Middleweight champion Andre Ward, regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, has joined Roc Nation Sports. Ward has only fought twice in the past three years due to a protracted contract battle with Goossen Promotions. Tom Brown of Goossen Promotions told ESPN.com “That chapter is closed. I’ve moved on”.
“We have signed Andre Ward and it’s something we’re very excited about,” David Itskowitch, chief operating officer of Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division, told ESPN.com. “It’s just the beginning for us but it’s a game changer. He’s one of the best fighters in the world. Everything is coming together for us. On the same day we are having our first event, at Madison Square Garden, we are announcing our first really huge signing.”.
The signing of Ward comes one day after Roc Nation Sports completed a deal to buy promoter Gary Shaw’s company, an agreement under which it will take over most of his 20 or so fighter promotional contracts and see Shaw jointly run Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division along with Itskowitch.