Andre Ward will return after a 19-month layoff when he takes on Paul Smith at Oracle Arena in Oakland in a bout that will be televised by BET, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.
“We’re thrilled to not only be introducing our newest broadcast partnership with BET Networks, but also to use this new platform to telecast Andre Ward’s highly anticipated return to the ring,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division. “On June 20, we will once again provide fans a night of exciting ‘throne boxing’ fights, live musical entertainment and an unprecedented fan experience.”
Said Stephen G. Hill, BET’s president of programming, “BET is constantly searching for ways to expand its portfolio of content with the sole goal of satisfying our audiences. Roc Nation is doing very exciting things in the entertainment space and we are excited to partner with them on this groundbreaking deal positioning BET Networks as a go-to destination for premier live boxing events. Together, we’ll provide unique entertainment.”
“I’m very excited to be coming back on June 20 at Oracle Arena in my hometown of Oakland, which has been a long time coming,” Ward said. “I’m equally excited to be fighting on BET in front of a potential viewership of over 90 million homes. As a fighter, this diversifies my portfolio and puts me in front of a whole different audience. I have an extremely tough fighter in front of me in Paul Smith, who’s looking to pull the upset, but I can’t let that happen.
“I have to be on my best game to turn Smith away and beat him the way I want to beat him. As always, I’m ready to put on a tremendous performance in front of my hometown fans and those watching on BET. This is a fight you don’t want to miss.”
“I cannot wait to get back in the ring and test myself against a class act like Andre Ward,” Smith said. “I proved that I belong at the top level with my performances against Arthur Abraham and this is a challenge that I am relishing. Andre is a top pound-for-pound fighter and someone I respect a lot, but he has only boxed once in almost three years and I will give it everything I have got.
“I am fresh and confident going into this fight. It’s a massive opportunity for me and one that I took with both hands when it was offered. I have spent a lot of time boxing in the United States and I look forward to returning for this fight.”
