A bitter contract dispute comes at a bad time for Andre Ward

Andre Ward (left) is thriving in his prime, but a dispute with his promoter may complicate his future.

Reed Saxon/AP

"Every time a fighter stands up, it's not a bad thing," Ward said. "I want to be in the ring more than anyone else wants me to be in the ring. This is literally how I feed my family. I'm building up so much hunger [during] these trials and tribulations. I'm not getting fat, I'm not getting upset. My time is going to come. When I get past this, the flood gates are going to open."