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Hometown boxer keeps middleweight belts during championship fight (Slideshow)

Ward smiles and poses with his championship belts after his 12-Round Super Middleweight Championship fight against Chad Dawson.

Ward smiles and poses with his championship belts after his 12-Round Super Middleweight Championship fight against Chad Dawson.

Millions of people from all over the world, watched Andre Ward defend his WBA and WBC Super Middleweight championship belts against Light Heavyweight Champ Chad Dawson live on HBO Saturday at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

The city of Oakland was buzzing and filled with excitement as they saw a thrilling and exciting fight. Ward used his quickness and toughness to knock down Dawson several times throughout the fight. In the end, the energy and chants of "S.O.G." from local boxing fans, not only helped Ward to defeat Dawson in the 10th round, but the support from the thousands of people in attendance also capped off a successful promotional sports week for the city.

"We brought Vegas excitement to Oakland," Ward said in the post-fight press conference. "Dawson underestimated my speed and talent. You can't afford to have a loss in this sport. Personally, I rise to the occasion."

Although Dawson did not speak to the media in the post-fight press conference because he was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons, his promoter Gary Shaw did comment on the outcome of the fight.

"You can sure sh-- fight," Shaw said in reference to Ward's fighting ability. "I underestimated you (Ward). The best man won tonight."

Boxing fans took to Twitter, Facebook and other popular social media sites to give their predictions and comments. Take a look at what people had to say about this megafight.         

 

 

Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., Juan is currently the community editor/assistant managing editor and a part time general assignment, sports and feature writer for OaklandLocal.com. He studied Print/Online Journalism and graduated from San Francisco State University and earned two Associates degrees in Liberal Arts and Language Arts from Laney College in Oakland. Juan previously was a Communications Associate at Full Court Press Communications and interned for Newswire21.org. As a part of the latter's team, he won the 2010 Award for Excellence in Community Reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists in Northern California. Juan also wrote extensively for SF State's Golden Gate Xpress, which won the 2011 Associated Collegiate Press Newspaper Pacemaker Award. He also enjoys writing about sports and community events and spending time with his family. Juan speaks Spanish fluently and is the first person in his family to graduate from college.