Thursday 18 June 2015 15:06, UK
Paul Smith says he has been offered the 'chance of a lifetime' when he takes on unbeaten super-middleweight Andre Ward in America live on Sky Sports this weekend.
The 32-year-old Liverpudlian is facing WBA and WBC champion Ward in a non-title catchweight bout at the City Hall in Oakland, California, which will be the American’s first bout since November 2013.
Ward, 31, has won all 27 of his professional fights – more than half via knock-out – and Smith realises it is a big moment for him.
“It’s an amazing chance I’ve been given and, as always with me, you’re going to get 100 per cent and every last thing that I’ve got," Smith said at the final pre-fight press conference.
“I must try my best to upset the apple cart and throw a spanner in the works.
“Andre Ward is a quality fighter, one I’ve watched and admired for years and it’s hard not to be a fan of Andre Ward.
“The plan is to do something no one has ever done before.”
Ward described Smith as ‘a competitor’ but says he is ready to ‘put on a show’ on his return to the ring following an absence of 19 months.
“Before they came over from the UK they started making a lot of bold predictions about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it," he said.
“I love it. He’s a competitor. He’s coming to win. I’ve prepared like I’m supposed to prepare. I’m ready come Saturday night.
“We want to put on a tremendous performance and let people know that Andre Ward is back and doing it in Oakland, California.”
Smith goes into the fight with 35 wins from 40 bouts, and five defeats, including back-to-back losses to Germany’s WBO super-middleweight champion Arthur Abraham in his last two outings.
As for Ward, his most recent meeting with a British fighter came in December 2011 when he beat Carl Froch on points in Atlantic City.
Watch Ward v Smith and Adrien Broner v Shawn Porter, live on Sky Sports 1 at 1.30am on Sunday morning
