Stephen A. Smith gets candid about the ups and downs of his career – from being laid off by ESPN to coming back stronger than ever and running the show. He breaks down why he’s picking Crawford over Canelo and shares the story behind the best interview of his life. Packed with raw insight and untold stories, this one shows a side of Stephen A. you’ve never seen.

Stephen A. Smith gets candid about the ups and downs of his career &ndash; from being laid off by ESPN to coming back stronger than ever and running the show. He breaks down why he&rsquo;s picking Crawford over Canelo and shares the story behind the best interview of his life. Packed with raw insight and untold stories, this one shows a side of Stephen A. you&rsquo;ve never seen.

THE ART OF WARD is a series hosted by Boxing Hall of Famer and Chief Content Officer for ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT Andre Ward exploring the fight game from the inside out. THE ART OF WARD series is a tapestry of thoughtful content showcasing Ward’s personal, unmatched perspective shaped by his evolution as a fighter, a man and an influential figure in combat sports.

A series hosted by Hall of Fame boxing legend, Andre Ward exploring the fight game from the inside out.

The Art Of Ward

Stephen A. Smith: Laid Off, Rehired & Now Running The Show, Canelo vs. Crawford & His #1 Interview

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8f35ef37-cd62-4d67-ba5e-b329012869c1/transcript

Andre Ward sits down with ALL THE SMOKE co-founder, Matt Barnes, for one of the most raw, unfiltered conversations in THE ART OF WARD history. Matt opens up about growing up biracial in Sacramento, fighting for respect on both sides, and the terrifying moment a racist incident at his high school turned into a hit on his life -- complete with NAACP intervention, 24-hour security, and a phone call from his own cousin in prison.

Matt goes deep on his NBA career: getting cut and grinding through the D-League, finally getting a chance under Don Nelson, the vindication game where he lit up Mo Cheeks for 25 points and 7 threes while talking trash the whole time, the Warriors’ famous “We Believe” playoff run against the Mavs, and the moment Nelly looked him in the eye and said “your time is up.”

But the core of this episode is the relationship with the late Kobe Bryant. Matt shares stories nobody has heard before. What their friendship was really like, the 4:30am workouts, Kobe’s belief that his next 20 years would be even bigger than his playing career, and a chance encounter in a grocery store with the man who was guiding Kobe’s helicopter the day he died.

Plus: losing his mom to stage-4 cancer that her healthcare provider failed to catch six times, finding God, the Derek Fisher story and how it actually ended, and when he knew to walk away from the NBA and enter media.

Andre Ward sits down with ALL THE SMOKE co-founder, Matt Barnes, for one of the most raw, unfiltered conversations in THE ART OF WARD history. Matt opens up about growing up biracial in Sacramento, fighting for respect on both sides, and the terrifying moment a racist incident at his high school turned into a hit on his life -- complete with NAACP intervention, 24-hour security, and a phone call from his own cousin in prison. Matt goes deep on his NBA career: getting cut and grinding through the D-League, finally getting a chance under Don Nelson, the vindication game where he lit up Mo Cheeks for 25 points and 7 threes while talking trash the whole time, the Warriors&rsquo; famous &ldquo;We Believe&rdquo; playoff run against the Mavs, and the moment Nelly looked him in the eye and said &ldquo;your time is up.&rdquo; But the core of this episode is the relationship with the late Kobe Bryant. Matt shares stories nobody has heard before. What their friendship was really like, the 4:30am workouts, Kobe&rsquo;s belief that his next 20 years would be even bigger than his playing career, and a chance encounter in a grocery store with the man who was guiding Kobe&rsquo;s helicopter the day he died. Plus: losing his mom to stage-4 cancer that her healthcare provider failed to catch six times, finding God, the Derek Fisher story and how it actually ended, and when he knew to walk away from the NBA and enter media.

Matt Barnes: The Racist Hit on His Life, Kobe’s Last Promise & the Road Back to God

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/86351b56-fdb1-4078-ae90-b41e01222d35/transcript

Sebastian Fundora and Keith Thurman join Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr. on HALL OF GAME just days before their blockbuster WBC super welterweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, March 28th on PBC PPV on Prime Video. I

n this exclusive pre-fight episode, Thurman opens up about his emotional response to the original fight cancellation, reveals his tactical game plan for closing the 9-inch height gap against The Towering Inferno, and delivers one of the most psychologically intense breakdowns we've ever heard on the show. Meanwhile, WBC champion Sebastian Fundora explains why he's actually more dangerous on the inside than the outside, reflects on bouncing back from his only career KO loss, and confidently predicts this fight will NOT go to the scorecards.

Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr. deliver their expert analysis, including Roy's unforgettable "two ways in the house" breakdown of how Thurman can win this fight. Both hosts agree: this is going to be a war.

Sebastian Fundora and Keith Thurman join Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr. on HALL OF GAME just days before their blockbuster WBC super welterweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, March 28th on PBC PPV on Prime Video. I
n this exclusive pre-fight episode, Thurman opens up about his emotional response to the original fight cancellation, reveals his tactical game plan for closing the 9-inch height gap against The Towering Inferno, and delivers one of the most psychologically intense breakdowns we've ever heard on the show. Meanwhile, WBC champion Sebastian Fundora explains why he's actually more dangerous on the inside than the outside, reflects on bouncing back from his only career KO loss, and confidently predicts this fight will NOT go to the scorecards.
Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr. deliver their expert analysis, including Roy's unforgettable "two ways in the house" breakdown of how Thurman can win this fight. Both hosts agree: this is going to be a war.

Fundora vs Thurman: The Psychology, The Power & Why BOTH Say It Won't Go The Distance

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a1334308-dad6-4388-bbbc-b4180018a5e2/transcript

Katie Taylor sits down with Andre Ward for an unforgettable conversation that spans her entire legendary career. From growing up in a rough area of Bray, Ireland during a heroin epidemic, to disguising herself as a boy just to compete because women’s boxing wasn’t sanctioned, Taylor’s origin story is unlike anything in sports.

The two-time undisputed champion takes us through her impossible dream of winning Olympic gold before women’s boxing was even in the Games, the heartbreak of losing in Rio after stepping away from her father as coach, and how a cold call to her eventual coach in Connecticut and a message to Eddie Hearn launched one of the greatest professional careers in boxing history. Katie opens up about headlining Madison Square Garden, the electric Serrano trilogy (including the 74-million-viewer Netflix sequel), responding to “dirty fighter” accusations, and why she chose to make the third fight “boring” on purpose.

Ward and Taylor also go deep on balancing intensity with family life, the role of faith in the fight game, walking away on your own terms, and what legacy really means when the gloves come off for good. This is a must-watch for any boxing fan.

0:00 - Intro & Ring Magazine Awards
2:57 - Growing Up in Bray, Ireland & Falling in Love with Boxing
9:02 - Disguising as a Boy & The Impossible Olympic Dream
12:48 - Discipline, Sacrifice & Dominating the Amateur Scene
16:39 - Can Katie Taylor Turn Off the Intensity?
19:35 - Humility, Work Ethic & Staying Grounded
21:52 - 2012 Olympic Gold: The Day Ireland Stood Still
25:38 - Rio 2016 Heartbreak & Stepping Away from Dad
29:40 - Cold Calling Her Way to the Pros & Eddie Hearn
34:45 - Becoming Undisputed & The Sanction Fee Pain
37:17 - Taylor vs Serrano I: The Instant Classic at MSG
47:15 - First Pro Loss, Torn Calf & The Comeback
49:08 - Serrano II on Netflix: 74 Million Viewers & Mike Tyson
57:53 - “Dirty Fighter” Accusations & 2-Min vs 3-Min Rounds
1:05:01 - Serrano III: The Art of Adjustment
1:08:31 - Retirement, Legacy & Walking Away on Top
1:12:33 - Faith & Identity

Katie Taylor sits down with Andre Ward for an unforgettable conversation that spans her entire legendary career. From growing up in a rough area of Bray, Ireland during a heroin epidemic, to disguising herself as a boy just to compete because women&rsquo;s boxing wasn&rsquo;t sanctioned, Taylor&rsquo;s origin story is unlike anything in sports. The two-time undisputed champion takes us through her impossible dream of winning Olympic gold before women&rsquo;s boxing was even in the Games, the heartbreak of losing in Rio after stepping away from her father as coach, and how a cold call to her eventual coach in Connecticut and a message to Eddie Hearn launched one of the greatest professional careers in boxing history. Katie opens up about headlining Madison Square Garden, the electric Serrano trilogy (including the 74-million-viewer Netflix sequel), responding to &ldquo;dirty fighter&rdquo; accusations, and why she chose to make the third fight &ldquo;boring&rdquo; on purpose. Ward and Taylor also go deep on balancing intensity with family life, the role of faith in the fight game, walking away on your own terms, and what legacy really means when the gloves come off for good. This is a must-watch for any boxing fan.
0:00 - Intro &amp; Ring Magazine Awards 2:57 - Growing Up in Bray, Ireland &amp; Falling in Love with Boxing 9:02 - Disguising as a Boy &amp; The Impossible Olympic Dream 12:48 - Discipline, Sacrifice &amp; Dominating the Amateur Scene 16:39 - Can Katie Taylor Turn Off the Intensity? 19:35 - Humility, Work Ethic &amp; Staying Grounded 21:52 - 2012 Olympic Gold: The Day Ireland Stood Still 25:38 - Rio 2016 Heartbreak &amp; Stepping Away from Dad 29:40 - Cold Calling Her Way to the Pros &amp; Eddie Hearn 34:45 - Becoming Undisputed &amp; The Sanction Fee Pain 37:17 - Taylor vs Serrano I: The Instant Classic at MSG 47:15 - First Pro Loss, Torn Calf &amp; The Comeback 49:08 - Serrano II on Netflix: 74 Million Viewers &amp; Mike Tyson 57:53 - &ldquo;Dirty Fighter&rdquo; Accusations &amp; 2-Min vs 3-Min Rounds 1:05:01 - Serrano III: The Art of Adjustment 1:08:31 - Retirement, Legacy &amp; Walking Away on Top 1:12:33 - Faith &amp; Identity

Katie Taylor: The Olympic Gold That Stopped Ireland, A Hall of Fame Career & The Serrano Trilogy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/20ea947f-2ea2-40b3-b62b-b410013c29e8/transcript

Stephen A. Smith: Laid Off, Rehired & Now Running The Show, Canelo vs. Crawford & His #1 Interview

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