Ward, currently ranked as the world’s second-best pound-for-pound boxer behind Floyd Mayweather, has a perfect record of 26-0 with 14 knockouts to his name.
And the bout with Pavlik (40-2, 34 Kos) has been set in stone for the long-rumoured date and venue by Ward’s promoter Dan Goossen.
California native Ward is making his sixth title defence against Pavlik, the most recent coming in September when the ‘Son of God’ stopped light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson.
And 30-year-old Ohio-born Pavlik has won his last four straight fights after losing his WBC, WBO and The Ring middleweight titles in April 2010 to Sergio Martinez, battling substance abuse issues along the way.
