Andre Ward vs Mikkel Kessler Result

Andre Ward tore up the form book in a sensational victory against Denmark's Mikkel Kessler. The sporting press and the majority of neutrals fans (myself included) didn't believe the young American stood a chance against such a seasoned champion but, in spectacular fashion, Ward dominated from the first through to its premature stoppage in the 11th. The only blot on the copybook was his repeated use of the head butt.

With the first round of matches in the Super Six now complete it is the Americans who have provided the surprises. Going into the tournament most analysts viewed the winner as a tossup between any of the three Europeans but it is the two Andre's who have made people sit up and take note. Even in defeat, Andre Dirrell demonstrated blinding speed and flashy technique (shame about the tactics) while Ward has just dethroned the super middleweight king in a display brimming with confidence and ability that belied his tender years.

The opening two rounds were a cagey affair but Ward still managed to assert his dominance. The sharpness and speed of his combo's were too much for the Dane, who could only offer an ineffective jab in return and his big right was nowhere to be seen. Still, Kessler often takes a couple of rounds to acclimatise while charting his opponents' demise, so there was no cause for undue alarm.

His fans certainly must have hoped so but the third proved no different to the opening two and as the fight progressed into the fourth it was clear that Kessler was in trouble. A minute in, Ward landed a beautiful combo starting with two shots to the body then a big left hook to the head. He followed that up with two big right hooks later in the round while the Dane was unable to pull off anything of note.

The trend continued into the fifth; Ward's headwork, movement and repeated stance changes totally frustrated Kessler. He was unable to find his range or any kind of rhythm. All the meaningful shots were landed by the American.

The sixth and seventh saw Ward lose his composure. He repeatedly lunged headfirst at Kessler while throwing scrappy shots and the opportunities were there for 'The Viking Warrior' to land a punch that could change the direction of the fight but he was unable to capitalize. Indeed, in the final minute of the seventh he threw a monstrous left hook on the break that could have knocked Ward clean out but it was so wild and telegraphed that the American easily ducked it. It was a tangible indication of frustration.

In Kessler's corner before the eighth his body language was that of a beaten man but things were about to get a whole lot worse for him. Ward's repeated head-lunging finally opened up a nasty cut above his right eye, which bore all the hallmarks of a fight-ending injury, though the ref didn't spot it.

Gamely he fought on, but the pattern remained much the same as in earlier rounds; Ward's speed proved decisive in landing flashy combos while his movement and clinching prevented his opponent from gaining any foothold in the fight.

In the tenth another head butt from Ward - this one even more shocking and damaging than the last - opened up a cut above Kessler's other eye. This clash of heads did not go unnoticed but the ref ruled it accidental.

Going into the 11th, Kessler's face was a real mess. The cuts were severe and his trainer asked him - not for the first time - if he wanted to quit. Admirably he fought on, still trying to find a home for the big right that had eluded him all night, but midway through the round the ref took the decision out of his hands and stopped the fight on cuts following doctor's orders. He ruled the head butt, which he spotted, as being decisive so the fight went prematurely to the scorecards (as opposed to a TKO victory) with Ward winning comprehensively; 98-92 on two cards and 97 - 93 on the other.

In the post-fight interviews Ward was gracious in victory calling Kessler "a super champion." He should have left it at that, instead he had to spoil it all by spouting his rabid and arrogant religious views. Does he fail to see that by suggesting his victory wass assured because God is on his side he is thereby inferring that God was not on his opponent's side? What is so special about Ward that he is so favoured by the almighty? Nothing that I can see. 'Son of God'... Get out!

Kessler was no better. In one of the most galling examples of sour grapes I have ever had the misfortune of witnessing, he blamed the defeat on everything (the ref, clinching, head butts, hometown decisions) except his own performance. What is it about the Danes lack of decorum in the face of defeat? Their behaviour on internet forums and You Tube following Kessler's loss was pathetic and they really need to learn some magnanimity when things haven't gone their way.

Having said that, there were certainly contentious issues in this fight. First off, why was the ref American? Kessler's camp raised an issue with this in the build up to the fight - it infringed the Super Six contracts - and assurances were made that the ref would be Swedish yet, inexplicably, American Jack Reiss oversaw the fight.

This controversy was compounded by Reiss' performance. He did nothing to clamp down on Ward's repeated illegal use of the head and he aided the hometown fighter by rarely breaking up the American's repeated clinching. I have never seen a ref so reluctant to break up a clinch. This clearly upset Kessler's rhythm and it's no secret he hates fighting on the inside.

Despite the head butts and the clinching, it was Ward's superior boxing that proved decisive however. He was simply the better man on the day. Furthermore, head butts, though technically illegal, are part and parcel of the game. Boxers will utilize every tactic they can to gain an advantage. Look at Evander Holyfield and Bernard Hopkins - they have been getting away with it for years. This isn't snooker or golf with players calling fouls on themselves, this is professional fighting. Boxers have to cope with opponents' dirty tactics and use some of their own for good measure. The only unseemly aspect is Ward's religious moralising post-fight when he previously used such illegal moves in the ring.

Many analysts have suggested that the Kessler we saw against Ward was a shadow of the man we are accustomed to. Showtime described his performance as a very 'flat.' There might be something in that. Since losing to Joe Calzaghe in 2007 he had only fought three fights, so maybe there was an element of ring rust. However I think the biggest factor was Ward's superiority - he simply made Kessler look bad.

Next up Ward will face Arthur Abraham and Kessler will have to pick himself up and face Nottingham's Carl Froch. The Super Six is such a brilliant tournament, every fight is so intriguing and my interest has only increased after the first round. Bring it on!

Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto Result

I'm a bit late with this one as I'm been on holiday so apologies to my regular followers (sorry Dad and Ken from next door). I'm going to keep it brief as an in-depth analysis would be rather pointless now.

Manny Pacquiao totally dominated Miguel Cotto from start to finish and surely put to bed any notion that he cannot bring his exceptional power to welterweight. Why some boxing observers still entertained this idea after he destroyed both Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya at this weight is beyond me?

Cotto wasn't without opportunities in the fight. Pacquiao's all-action, cavalier style afforded him some openings which he did exploit and surely would have hurt a lesser fighter but nothing seemed to register with Pacman. Cotto simply could not stop the relentless onslaught, his jab proving totally ineffective in fending off the marauding Filipino, and the fight effectively ended as a contest about midway through the scheduled 12 rounds. It was simply a case of damage limitation from then on.

Cotto proved he had the heart of a lion by refusing to capitulate in the face of such extreme punishment but it was certainly disturbing to watch. In the later rounds his face was in train wreck territory. Tragedies like those suffered by Gerald McCllelan and Michael Watson sprang to mind but despite the pleas from Cotto's father at ringside, referee Kenny Bayless seemed intent on letting the fight reach the score cards. Somewhat oddly though he stopped it one minute into the 12th. Personally, I feel the fight should have been stopped two or three rounds sooner but if the ref was resolved on letting them reach the score cards then he should have done so. As it was Cotto suffered needless rounds of pain without the consolation of seeing out the whole fight.

I doubt the Puerto Rican will retire. He is still a great fighter, just not in Manny Pacquiao's league, but then who is? Floyd Mayweather Jr is the obvious answer and a contest against Pacquiao is the match-up everyone wants to see. This is the biggest fight that the sport has to offer and there is absolutely no way it cannot go ahead. I expect the negotiations to be acrimonious and protracted - both camps have displayed greed in the past - but once they agree on the split of profits, we have the biggest fight of the decade on our hands and I'm salivating at the prospect.

Nikolai Valuev vs David Haye Result

Dirrell Eat Your Heart Out!

David Haye would have made Willie Pep proud in Berlin on 7th November. Willie Pep - for those who don't know - reputedly won a round without throwing a punch. The Hayemaker wasn't quite that good but according to some unofficial boxing stats floating around the internet, which I'm not inclined to dispute, he landed an average of eight punches per round, so he wasn't far off. Even more remarkable is that David Haye won the WBA heavyweight belt by decision while landing less than a 100 punches in 12 rounds.

There are obvious echoes with the Carl Froch vs Andre Dirrell bout here. Haye's tactics were negative; he was perpetually on the back foot, constantly evading, relying near exclusively on the counter; at several points he actually broke into a light jog, while Nikolai Valuev was the aggressor relentlessly hunting down his man, attempting to pin him in the corner. Not only that, there was the contentious issue of a debated decision in both fights; a decision which could have gone either way. However there are also some crucial differences. First off, Haye has not made a career out of this kind of performance, while Dirrell always employs such tactics unless he is unable to bully a chump. Furthermore, Haye was fighting a man mountain and was giving away seven stone in weight and nearly one foot in height, while Dirrell was matched with a physical equal. The other important difference is that Carl Froch never looked as poor as Valuev - if the Russian was not blessed with such stature he wouldn't get a sniff of a world title. Let's be frank, he is an appalling boxer.

Haye also claimed to have broken his right hand in the third round and had it not been for the injury he would have fought a more aggressive fight. Well, maybe, but I'm not so sure this is the truth. After all, he fought the first two rounds in the same manner as all the others (with the exception of the 12th) and there were no obvious signs of discomfort when he threw the right. Unlike, for example, Arturo Gatti who grimaced in agony every time he hit Micky Ward with his right in their third bout. Perhaps I'm being unfair by questioning Haye's integrity, maybe he did break a bone and was forced into negative tactics, but there was no evidence of this in the fight and we only have his word to support it.

I have very mixed feelings about the judge's decision. On the one hand Valuev was the aggressor, and threw many more punches, while Haye constantly ran and threw much less. On the other hand, Valuev looked awfully one dimensional, immobile and generally amateurish - he didn't land anything except tentative jabs, whereas Haye connected with some real monsters. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect is that Haye had all the tools to comprehensively win and probably knock the Russian out, yet he played it so safe.

The 12th was a textbook example of how he could have dominated. While still fighting on the back-foot he pounced with some hugely impressive combos and Valuev was in real trouble. The giant Russian had no answer to the speed and more skillful boxing he was up against. Two minutes into the round, a one-two combo carved him open, which Haye then exploited with a peach of a left hook. The legs buckled and Valuev launched into the funky chicken, of which Zab Judah is still the renowned master. It looked as if Haye would finish him there and then but Valuev tied him up and saw out the remaining minute of the fight.

Germany is notorious for home town decisions, so it was very surprising to see Haye strutting and preening before the announcement like he knew something we didn't. British commentators Jim Watt and Ian Darke on Sky had Valuev ahead on the cards and I thought it could go either way, which in Germany means their way, yet remarkably Haye was awarded the win.

The Londoner probably did do enough for the decision despite large swathes of passivity. He clearly demonstrated a technical level of boxing that was far more advanced than his opponent plus he dominated in the final round and came close to a knock out win. As for Valuev, he is the worst heavyweight champion I have ever seen and I include Frank Bruno in that. His performance against Haye reminded me of the exhibition bout between Shaquille O'Neal and Oscar De la Hoya, where Shaq was poorer in every aspect but the gulf in size between the two men made it very difficult for De La Hoya and kept him in the bout.

Valuev will keep on fighting, I'm sure, but this is probably his last big pay day. The American networks aren't interested in him and, after this performance, hopefully Sky will not be either. Every fight I've seen of his has been chronically dull and most broadcasters and fans have cottoned onto this. As for Haye, the immediate post-fight talk has been of a showdown with one of the Klitchko's, probably Vladimir. Despite the advanced years of the Ukrainian this match-up is still a fascinating prospect and the biggest fight the heavyweight division can offer right now. I have no doubt it will provide the spectacle and entertainment this bout clearly didn't.

Amir Khan Vs. Dmitriy Salita

A lot of British fight fans view this one as a foregone conclusion. Dmitriy Salita has only fought bums, they say, Amir Khan will school him yadda yadda. I'm not so sure and I have a hunch that a lot of Khan followers are in for a surprise come the 5th December.

A couple of years ago, I was wasting time on You Tube (no doubt procrastinating on more worthwhile endeavours) when I typed in 'boxing documentary'. The first entry was a BBC film on a young Salita called 'Orthodox Stance.' Ostensibly it followed the difficulties he faced accommodating his Orthodox Judaism while entering the professional ranks, although - to its detriment - it focussed more on religion than boxing. Still, it was an entertaining film and I was impressed with Salita's skills. Since then I have kept as close an eye on him as possible.

Like Khan, Salita has an impressive amateur pedigree, 59-5, with the crowning achievement of a Golden Gloves win in 2001. Upon turning professional, he signed with Bob Arum's Top Rank and looked set to blaze a trail to the summit of the light welterweight division. So far that hasn't happened. The list of his 31 opponents reads like a who's-who of nobodies and it's difficult to fathom why. Bob Arum is a highly experienced promoter, his stable of fighters has included George Foreman, Thomas Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and many other legends, and this, allied with the springboard of a Golden Gloves win, should have propelled Salita towards a title fight much sooner than his 32nd bout. To put that in context; Khan is five years younger at 22 and won his WBA belt in his 21st match.

Perhaps the practice of his orthodox Judaism has played a part in this. Salita refuses to fight on the Jewish Sabbath, which runs from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. Boxing matches traditionally take place on a Saturday with up-and-coming fighters appearing on the undercard of more established names; so, outside of winter when it gets dark early, Salita will have been unable to contest these fights, making it difficult to attract a high calibre opponent. He also refuses to associate himself with any sponsors which Judaism deems objectionable. There is a telling incident in 'Orthodox Stance' when Salita's advisor refuses to allow a sponsors' bottle of beer to be placed on a table in front of his man during a press conference. Maybe this uncompromising behaviour has cost him. Sponsorship can increase not only bank balances, but exposure.

Despite this, Salita is still young at 27 and has an opportunity to claim a world title. Whether he can win is another matter. He has never fought an opponent of Khan's quality before and is in uncharted territory. Granted, in the fights I have seen - which haven't been many owing to the reasons above - he has looked immensely impressive. Stylistically he is reminiscent of Mikkel Kessler; a real strong all-rounder without any one standout attribute but, rather, is accomplished - without particularly excelling - in all aspects of his game.

Amir Khan is blessed with both fast hands and explosive power and if it wasn't for his suspect chin he could truly rule the world. His career appeared in tatters when he was spectacularly knocked out inside a minute by Briedis Prescott (and if he has the lofty ambition of becoming an all-time great he will have to avenge that loss) but he has responded admirably by overcoming two difficult opponents - Marco Antonio Barrera and Andriy Kotelnik - since then. Oh and Oisin Fagan.

Granted, Barrerra was long past his sell by date - his bout against Khan was his 71st - but you can't buy that kind of wily experience and Khan did well to win. Following that, he defeated the tricky Ukrainian Kotelnik in a unanimous points decision to claim the WBA light welterweight title, which is all the more impressive in light of his recent disastrous defeat.

Under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, Khan has radically overhauled his style since blocking Prescott's haymaker with his chin; he is a more cautious fighter and no longer attempts the steamroller approach, instead he fights at range with the jab, and occasional flurries, while keeping his chin safely tucked away. He is unlikely to make any changes against Salita, hoping his superior speed will help out-point the Ukrainian and if he manages to land a big punch, that's a bonus, but the main thing is to retain the steady, conservative style that has been his hallmark post-Prescott.

Salita will want to test Khan's chin and discover if it is as fragile as many believe, but he won't take unnecessary risks to do so - not unless he's drinking in the proverbial last chance saloon (not that he would drink in a saloon - proverbial or otherwise). Salita will have to counteract Khan's speed and hopefully he will aim to do this with a busier work rate and high pressure style, while probing for an opening to unload the punch that will end the fight.

Some believe Salita's record flatters to deceive and he will be found out, while others think he has been hampered by the uncompromising practice of his religion. Whatever the case, we will all find out at the beginning of December. Part of me - the considered, judicious part - thinks that Khan will outpoint, if not totally outclass, Salita but I'm going to take a punt and predict a Bernard Dunne style nightmare for the lad from Bolton.

Prediction: Salita win by KO.

Hey look, I've written this whole article without mentioning the fight is between a Muslim and a Jew. Oh shit...

Nikolai Valuev vs. David Haye

David Haye's pursuit of heavyweight glory continues apace with a grudge match against the 'Beast from the East' Nikolai Valuev in Germany on 7th November. The Hayemaker aims to silence his critics and emulate Evander Holyfield's successful move from undisputed cruiserweight champion to heavyweight legend. Standing in his way is an angry 7ft 2in, 23 stone, Russian giant out for blood.

Haye's disrespect and clownish behaviour in the build up to this fight has been nothing short of disgraceful. Like Carl Froch, Haye has never received the unfettered adulation of his home nation but, unlike the aforementioned Nottingham boxer, he seems not to give a toss. Such rampant individualism would be admirable were it not for his propensity for being a bit of a nob. Here are a few of Haye's choice musings on Valuev, which are quoted verbatim so as not to lessen the impact of his neo-Wildean wit:

"Valuev is a lot uglier than I expected, that's the first thing I noticed... he looks like something out of Lord of the Rings."

"All you've got to do is look at a picture of the guy and that speaks volumes. I consider him more of a circus show freak that happens to be boxing."

"[Valuev] comes out with a really hairy chest that gets matted and disgusting. I've never been a fan of the matted hair in my face."

"The size I am, I sort of come up to his chest and apparently the word around the camp fire is that he don't smell too sweet."

"I've talked to a few guys who have been in the ring with him and they say that the first thing they notice, just the stench."

Haye claims his trash talking is an attempt to get his opponent mad and off his game, but it's more likely this is a pathetic attempt to drum up publicity and interest in the fight. Valuev's purse is guaranteed but Haye is reliant on pay-per-view subscriptions. HBO and Showtime - America's premier boxing broadcasters - aren't interested, which vastly cuts down his earning potential. This only leaves the UK's Sky television. So instead of training in his Cypriot base, Haye is punching heads off cardboard cut-outs and brawling with men in costumes, desperately attempting to secure more pay-per-view subscriptions.

Significantly Valuev declined to attend Haye's press conference due to training commitments but, had he attended, you can be sure there would have been no village idiot pantomime from the Russian. Valuev is a dichotomy; a fearsome giant who gets paid to knock men out on the one hand, on the other he is a cultured writer of poetry and listens to Chopin and Mozart in his spare time. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is his favourite author. It is to Valuev's credit that he has not allowed himself to be dragged down to his opponent's level.

Haye has one loss on his CV. This is the spectre at the feast - the loss that continually haunts him, if not in his own eyes, then certainly in everybody else's. Carl Thompson was a 40-year-old former cruiserweight champion, his best days long since past, when Haye took him on. This should have been a routine victory, a mere footnote in Haye's onwards-and-upwards quest for superstardom, but somebody forgot to tell Thompson that. In the first two rounds, Haye had him hurt and threw everything at him, but admirably Thompson survived. The younger man's exertion cost him, he punched himself out, and by the fifth round he was struggling to even throw a punch. Meanwhile Thompson recovered from his early beating and grew in stature. Haye's TKO loss was a formality.

The vast majority of boxers lose fights. The best of them learn from it and come back stronger. If possible they beat their vanquisher. If not, they still regain their air of invincibility. Sometimes though, when the loss is such a spectacular implosion, they can never shake it off, it always hangs around like a bad smell. David Haye knows all about this. His loss to Thompson may always leave question marks over his conditioning and stamina. Since then he has gone some way to dispel those assumptions - four of his more recent fights have gone past eight rounds including a real war with Giacobbe Fragomeni - but it will take some impressive victories yet before that loss can be attributed to an aberration.

Valuev's stamina cannot be questioned, he has lasted the distance time and again. In fact, in his last ten fights, seven of them have gone to a decision. This is significant; against higher quality opposition - guys who can take a punch - Valuev often struggles to knock them out. I believe this trend will continue with Haye. Conversely, can the Englishman knock Valuev out? Well, it has never happened before so Haye will have to do something incredible to achieve it.

In a Heavyweight contest, there is always the risk of looking like an ill-informed ignoramus by predicting a decision - especially when there are question marks over one of the boxer's conditioning - but despite that caveat, I'm backing Haye for the decision win. Ruslan Chagaev demonstrated that it is possible to rack up points on the inside against Valuev and with Haye's superior speed I think he will be able to get in-and-out and cause the Russian problems. I don't expect him to dominate but I believe Haye will do enough to get the nod.

Prediction: Haye by decision.

Super Six Results: Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor

King Arthur's Bad Intentions

It was of little surprise to most informed boxing observers that Jermain Taylor was knocked-out late on in his fight with Armenian power-house Arthur Abraham. It was surprising, however, that Taylor's conditioning didn't appear to play a role in his demise. Indeed, with 20 seconds of the fight remaining it actually appeared that for once Taylor had lived up to his oft-promised, yet never delivered, return to form and fitness. None of the familiar signs - mouth open gasping for air, reduced punch output, repeated clinching - that herald his imminent knock out were there and 'Bad Intentions' looked all set to take it to the score cards.

Taylor was the busier, if not more effective fighter, throughout. He continually worked the jab but more-often-than-not failed to penetrate his opponent's solid defence. For his busy work ethic, and Abraham's predictable slow start, the early rounds went to the American. However, like a thoroughbred putting on a burst of pace, Abraham began to come on strong in the middle of the bout. He improved his punch output and menaced Taylor with his awesome power.

By the eighth it was clear he had taken control. The Armenian was setting the tempo and his punches found their home more consistently than his opponent. Still, Taylor was admirably hanging in there, doing his utmost to stay in contention, hoping-against-hope he could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Alas, the boxing Gods had a crueller fate in store.

With the fat lady clearing her throat, readying herself to serenade the Teutonic spectators, it all fell apart for the man from Little Rock, Arkansas. A straight right flew through his guard connecting flush on the chin (something Taylor had been unable to achieve) and the fight was over, the finish eerily reminiscent of his bout against Carl Froch. The one important difference being that Taylor was losing this one.

Abraham is on the up-and-up. He is probably the most powerful in the tournament and his defence looks neigh on impregnable. This dark horse has stepped into the light in fine style. Despite the loss, Taylor has to see the positives in this. He performed commendably and his improved conditioning gave him a punchers chance of an upset before he was knocked-out. Of more significance is the fact that Taylor would be another washed-up, derided Jeff-Lacy-figure, struggling to find another pay-day, were it not for the further opportunities afforded by the Super Six. As it is, he has at least two guaranteed money-spinning bouts against top class opposition. Let's just hope his heart is still in it and he remains in the contest.

Super Six Results: Carl Froch vs Andre Dirrell

What the Froch was that?

Last Saturday's bout against Andre Dirrell will long live in the memory of Carl Froch as the most awkward and frustrating of his career. Despite claiming the win by split decision, the Nottingham bruiser will be aware this fight was a lot closer than he publicly acknowledged and far from convincing.

The opening rounds were a tentative, cagey battle of the jab. Dirrell scored with cleaner, more accurate shots while Froch was the aggressor, persistently hunting down his opponent, looking for the opening. By the end of the third, no meaningful exchange had occurred, despite Froch's efforts to force the trade off, and it was clear this wasn't going to be the explosive toe-to-toe war the Nottingham fans had hoped for. Nor was it to liking of Froch's girlfriend, Rachel Cordingly, sitting ringside in an orange figure-hugging ensemble, who was heard on camera clearly opining of the American: "he's fighting like a faggot!" Nice.

Froch continued to pour forward, leading with jabs and hooks, many of which were successfully countered by Dirrell. He knew he had to get on the inside to bring the pain but the American continually clinched to prevent him, much to ire of the partisan crowd. The Nottingham boxer was no angel either; roughing up Dirrell during clinches and hitting him on the back of the head. In one memorable incident in the fifth, Froch slammed him to the canvas, which drew a big roar from his fans, but in reality it was a clear sign of frustration.

As the fight progressed into the later rounds, we saw the best and worst of Dirrell. His hand speed, agility and footwork were a joy to behold. For large swathes of the fight, Froch couldn't score a clean shot and he was made to look lead-footed and clumsy. But all of this was largely overshadowed by the American's persistent holding, complaining and running. Every time Froch got close he smothered him and clung for dear life or else bent straight over, like he was desperately searching for a dropped quid, leaving Froch with no option but to hit him on the back of the head.

By the tenth, the Panamanian Referee had had enough and Dirrell was penalised a point for his persistent holding. The deduction was deserved but Froch can count himself lucky not to have also been penalised for his rough-house infractions. Finally the fight progressed from the cat-and-mouse snoozefest with Dirrell actually planting his feet to unload a few combos.

Most analysts were in agreement that Froch would dominate in a square-go but, surprisingly, he didn't have it all his own way once the fight opened up a little. Of the last four rounds I gave nine and 12 to Forch, with Dirrell taking ten and 11. Indeed, in the closing seconds of the tenth, a big left hook rocked Froch and his legs buckled momentarily. Dirrell closed in swinging wildly; more in hope than expectation, but Froch took a moment to clear his head while in a defensive posture then came out swinging and the American was backing off once more.

Dirrell's grandfather and trainer, Leon Lawson Sr, sent his grandson into the 12th with the brief of knocking Froch out ("You ain't gonna get a decision here!") but that never looked likely. The American was in uncharted territory having never previously ventured past the tenth and, with one aggressive thrust of jabs and hooks excepted, it was Froch who had the better of the round. Fittingly, Dirrell was pinned to ropes, weaving and frustrating his opponent, as the final bell rang out.

Robert McCracken, Froch's trainer, was heard informing his man that the fight was theirs but the crowd didn't seem as confident and it was a nervy wait for the decision. There were audible gasps when Jimmy Lennon Jr, giving it his usual film voiceover shtick, announced a split decision. In the event, the home crowd needn't have worried; their man got the nod. The judges’ cards reading 114-113 Dirrell, 115-112 Froch and 115-112 Froch.

In the end Dirrell's tactics cost him. You cannot win a decision as a challenger in a title bout by running, clinching, falling over and complaining - spoiling the fight, essentially. Throughout he was only prepared to go toe-to-toe with Froch once and that was when he thought the champ was hurt. Ironically Dirrell out-punched his opponent but this wasn't the Olympics and the judges looked unfavourably on his negativity. If he had frustrated less and demonstrated more aggression he could have won the decision but to do that he would have had to risk getting knocked out and he was obviously not prepared to do so.

For my money, Froch deserved the win. He didn't look convincing but he was willing to put his belt on the line and have a war. It takes two-to-tango and Dirrell was having none of it. Many people lauded his ability to evade punches and land the unseen counter but I'm not one of them. This wasn't Floyd Mayweather Jr or Sugar Ray Leonard - this was a boxer who came to steal a title in the most cynical manner possible and the only reason I will watch him again is in the hope that some proper bombs actually hit him next time.

Super Six: October 17th

The Super Six begins this weekend. Six top Super-Middleweights will contest the tournament - Mikkel Kessler, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell and Andre Ward. That is three Europeans Vs. three Americans in case you hadn't noticed. Although, this is no boxing Ryder Cup - each man fights for personal glory (and a shit-load of cash).

The series will take a modified round-robin format. Each fighter will engage in three bouts, with the four highest point scorers contesting the semi-final. Fighters will earn three points for a KO, two points for a decision win and one point for a draw. The semi-final will be single-elimination. The Super Six is an intriguing contest and the organisers should be applauded for getting such a good mix of renowned fighters and up-and-comers on board. Although, it's a shame Kelly Pavlik isn't involved - they could have made it the Super 8 and thrown in Paul Williams to boot.

Unfortunately boxing doesn't readily lend itself to extended tournaments and accordingly there are some issues with the format. For example, I don't think it is fair that Andre Dirrell has to face world champion, and Nottingham's favourite son, Carl Froch in his backyard or that Jermain Taylor should fight Arthur Abraham in Berlin. In the interests of fairness each bout should be contested in neutral venues, but screw egalitarianism, the money men realise these established fighters will bring in the most cash in their home towns, so that's where they will fight.

Secondly, the opening round sees each boxer fight three opponents, meaning there will be two contestants that each boxer has avoided and it will vary from man-to-man. This cannot be described as fair - each boxer should have fought all contestants by the end of round one. Is it too much to ask for a boxer to take on five fights in a year and a bit? Possibly. I can see why organisers have decided against it but there is no escaping how unbalanced the Super Six is.

That said, it still promises to be a cracking tournament so here are my opening predictions.

Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor

I'm really looking forward to this one, the brawler versus the technician. Abraham might not be pretty to watch but you could never accuse him of failing to excite the punters. He occasionally jabs but on the whole he throws savage but wreckless hooks and uppercuts, which often miss his opponent (it's funny to watch the momentum of these bombs causing him to stagger a couple of steps after he throws). When he is not trying to take opponents heads clean off their shoulders he reverts to a crude, yet effective, defence reminiscent of Mickey Ward, where he places his gloves in front of his head like pillars of stone and uses his elbows to block the body while backing off towards the ropes. Perhaps Abraham's biggest attribute is his heart. This guy famously fought eight rounds with a broken jaw against Edison Miranda.

Taylor is by far the better artisan. Unlike Abraham he can be fleet of foot, knows how to move his head, and can slip punches. He can also build an effective offence around his jab. However, as we saw against Froch, he can also get dragged into brawls and this will suit the Armenian more. There are also big question marks over his mental strength and physical conditioning. I mean, how much does he still want to be in the fight game?

For Taylor to win he will have to be in peak condition, avoid Abraham's haymakers and pound the Armenian when he is in his defensive posture. Most of these shots will not connect cleanly but incrementally, over the course of the fight, they will wear Abraham out. In the later rounds, Taylor may get an opening for a knockout. If not, he will have to hope the judges give a fair reflecion of his superior boxing skills.

Unfortunately for 'Bad Intentions', I don't think it will pan out like this. It is possible that an Abraham bomb will KO him in the early rounds but more likely, I suspect, is that Taylor's notorious poor conditioning will play a big part in the later rounds. I predict that despite being up on the cards, a big Abraham punch will rock the American and send him to the canvas. After taking the eight count, the ref will stop the fight after a big Teutonic onslaught. Although it wouldn't surprise me if Abraham knocks him clean out either.

Prediction: Abraham win by TKO late in the fight.


Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell

The Super Six may finally bring Froch the attention and acclaim he clearly craves. If Kessler doesn't claim the crown, then I think Froch will. Like Abraham his technique will not win him any prizes but he is a relentless pressure fighter and less skilled opponents simply cave under his ferocious attacks. Dirrell will have to utilize his superior speed and boxing ability to rack up the points. Froch will eat a lot of leather in this fight and his cocky style of leaving his gloves low will not help him but he is the sort of boxer who will take two punches to throw one. Dirrell has the fast hands but I don't think he has the power to knock him out. After all Pascal and Taylor threw everything they had at Froch but still couldn't pull it off. Dirrell has never stepped up and fought an opponent of the Englishman's calibre and I think this will be significant. There's an outside chance he may win a points decision but I think Froch will have too much for him. The American has never lost, so it's very difficult to call, but I'm going with a win for 'The Cobra' by KO.

Prediction: Froch win by KO.