Andre Ward: ‘I Knew Going Into Kovalev 2 That Was My Last Fight’ | Virgil Hunter Part 2

Picking up where Part 1 left off, Virgil and Andre go all the way through the pro career. The 2004 Staples Center debut. The knockdown by Darnell Boone that nearly cost him an HBO deal. The frantic red-eye to Germany to lock in the Super Six tournament and opening the bracket against Mikkel Kessler at home, plus the collision course with Andre Dirrell that Bumper kept saying wouldn’t happen — and the moment Andre’s mind shifted on his own friend. Skipping Lucian Bute, beating Chad Dawson, and the two-year lawsuit that almost derailed everything.

Then the Kovalev story like it’s never been told. Virgil admits he was a fan of Sergey Kovalev before him and Dre ever fought. The knee that swelled to three times its size in training camp and ultimately getting it drained two hours before he walked to the ring. Getting up off the canvas in Round 2 and closing like a champion, and the decision the critics still argue about — and Andre’s full response to all of it.

And then, for the first time on tape, Andre reveals he knew going into the second Kovalev fight that it was his last fight — and never told Virgil. The phone call from Jack London Square the night before he announced his retirement. Virgil’s response, the investment lessons, the jewelry-vs-houses speech, and why Virgil refuses to be the old coach on a stump watching one of his fighters take brain damage for a paycheck.

Part 2 of 2. If you missed Part 1, go back and watch the origin story.

0:00 – Intro: From the Streets to the Pro Game
1:40 – The Super Six Tournament & Moving to 168 lbs
3:34 – Facing Mikkel Kessler: Setting the Tone
5:22 – Patterns of Success: The Journey & God’s Plan
6:23 – Financial Wisdom & Having an Exit Strategy
13:45 – Virgil’s Training Philosophy & Locker Room Rules
21:20 – Keeping Fighters Focused & Blocking Distractions
23:00 – Cleaning Out Super Middleweight & Moving to 175
25:20 – Preparing for Sergey Kovalev: The 3-Fight Plan
27:40 – Knee Injury & Doubt Before the Kovalev Fight
29:43 – Walking to the Ring: Confidence Despite the Injury
30:07 – The Knockdown & Corner Adjustments vs. Kovalev
32:06 – Breaking Down the Kovalev Win & Critics
34:04 – The Rematch & Kovalev’s Decline
42:32 – Ward’s Retirement Decision
44:13 – Knowing When It’s Over: The Mindset of Retiring on Top
46:22 – Financial Lessons for Young Fighters
49:18 – The Danger of Eroding Skills & Spending Your Prime
51:38 – Retiring When You’ve Proven Everything
55:06 – Missing the Gym & Staying Away After Retirement

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