Boxing Contender Andre Ward Joins Anti-Dogfighting Cause

Kris Crawford of For Pits’ Sake, Inc. today announced that Olympic Gold Medalist and NABF/NABO Super Middleweight title holder Andre “Son of God” Ward is the latest professional fighter to join the award-winning Knock Out Dog Fighting program.

Ward is speaking out against dog fighting with a new Knock Out Dog Fighting poster being released today. “I am pleased to be a part of the Knock Out Dog Fighting team. I love dogs and believe in treating them the way I would want to be treated. To fight and abuse dogs is wrong and I look forward to helping in stopping this growing problem.”

Ward joins a growing list of professional athletes who have teamed up with the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization For Pits’ Sake, Inc. to stop cruelty and abuse.

“We are very excited to have Andre as part of our team.” said Crawford. “Andre’s character, drive and determination to reach for his goals, both personally and professionally, make him a champion both in and out of the ring.”

The Knock Out Dog Fighting program is an award-winning youth intervention program created to stop the cycle of violence. Team members teach empathy for animals and help at-risk youth make better choices, develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles. This reduces the potential of involvement in dog fighting and other gang-related activities.

Knock Out Dog Fighting partners with community based organizations, schools, community centers, juvenile detention facilities, law enforcement and gang prevention task forces to stop cruelty, abuse and to reduce violence in the community. “We can’t prosecute our way out of the problem,” said Dolores Carr, Santa Clara

County District Attorney. “We recognize the importance of collaborative prevention and the need to have messages delivered to at-risk youth from people these kids look up to. The Knock Out Dog Fighting program plays an important part in those efforts.”

A recent study revealed that more and more kids are looking to professional athletes and celebrities as role models and they imitate everything they see. They try to copy the way their idol looks, including haircuts, tattoos and what they wear, to the way they act – even if that includes illegal behavior.

Dog fighting has become increasingly more popular with 13 to 17 year old inner-city youth. They saw that role model Michael Vick was involved and think, “If Vick did it, it’s cool.” The fact that Vick got caught and sent to prison is not a deterrent because he is back in the NFL making millions of dollars again.

Plus, young people have a high discount rate for danger. Meaning they don’t think they’ll get caught so the level of punishment doesn’t even enter into it.

That’s why the Knock Out Dog Fighting program’s proactive approach is so important.

“We are out in the community, on the ground level, in schools, community centers and juvenile detention facilities with positive role models to teach children and young adults about discipline, respect and that it’s not a sign of strength, power or greatness to fight, torture or abuse animals,” said Crawford.

Ward takes his responsibility of being a role model very seriously. He knows that because he is a professional athlete there is a child somewhere watching what he says and what he does. Ward knows that he can impact lives.

“I plan to partner with the Knock Out Dog Fighting team, as well as use the platform I have been given, to bring awareness and knowledge to all who will listen about the cruelties of dog fighting.

“In addition, I want to educate people about dogs, how to treat them, love them, and care for them as well as the impact that dog fighting has on both the animals and those who participate in dog fighting.”

Ward has worked his way from a youth in the San Francisco Bay Area to an unbeaten professional record. His crowning moment came at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece where he won the Gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing division.

Ward is the only Gold medal winner for an American fighter in the last three Olympics. Self-assured and driven in his chosen profession, Ward is following in the footsteps of former Olympic Boxing Gold medalists Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) in 1960, Joe Frazier in 1964, George Forman in 1968, Sugar Ray Leonard in 1976, and Oscar de la Hoya in 1992.

Ward is a religious man that doesn’t trash talks other fighters, he lets his actions speak for him. Recently Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums praised Ward’s “unwavering desire and compassion for the prize fighting profession, as well as his strength as an ambassador to the sport, serving as a role model to millions of young men and women in Oakland and beyond,” by declaring May 11, 2009 “Andre Ward Day” in the city of Oakland.

Air Jordan, a division of Nike, Inc., was so impressed by Ward’s limitless potential and tremendous work ethic, they made Ward only the second professional boxer signed to an endorsement deal.

Ward joined professional boxer Roy Jones, Jr., and sports superstars Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Ray Allen (NBA); Derek Jeter and Andruw Jones (MLB); and Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss and Jason Taylor (NFL) honored by Jordan.

Ward will be fighting WBA Champion Mikkel Kessler on November 21, 2009 for the WBA Super Middleweight World Championship in the Super Six World Boxing Classic which will be aired live on Showtime. The fight will be held at the Oracle Arena in Oakland California.

“Dog fighting takes place in every state and it cuts across all races and income levels,” said Crawford. “Andre has the ability to get our message heard and in doing so he is saving lives, both human and animal.”

For more information about the award-winning Knock Out Dog Fighting program and how you can help, go to www.KnockOutDogFighting.org