Newly crowned WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (Oakland, Calif.) has enjoyed a meteoric ascent to the top of the boxing world, and on Wednesday, January 6, the 25-year-old titlist will share his formula for success with local youth at two Bay Area Juvenile Detention Centers. The presentations will take place in conjunction with Knock Out Dog Fighting 501 (c)(3), a charity Ward has partnered with in an effort to combat the nationwide problem of dog fighting and animal abuse.
“It’s important that we reach out and embrace our youth in order to help them discover the greatness that lies within each of them,” Ward said. “Many young people struggle with several issues that we can’t begin to imagine. They need all of us, and we can’t give up on them. We have to care for them, motivate and inspire them to dream again.”
Ward will start at the Santa Clara County Juvenile Detention Center, where he will speak to over 125 juvenile detainees about animal cruelty and a range of other topics, including; overcoming adversity, self-discipline and positive decision making. Ward will give his second presentation at the William F. James Ranch before approximately 90 juveniles who are convicted of violent crimes. He will be joined by representatives from Knock Out Dog Fighting, the Santa Clara County District Attorney, members from the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force and agents from the F.B.I.
The presentation is Ward’s first since he claimed the WBA Super Middleweight World title on November 21st. The 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist won the WBA crown with a unanimous technical decision victory over Mikkel Kessler at the Oracle Arena, Oakland, Calif., in front of his hometown crowd. The bout was Ward’s first in the Showtime Super Six World Boxing Classic, solidifying him as one of the international tournament’s favorites. He is scheduled to return to the ring in April for his second fight of the round-robin, points-based competition.
