There’s now a premiere date and a trailer for the next Showtime boxing documentary. That documentary, S.O.G.: The Book of Ward, on five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, is directed and executive produced by Rachel Neubeck with co-director Diaunte Thompson, and is produced by the LeBron James and Maverick Carter-founded Uninterrupted (with James and Carter both credited as executive producers here). It is set to premiere on Showtime on Friday, June 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and will be available on the network’s streaming and on-demand platforms that day as well. Here’s the trailer for it:
Here’s more on the film from a release:
In the film, produced by the athlete empowerment brand UNINTERRUPTED founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, the undefeated, five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist reveals in personal terms his journey from a turbulent childhood in Oakland, Calif., through the pressures of world championship expectations and ultimately to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021.
“I always knew that one day I would tell my story in my own words. I’ve been waiting for the right moment and platform to do it, and the time is now,” said Ward. “I’m excited to be partnering with SHOWTIME and UNINTERRUPTED to bring this to life. Many people know what I accomplished, but they don’t know what I overcame to get to this point. I pull back the curtain on my parents’ struggles with addiction, the lure of the street life following my father’s death, and my battles with the sport of boxing itself. This film will detail how I rose above it all through my faith, determination and desire to leave my own unique legacy no matter the cost.”
In September 2017 at the age of 33, with his status as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport secured, the undefeated Ward shocked the sporting world when he announced his retirement from boxing. Now 39 and a father of five, Ward reflects on his life with newfound clarity and appreciation for his unconventional rise to greatness. Featuring interviews with longtime trainer and godfather Virgil Hunter, Andre’s wife Tiffiney Ward, as well as key figures from the sports and entertainment world, S.O.G.: The Book of Ward will examine a side of Ward few have ever seen.
Alongside James and Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron also served as executive producers for Uninterrupted, with Matt Rissmiller as co-executive producer. This follows a number of recent Showtime documentaries and docuseries, including The Boys In Blue (Minneapolis high school football), Stand (Mahmoud Abdul-Rahf), and Passion Play (Russell Westbrook). It also fits in with a lot of Showtime boxing content, including their PPV telecast Saturday headlined by Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia.
[Showtime Sports on YouTube]
