Former world boxing champion Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) recently gave up his WBA super middleweight belt to move up to the light heavyweight division where a potential bout with reigning WBO, IBF, WBA (Super) and WBC Diamond light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (28-0-1, 25 KOs) is reportedly waiting for him.

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"I won the WBA belt for my first world title in 2009 and have defended it six times, and it's been a wonderful ride with the WBA," said the 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist, as reported by ESPN. "(WBA head) Gilberto Mendoza and his team have shown me nothing but respect, and I'm looking forward to moving up and hopefully winning the WBA light heavyweight belt."

Ward has not defended the title since November 2013 when he defeated Dominican Republic's Edwin Rodriguez via a unanimous decision in 12 rounds at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in California.

The San Francisco native has been inactive the past couple of years because of a falling out with his late promoter, Dan Goosen.

He has signed with rapper Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports in January in an attempt to resume and revitalize his career. He fought and defeated Briton Paul Smith in a non-title bout in June. That was his first fight in almost two years.

A monstrous bout with Russian brawler Kovalev is what is ahead for the 2011 Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year. A fight that is considered by many boxing pundits as potentially one of the greatest fights in 2016.

Ward initially intended to debut as a light heavyweight in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez world title fight on Nov. 21, but he backed out after suffering an injury during training. His camp said "significant inflammation and constant pain" is "hindering Ward's mobility", which forced them to withdraw their fighter from the card, reported SB Nation's Bad Left Hook.

TagsBoxing News 2015, andre ward, Sergey Kovalev, Andre Ward vs Sergey Kovalev, WBA super middleweight title