OAKLAND’S “PITCH MAN”: ANDRE WARD
World Champ Throws Ceremonial First Pitch at A’s-Twins Game to Promote June 19 Title Defense in “Super Six World Boxing Classic” at Oracle Arena
Photo credit: Oakland Athletics
– Undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) 168-pound champion and America’s last Olympic Gold Medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) made his “pitch” to his hometown fans in Oakland, CA to come out and support him when he defends his title against world-ranked contender Allan “Sweetness” Green (29-1, 20 KOs), of Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the Oracle Arena on Saturday night, June 19.
Featuring his best fastball while tossing the ceremonial first pitch in pre-game ceremonies held earlier today at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum prior to the A’s-Minnesota Twins baseball game Friday night, Ward proclaimed himself committed to continuing to represent his city and all of the Bay Area proudly by retaining his world title and, in the process, solidifying his spot in the Super Six World Boxing Classic on the SHOWTIME telecast.
“I can’t tell you what an honor it was to be able to throw out the first pitch at an A’s game,” Ward, an avid baseball fan, shared. “I am a big supporter of the A’s and all the Bay Area sports teams, and I look at myself as Oakland and the Bay Area’s pro boxing franchise since there is no such thing as a major league boxing team. So I go into each of my fights with that in mind and it gives me extra motivation to prepare and fight to the best of my ability. I take a great deal of pride in representing my home area as its only current world champion.
“With that in mind, I can assure all my fans that I could not be any more ready for my first world title defense against Allan Green on June 19th. He is a tough customer with an impressive record, and this could very well be the most exciting bout of the Super Six tournament. I hope you’ll all come out and root me on.”
Ward will be making the first defense of the WBA belt he won on a convincing, 11th round technical decision over Mikkel Kessler in the Super Six World Boxing Classic opener on November 21, 2009 at Oracle. A win over the hard-punching and big-talking Green – making his first appearance in the tournament since replacing Jermaine Taylor – would vault Ward into first place in the point standings and closer to a berth in the Semi-Finals.
Tickets for the June 19 Super Six World Boxing Classic are priced at $300, $150, $65 and $35 and are available at the Oracle Arena Box Office, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, CA 94621, Phone: (510) 569-2121 or online thru www.Ticketmaster.com.
The Ward-Green event is presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions, Antonio Leonard Productions and Di Bella Entertainment. The event is sponsored by Corona, Oakland Tribune and River Rock Casino.
