Ward puts boxing titles on line

Unbeaten Andre Ward will face a big challenge on Saturday when he puts his super-middleweight world titles on the line against light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson. Ward, who holds the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council super middleweight belts, says his youth and skill will make up for what he gives away in height and reach to Dawson, who agreed to come down to 168 pounds and fight in Ward's hometown of Oakland, California, to get the bout. Dawson is coming off a majority decision victory over 47-year-old Bernard Hopkins in April for the light heavyweight title. "Chad is not fighting a guy in his 40s. I'm 28. I'm a young man," Ward said. "That's something he hasn't had to deal with for a long time, as well as my skill set. Yes, he's got height and reach. But I've fought plenty of tough guys, and they've posed different challenges. You've got to find a way to get it done regardless of what's in front of you." Ward brings a record of 25-0 with 13 knock-outs to the bout. His last outing was his unanimous decision victory over Britain's Carl Froch in Atlantic City in the finale of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament -- which saw Ward retain his WBA title and win the WBC crown. Ward went into that tournament to unify the super middlweight titles as a longshot but came out on top of a field that included Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and Froch. "I'm coming to get a job done September 8th, and it's no different than any other fight that I've been in," Ward said of the challenge posed by Dawson (31-1). Dawson, meanwhile, says making the 168-pound weight hasn't been an issue. Sure, he's had to watch his diet, but "it just made me a little meaner -- the fact that I can't eat what I want and have to diet." Both fighters weighed in on Friday at 168 pounds.