By a vote of the officers and board of directors of the Boxing Writers Association of America, the recipient of the 2010 James A. Farley award for "Honesty and Integrity in Boxing" is Micky Ward. Ward, a tough junior welterweight from Lowell, Massachusetts, compiled a career record of 38-13 (27 KOs). He is best known to boxing fans for his legendary trilogy with Arturo Gatti, fights that were the final three of Ward's career, the last being on June 7, 2003. The movie "THE FIGHTER," based on Ward's career is a serious contender for Academy Awards honors. As a result, Ward has transcended his sport and is now known to the mainstream public. He has been a fan-friendly fighter both inside and outside the ring, going out of his way to accommodate the public.
He seems like a decent guy and has transcended the sport to a certain degree as you said. Always put on a show even if he wasn't the best fighter by any stretch of the imagination. His behaviour outside the ring can't be faulted from what I've heard. He doesn't have millions of hangers on, gave his brother something to focus on other than drugs, hasn't blown his money and seems to have invested well in construction (making jobs for other in the process I guess.) Thoroughly deserved if that is the case.
