WBA Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO’s) will return to the ring on June 20th after a layoff of more than a year-and-a-half to face Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO’s) at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. The fight will be televised on the BET network and will be Ward’s first fight since signing with Jay Z’s Roc Nation promotional outfit.
Ward had a famous legal falling-out with his previous promoter, the late Dan Goosen. Since Jay Z has jumped into boxing, following successful representation of athletes in other sports, Ward is his biggest signing.
Oakland is Ward’s hometown and Oracle is currently the madhouse home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors who posted the league’s best record and are engaged in playoff action.
Prior to the layoff, Ward had beaten Edwin Rodriguez via unanimous decision in November of 2013. Smith is coming off of back-to-back unsuccessful challenges of Arthur Abraham’s WBO World Super Middleweight title, the most recent happening in February.
