Andre Ward discusses his upcoming fight against Chad Dawson

August 21, 2012|By Houston Mitchell

<p>Boxer Andre Ward will fight Chad Dawson in a much anticipated bout on Sept. 8 in Oakland. Recently, Ward wrote a blog item for HBO, which has allowed us to run an excerpt.</p><p><strong>What is Dawson’s most dangerous attribute as a fighter? How are you preparing for this fight? Is there any one aspect of Dawson’s game that concerns you most, or that you’ve focused on more than any other during training?</strong></p></div></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-ctr-lt-in-top" class="mod-latarticlesadcpc mod-adcpc with-fourth-cpc"><script type="text/javascript"> var adSkipCounter = 0; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "chad dawson fight camp";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,9744208858,8321278795,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text"; google_image_size="300x250"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="2"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "medium_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=33306373&cat=sports&pe_id=33306373&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=9744208858&rnccn=CMI-A-028&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=ctr-lt-in-top", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para" class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"><p>Ward: I cannot identify what Chad’s greatest attribute as a fighter is yet because I have not fought him so that remains to be seen. There is not one thing that’s dangerous about him, he is a good, all-around fighter. His credentials speak for themselves and when you go into a mega-fight or a championship fight, you prepare for the best and you prepare for everything.  I’m not locked in for one thing, we are prepared for the best Chad Dawson on September 8.</p><p>With every opponent and every fight, there are multiple things that you prepare for and we are prepared for the best of Chad Dawson. We are prepared for anything and everything. If you prepare for anything else than that, you are selling yourself short.</p><p>This camp is no different than my past training camps. It’s not a cliché, it’s the way it is. I don’t pick certain camps that I go hard in; I’m always training to the maximum. I feel like every fight, I’m in the best shape of my life. That’s the way I think a champion is supposed to prepare. I respect the game and the game has always respected me and nothing is different in this training camp.  </p><p>"24/7 Road to Ward/Dawson" debuts Saturday on HBO at midnight, Pacific time.</p><p>Ward vs. Dawson will be broadcast live on HBO beginning at 6:45 p.m. Pacific.</p><p><strong>ALSO:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-augusta-national-female-condoleeza-rice-20120820,0,7822459.story">Augusta National admits first two female members</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-diana-nyad-20120821,0,1786758.story">Diana Nyad ends attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-nfl-refs-20120820,0,1991478.story">What do you think of the NFL's replacement officials so far?</a></p></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para-ad-cpc" class="mod-adcpc"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "chad dawson fight camp";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; 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