hard to knock out,” Ward said. “I tried to press it, didn’t get it, but it was good to get the reps.”
Ward is in position for a long-anticipated matchup with unified light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev. That fight has already been penciled in for Nov. 19 in Las Vegas.
That would be Ward’s third fight in a eight months, overtime for a boxer who fought only three times from 2012 to last year.
“I’m excited,” Ward said. “I had to get past this step, [Kovalev] had to get past his step. If I’m not ready to fight the best now, I’ll never be ready.”
Like he was when Ward beat Sullivan Barrera in March, Kovalev was in attendance at Oracle Arena and sat with his mother near ringside for the fight with Brand.
After the fight Kovalev joined Ward in the ring and the two men shook hands in what might be their last friendly exchange before the expected showdown in Las Vegas.
“He showed that he’s ready,” Kovalev later told reporters. “Alexander was an uncomfortable style for him, but Andre had a good fight.”
Ward and Brand were scheduled to fight in November last year before Brand pulled out with a leg injury, while Ward went on to beat Sullivan Barrera in a unanimous decision in March.
The nine-month delay to get to Brand hardly seemed to matter for the three-time world champion.
Ward was patient early, plodding forward and working out of clenches, while Brand missed wildly with a pair of left hooks in the first round.
That was the ongoing theme for much of the fight — the 39-year-old Colombian comfortable trying to tie Ward up with clenches, while Ward continually fought his way out.
Brand’s best punch was a light left in the third that glanced off Ward’s forehead.
Ward broke through late in the fourth when he landed a left hook to Brand’s jaw then followed it up with a combination.
The 2004 Olympic gold medalist scored with a left hook again in the fifth then changed up to a southpaw style and continued to score at will.
Brand, who appeared to get cut over his right eye by a Ward left in the fifth, landed two straight rights in the eighth, but Ward brushed them off and shook his head.
It was a frustrating night for Brand, whose only other loss came against WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack in 2012.
Brand slipped on a slick area of the mat and fell on his back at one point, then later got his right hand caught in the strap connecting the ring ropes while trying to throw a punch.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care