OAKLAND, Calif. - Undefeated Andre Ward used a steady left hook to repeatedly score and unanimously outpointed Alexander Brand to take the WBO Intercontinental light heavyweight championship Saturday night. Ward (30-0) was never seriously threatened by Brand (25-2), the 39-year-old Colombian who lost for the first time since 2012.

Ward stunned Brand early and opened a small cut over his right eye while winning every round. All three judges had the fight 120-112 for Ward.

Ward is in position for a long-anticipated matchup with unified light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev. That fight has already been penciled in for Nov. 19 in Las Vegas. That would be Ward's third fight in a eight months, overtime for a boxer who fought only three times from 2012 to 2015.

"I'm excited," Ward said. "I had to get past this step, (Kovalev) had to get past his step. If I'm not ready to fight the best now, I'll never be ready."

Like he was when Ward beat Sullivan Barrera in March, Kovalev was in attendance at Oracle Arena and sat with his mother near ringside for the fight with Brand.

After the fight Kovalev joined Ward in the ring and the two men shook hands in what might be their last friendly exchange before the expected showdown in Las Vegas.

"He showed that he's ready," Kovalev later told reporters. "Alexander was an uncomfortable style for him but Andre had a good fight."

Ward and Brand were originally scheduled to fight in November 2015 before Brand pulled out with a leg injury while Ward went on to beat Sullivan Barrera by unanimous decision in March. The nine-month delay to get to Brand hardly seemed to matter for the three-time world champion.