Andre Ward was born to an Irish American father and an African-American mother.
He could have excelled in other sports, but he chose boxing to concentrate on.
He grew up in California, and he became a good friend with boxer Andre Dirrell when he was just 17.
Ward's amateur career started in 1994.
His record was 110-5 and he didn't lose one bout from 1998 until 2004.
He won the US National Championships twice, in 2001 and again in 2003, fighting as a middleweight.
Ward also won the gold medal for light heavyweights at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Ward went pro in 2004, winning over Chris Molinoa with a TKO in the second round.
He won his second professional bout in February, 2005 over Kenny Kost.
He won his next three fights by knockout, and then won the next six bouts, including two TKO's over previously undefeated boxers.
In 2008, Ward won a fight with Rubin Williams, earning a TKO in the seventh round.
Later in the year, he met Jerson Ravelo in a regional NABO Super Middleweight bout, and won with a TKO in round eight.
Ward defeated Mikkel Kessler in 2009, to win the WBC Super Middleweight Championship, even though Kessler had been the favorite.
In 2010, Ward faced Allan Green and defeated him by unanimous decision.
Another opponent, Sakjo Bika, was defeated by Ward in what was not an outstanding fight, but the judges decided he had made the greater effort.
The next title defense for Ward was in May of 2011, against Super Middleweight Arthur Abraham, who was ranked in the Top Ten.
He began the fight slowly, figuring out the best way to penetrate the other fighter's tight defense.
The first several rounds were competitive, but then Ward took control of that fight.
He controlled Abraham through the rest of the bout.
Abraham did try to counter with combinations, but Ward deftly blocked them.
Abraham even hurt Ward two times in the last round, but he couldn't finish the job, since Ward had dominated the rest of the fight.
He won in a unanimous decision that was decidedly lopsided.
Andre Ward won a Super Six tournament against Carol Froch, the WBC Super Middleweight Champion.
Ward out-boxed his opponent in the first seven rounds, winning both from a distance and in close quarters.
Later in the fight, Froch won a couple rounds, but Ward had won handily enough in the early rounds to make his win a unanimous decision.
In this fight, Ward won the then-vacant title for The Ring Super Middleweight class.
Ward may be fighting Chad Dawson in his next bout.
The timing will be delayed because of a hand injury Ward suffered when fighting Froch.
Ward said he was willing to move up in weight classes to face a top contender in the light heavyweight division.
He has told ESPN that he may be interested in fighting the 168-175 pounders.
He would not be moving up simply for the change in class, but also to get what he feels is the right fight for him.