Micky Ward was cleared in a Lowell District court Wednesday of assaulting his stepfather, Kevin Nolette, in an incident that took place on May 28, 2008.

The legendary boxer had claimed he was acting in self-defense and Judge James McGuiness agreed with him when he cleared him of the fight.

The 43-year-old Ward did not make a statement after the verdict, but his lawyer Robert Normandin spoke to the Lowell Sun newspaper.

"What's clear is that Micky Ward does his fighting in the ring," he said. "This is an unfortunate family situation that has deteriorated, with greed driving it."

On the day of the incident, Nolette was seen yelling curses on the street that Ward lives on. Ward went to Nolette's home with Richard Bryan, who testified that Nolette began poking Ward in the chest as the former professional boxer backed away from him.

When Ward backed into a porch he then threw a punch that broke his stepfather’s teeth and nose and split his lip.

The verdict is good news for Ward, whose life story is being made into a movie starring Mark Wahlberg and is due to hit the big screen in 2010.