Uppercut Magazine.com - Ward vs. Froch

It's Finally Here. Super Six Finale: Ward vs. Froch

By David A. Avila

Our home planet has circled the sun twice since the Super Six Super Middleweight tournament began with a much appreciated bang on Showtime television.

Universally the tournament was acclaimed and recognized as a remedy for the 168-pound weight division that suffered from severe anonymity. It’s still suffering but now from a slight case of lingering lockjaw.

The finals have arrived with undefeated Andre “SOG” Ward (24-0, 13 KOs) and the holder of the WBA super middleweight title contesting WBC champion United Kingdom’s Carl “The Cobra” Froch (28-1, 20 KOs) on Saturday Dec. 17, for the Super Six trophy. Showtime will televise the fight from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Change in perception of the super middleweight division has not been earth shattering but the two finalists were not the choice of many to be the survivors. Along the way Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler, Germany’s Arthur Abraham, and Americans Andre Dirrell and Jermain Taylor faltered.

The jaunting chin of Froch coupled with his steely-eyed stare as he plowed through the oncoming fistic missiles shot at him by Taylor, Dirrell, Kessler, Abraham and Glen Johnson proved his mettle. Every conceivable boxing style was tossed at him like a blanket of barbed wire and he unraveled nearly all. Only Kessler’s home town crowd resulted in a defeat for Froch. But he survived and now is in the finals.

On the other corner will be Oakland, California’s Ward with his blend of speed, power and determination. So far no one has been able to crack the Ward code that gave Kessler his first loss and enabled him to breeze through the feared Abraham last May in the Home Depot Center. Each opponent was met with few words and more action than expected. Key to his success has been an ability to adapt.

“If you watch my fights I do a little of everything. I have the where with all to make adjustments. To do whatever is necessary to get the victory,” said Ward during a telephone conference call.

Ward has proven to be more than just the fleet-footed 2004 Olympic gold medalist who skipped around the ring and occasionally slapped opponents silly with blistering speed.

“Before Andre emerged to the boxer that he is, he was a fighter,” said Virgil Hunter who trains Ward. “Over a period of time that he won a gold medal he adapted to the point system. Through the years the fighting (aggressive style) never left him and I think that’s what surprises people.”

Injury postponement

After Ward suffered a cut during training that forced a postponement in October, Froch continued training and looks forward to solving yet another American speedster. Taylor and Dirrell discovered that Froch knows the American style.

“Styles make fights, it’s an old cliché. I expect Andre Ward to come and box and use his jab. He may come inside and get rounds in there, it’s hard to predict,” said Froch who expects several hundred fellow countrymen to join him in Atlantic City. “I come to fight. I’m going to do everything I need to do to win these two belts.”

Froch fights out of Nottingham, England and has been unable to captivate the number of rabid fans of his British predecessors Ricky Hatton or Joe Calzaghe. A win over Ward could do the trick. But the change in dates has enabled his followers to take advantage of the later fight date.

“It (the date change) actually went to my favor. I had two weeks break when I heard about Ward’s cut. I’ve been cranking it up pretty good,” says Froch. “The main problem it caused was just my fans had bought tickets. But it seems to have worked in my favor too. There’s great response. More and more people seem to be coming.”

Now will more fans pay attention to the super middleweight division?

Fights on television

Fri. Telefutura, 11:30 p.m., Alan Sanchez (8-2-1) vs. Keandre Gibson (5-0-1).

Sat. Showtime, 9 p.m., Andre Ward (24-0) vs. Carl Froch (28-1).

Sat. Showtime, 10:30 p.m., Gilbert Melendez (19-2) vs. Jorge Masvidal (22-6).