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Nov 27 2010
Carl Froch v Arthur Abraham Super Six big fight preview
Crunch Sports Staff - 27 Nov 2010
Get set for the Brawl at the Hartwall
Nottingham's Carl Froch looks to regain the WBC super middleweight
title he lost in April and progress to the semi finals of the Super
Six World Boxing Classic when he meets the fearsome Berlin based
Armenian Arthur Abraham for the vacant title at the Hartwall Arena in
Helsinki, Finland on Saturday night.
Froch lost his title last in a sensational fight against Dane Mikkel
Kessler in Denmark and has been smarting for redemption ever since.
Froch feels personally blighted at the Kessler defeat, calling the
result a ''hometown decision'' even though most fans and experts
agreed with the judges that although the fight was close, Kessler had
done enough to take it.
Froch's reign as WBC super middleweight champion had been a
roller-coaster ride right from day one. He won the title in December
2008 after a savage fight with the the then undefeated Canadian Jean
Pascal in a bout that tested Froch to the limit in every department.
Pascal has since proved his performance versus Froch was no fluke by
winning the WBC light heavyweight championship.
Froch's first defence four months later was another massive test,
against former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, a
master boxer in his own right, at the Foxwood's Resort in Conneticut.
Taylor dominated the first two-thirds of the fight, flooring Froch in
the third round and then putting on a superb display of boxing skill
to take a huge points lead into the fight's final stages.
Froch began to rally in the tenth, but it looked to all that he'd left
it way too late. He battled on against a visibly tiring Taylor, and
finally caught up with him in the closing moments of the bout, putting
him down for the count with just 14 seconds left on the clock. It was
supremely exciting - edge of the seat stuff, and Froch achieved the
rare feat of beating a world class American in his own backyard.
As the WBC champion, Froch was included in Showtime TV's Super Six
World Boxing Classic, an ambitious tournament to find the best super
middleweight boxer in the world.
Froch almost came unstuck in his first Super Six bout in October 2009,
the second defence of his WBC title, against the cocky, unbeaten young
American Andre Dirrell. In an ugly fight that flattered neither man,
Froch came through with a highly controversial split decision in his
home town of Nottingham.
Ironically, at times during his losing effort against Kessler, Froch
looked tremendous, certainly the best he'd looked as a world champion.
He may have lost the fight on the judges scorecards, but he finished
more like the winner facially, emerging relatively unscathed after
twelve intense rounds of warfare that left new champ Kessler with
severe cuts.
This writer had predicted an early knockout for Kessler, but in truth
Froch rarely looked in trouble against a rated puncher. It was the
Dane's phenomenal workrate that won him the fight in the end. If Froch
can handle the power of Kessler, a man who went into that fight with
32 ko's in 42 victories, should he fear the power of Abraham?
30 year old Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 ko's) opened his Super Six
account by poleaxing the aforementioned Jermain Taylor in the twelfth
round in Berlin, a defeat that directly influenced Taylor's subsequent
decision to withdraw from the tournament. It was a crushing, brutal
knockout over a man who was a mile behind on points, and displayed
both the Armenian's power and ruthlessness.
Abraham was at his awesome best that night, tight, peek-a-boo style
defence up high and impregnable whilst all the while marching -
tank-like, relentless forward. It was the type of form that took him
to ten title defenses in a four year reign as IBF middleweight
champion from 2005 to 2009.
Abraham certainly didn't have things his own way in his second Super
Six bout, as underdog Andre Dirrell knocked him down and gave him a
boxing lesson. The American was a mile ahead by the eleventh round,
(although Abraham was finishing like a train), when he slipped heavily
on some moisture on the canvass. No sooner was he on the floor than
Abraham gave him a mighty whack to the side of the head, rendering him
unconscious.
Abraham was instantly disqualified, and the following day risked being
thrown out of the tournament. Ironically, it was to be Dirrell who
would leave Super Six due to subsequent neurological issues, possibly
the result of the blow delivered by Abraham.
So now the stage is set for what should be a THE war of Super Six
between its two biggest punchers. The bookies have Abraham a 4/6
favorite, with 33 year old Froch (26-1, 20 ko's) the underdog at 6/5
(bet365).
The big worry against Froch, especially versus a slugger like Abraham,
is his defence, or rather lack of it. His persistent tactic of
carrying his left hand low and almost sticking his chin out as if
inviting a free shot may prove suicidal against Abraham. The
Armenian's defence is basic yet sound, and when breached, his chin is
sturdy.
If Froch boxes behind his jab and picks his punches, he has the
ability to emerge with the decision. The more likely outcome is that
Abraham will take control early in the fight and force Froch to take
risks, therefore drawing him on to his powerful right.
It should be a thriller while it lasts, and Abraham may have to take a
count early on, but by the eighth he will have Froch where he wants
him, and a barrage of shots will force the referee to intervene.
Abraham by TKO in eight.
http://www.crunchsports.com/category/Boxing/Carl-Froch-v-Arthur-Abraham-Super-Six-big-fight-preview-201011270025/
From: A. Papazian
Nov 27 2010
Carl Froch v Arthur Abraham Super Six big fight preview
Crunch Sports Staff - 27 Nov 2010
Get set for the Brawl at the Hartwall
Nottingham's Carl Froch looks to regain the WBC super middleweight
title he lost in April and progress to the semi finals of the Super
Six World Boxing Classic when he meets the fearsome Berlin based
Armenian Arthur Abraham for the vacant title at the Hartwall Arena in
Helsinki, Finland on Saturday night.
Froch lost his title last in a sensational fight against Dane Mikkel
Kessler in Denmark and has been smarting for redemption ever since.
Froch feels personally blighted at the Kessler defeat, calling the
result a ''hometown decision'' even though most fans and experts
agreed with the judges that although the fight was close, Kessler had
done enough to take it.
Froch's reign as WBC super middleweight champion had been a
roller-coaster ride right from day one. He won the title in December
2008 after a savage fight with the the then undefeated Canadian Jean
Pascal in a bout that tested Froch to the limit in every department.
Pascal has since proved his performance versus Froch was no fluke by
winning the WBC light heavyweight championship.
Froch's first defence four months later was another massive test,
against former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, a
master boxer in his own right, at the Foxwood's Resort in Conneticut.
Taylor dominated the first two-thirds of the fight, flooring Froch in
the third round and then putting on a superb display of boxing skill
to take a huge points lead into the fight's final stages.
Froch began to rally in the tenth, but it looked to all that he'd left
it way too late. He battled on against a visibly tiring Taylor, and
finally caught up with him in the closing moments of the bout, putting
him down for the count with just 14 seconds left on the clock. It was
supremely exciting - edge of the seat stuff, and Froch achieved the
rare feat of beating a world class American in his own backyard.
As the WBC champion, Froch was included in Showtime TV's Super Six
World Boxing Classic, an ambitious tournament to find the best super
middleweight boxer in the world.
Froch almost came unstuck in his first Super Six bout in October 2009,
the second defence of his WBC title, against the cocky, unbeaten young
American Andre Dirrell. In an ugly fight that flattered neither man,
Froch came through with a highly controversial split decision in his
home town of Nottingham.
Ironically, at times during his losing effort against Kessler, Froch
looked tremendous, certainly the best he'd looked as a world champion.
He may have lost the fight on the judges scorecards, but he finished
more like the winner facially, emerging relatively unscathed after
twelve intense rounds of warfare that left new champ Kessler with
severe cuts.
This writer had predicted an early knockout for Kessler, but in truth
Froch rarely looked in trouble against a rated puncher. It was the
Dane's phenomenal workrate that won him the fight in the end. If Froch
can handle the power of Kessler, a man who went into that fight with
32 ko's in 42 victories, should he fear the power of Abraham?
30 year old Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 ko's) opened his Super Six
account by poleaxing the aforementioned Jermain Taylor in the twelfth
round in Berlin, a defeat that directly influenced Taylor's subsequent
decision to withdraw from the tournament. It was a crushing, brutal
knockout over a man who was a mile behind on points, and displayed
both the Armenian's power and ruthlessness.
Abraham was at his awesome best that night, tight, peek-a-boo style
defence up high and impregnable whilst all the while marching -
tank-like, relentless forward. It was the type of form that took him
to ten title defenses in a four year reign as IBF middleweight
champion from 2005 to 2009.
Abraham certainly didn't have things his own way in his second Super
Six bout, as underdog Andre Dirrell knocked him down and gave him a
boxing lesson. The American was a mile ahead by the eleventh round,
(although Abraham was finishing like a train), when he slipped heavily
on some moisture on the canvass. No sooner was he on the floor than
Abraham gave him a mighty whack to the side of the head, rendering him
unconscious.
Abraham was instantly disqualified, and the following day risked being
thrown out of the tournament. Ironically, it was to be Dirrell who
would leave Super Six due to subsequent neurological issues, possibly
the result of the blow delivered by Abraham.
So now the stage is set for what should be a THE war of Super Six
between its two biggest punchers. The bookies have Abraham a 4/6
favorite, with 33 year old Froch (26-1, 20 ko's) the underdog at 6/5
(bet365).
The big worry against Froch, especially versus a slugger like Abraham,
is his defence, or rather lack of it. His persistent tactic of
carrying his left hand low and almost sticking his chin out as if
inviting a free shot may prove suicidal against Abraham. The
Armenian's defence is basic yet sound, and when breached, his chin is
sturdy.
If Froch boxes behind his jab and picks his punches, he has the
ability to emerge with the decision. The more likely outcome is that
Abraham will take control early in the fight and force Froch to take
risks, therefore drawing him on to his powerful right.
It should be a thriller while it lasts, and Abraham may have to take a
count early on, but by the eighth he will have Froch where he wants
him, and a barrage of shots will force the referee to intervene.
Abraham by TKO in eight.
http://www.crunchsports.com/category/Boxing/Carl-Froch-v-Arthur-Abraham-Super-Six-big-fight-preview-201011270025/
From: A. Papazian