Andre Ward needed nine rounds Saturday to stop British journeyman Paul Smith in their non-title bout Saturday in Oakland, but Ward needed only about a minute to establish that ring rust would not be a problem in his first fight since November 2013 and only his second since September 2012.
Ward (28-0, 15 knockouts), who had been ranked No. 2 in the world in The Ring magazine?s pound-for-pound rankings until promotional difficulties led to a long layoff, established his jab Saturday in the opening 20 seconds, turned a couple of the jabs into left hooks, and eventually landed a sharp right cross before the first round had ended.
That set the tone for a thoroughly one-sided bout in which Smith came in at a portly 184 pounds. They were contracted to fight at a catch weight of 172, but Smith (35-6) weighed in at 176.5 on Friday and was fined $30,000. When he failed to make the re-hydration limit of 181 Saturday, he was fined another $30,000.
It was a card that didn?t need more obstacles, what with fledgling promoter Roc Nation fighting inattention in the shadow of the Golden State Warriors? NBA title and Friday?s parade in Oakland. The bout also had an unfamiliar television home, BET, although the announcers were the Bay Area?s Barry Tompkins and former featherweight champion Kevin Kelley.
The bout also was up against an attractive welterweight bout, televised less than hour earlier, in which former welterweight champion Shawn Porter was too busy for overstuffed lightweight Adrien Broner and scored a unanimous decision victory.
If the bulk was supposed to give Smith some sort of power advantage over Ward, it was never apparent. Smith landed only one telling blow, a counter right early in the seventh round.
Despite Smith?s defensive posture most of the bout, Ward was able to pierce the defense and did not hesitate to follow his jabs with the looping right. He landed 231 punches to Smith?s 46, and the fight seemed more lopsided than that tally implies.
Nevertheless, Smith was able to defend himself until Ward went for the kill in the ninth, landing ever-cleaner blows , including a huge right, before Smith?s corner threw in the towel.
The stoppage was only Ward?s second since his 2009 technical knockout victory over Mikkel Kessler in the momentous opening-round upset victory in Showtime?s Super Six tournament. The other was his resounding knockout of Chad Dawson at Oracle Arena in 2012.
It?s unfortunate that Ward has accomplished so little since then, but Saturday he seemed to be fully back in business.
Some of the lively vibe at Oracle was recaptured Saturday, thanks to Roc Nation?s hip-hop infused program surrounding the main event, with Warriors star Stephen Curry and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick leading the cheers.
Ward seems poised to recapture the rest, pound-for-pound ranking and all.
