Andre Ward: It was a stance I had to take

Roc Nation Sports hosted the final press conference for the June 20 showdown between Olympic Gold Medalist and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO's) and former World Title Challenger Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO's) on Wednesday, June 17 in front of City Hall in Oakland, California. Along with the main event participants, undercard fighters Meng Fanlong and Wang Zhimin were also in attendance. Other speakers included David Itskowitch (COO - Boxing Roc Nation Sports), James Prince (Ward Manager), Virgil Hunter (Ward Trainer), Joe Gallagher (Smith Trainer) and Lynette Gibson McElhaney (Council President - City of Oakland).

Here's what Andre Ward had to say:

Andre Ward

"As long as I have been boxing, I don't take any opportunity for granted. Especially after the last two years with what I had to go through. Some people know what the absence was about. Some people don't know. I was tied up in litigation with my former promoter. It was a stance I had to take. I believed in what I was fighting for. Sometimes when you make a stance you have to deal with the consequences. The consequences for me was not being able to do what I love to do which is get in the ring, entertain the fans and make a living for my family. During those times, when things aren't going your way, they can either make you or break you. It could crush you. It could take everything from you. I thank God for my relationship with him, my family, my friends, the close people I have around me that just stayed on me and continued to encourage me. The fans were phenomenal. I would see them in the street and talk to them on social media and they kept saying, 'we want you back and we miss you.' That's why we brought this fight back to Oakland, as a thank you to the fans for your patience, diligence and for supporting me as long as you have. I'm excited about this opportunity. Especially coming off the heels of last night with the Golden State Warriors. Oakland has two champions now! For some reason in the Bay Area they don't like to give us our due. I don't know if it's the size of the city. What I have learned in my sport up until this point is that you have to show and tell. That's what I've prepared to do Saturday night, June 20 at Oracle Arena."