Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that WBA Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward has re-signed with his co-promoters Goossen-Tutor and Antonio Leonard as well as re-inking a deal with manager James Prince.
“In Dan (Goossen), I have a very strong promoter, two promoters actually, Antonio Leonard and Dan, and a strong manager,” Ward said. “I have a great coach (Virgil Hunter), who has been with me from day one. We’ve got a strong foundation, strong stability and as we keep going to the top it’s only going to get stronger, and I am happy to say that we signed an extension to our promotional deal.
“I think it was pretty much a no brainer because not only is Dan a West Coast guy and so am I, but we have chemistry, and that’s big. So I am thankful for that today and I am proud to be announcing that news.”
“Andre is that special individual that has grown immensely inside the ring as well as outside of it,” Goossen said. “He’s someone that I am very proud to be associated with not only in business, but in life. He is somebody that shows the strength and gumption to go out there and talk the talk and walk the walk.”
Goossen said their agreement would have expired “near the end of the year.”
“Andre is a special young man because he’s a man of values and I just think he has all the talent in the world,” Goossen said. “It’s an exciting time for our company and for Andre.”
“I am living the dream right now by being a champion of the world to defend my title the way I have been defending it and just to have the team that I have behind me right now,” Ward said. “It’s a very strong team that doesn’t have a lot of problems in house and when it comes to boxing that is very rare. As a team, and as an individual, we are right where we need to be.”
Ward also signed an endorsement with Everlast.
“Andre Ward is the perfect brand ambassador for Everlast,” said Matt Cowan, vice president of marketing and products for Everlast. “He is a champion in every sense of the word . . . His accomplishments in the ring speak for themselves and aside from being a world class athlete, we consider Andre a world class human being.”
