OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Undefeated Andre Ward used a steady left hook to repeatedly score and unanimously outpointed Alexander Brand to take the WBO Intercontinental light heavyweight championship Saturday night.
Ward (30-0) was never seriously threatened by Brand (25-2), the 39-year-old Colombian who lost for the first time since 2012. Ward stunned Brand early and opened a small cut over his right eye while winning every round
All three judges had the fight 120-112 for Ward.
Ward is in position for a long-anticipated matchup with unified light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev. That fight has already been penciled in for Nov. 19 in Las Vegas.
That would be Ward’s third fight in a eight months, overtime for a boxer who fought only three times from 2012 to 2015.
