History today

[The Surgeon]

Cant wait for tonight! Im a big fan of both of these guys, Froch has one of the best attitudes toward boxing in the game today, a real throwback in the sense he just wants to fight the best and if it has to be on foreign soil so be it. Back to back this guy has squared off against Pascal,Taylor, Dirrell, Kessler, Abraham, Johnson and now Ward! Five of the seven fights away from home and three of them against undefeated fighters. Its impressive. He looks awful, wooden, slow and ungaingly as well as SO easy to hit but the guy is deceptively good and while he's no Willy Pep he dont take the punishment ud expect. His awkward style works for him and i after initially thinking Ward would DOMINATE him am beginning to give Froch a real shot here, this fight is up for grabs.

Ward for his part has really impressed me with his class out of the ring. He dosnt give the memorable soundbites Cobra does but he is intelligent, humble and confident. Inside the ropes he has faced quite a line up too in Kessler, Green, a fight against Tough and rugged dangerman Sakio Bika that he didnt need to take, Abraham and now Froch. Ward has shown how physically strong and tough he is along the way as well as demonstrating his skills. He fights well in both the orthodox and southpaw stance, is sharp to counter shots and has quick reflexes, hands and feet. The guy is good and a top pound for pounder in my opinion, I mean they dont just give Gold medals away. Its his inside game that has impressed me the most though, its probably the best in the sport right now. I find his fights highly watchable too going against the view that he is boring...

This fight is fascinating and i cant wait to see how it unfolds!
I just hope the winner isnt instantly bombarded with questions about Bute, whoever sees this tournament through deserves his moment of glory

Bute should face the winner but dont spoil the moment after all the work thats been put in over the two years

[New England]

Big fight for sure. I'm just hoping it isn't too ugly to watch. Ward's style is totally unappealing to me.

he's certainly not the most exciting guy out there


i think some of that stigma comes with the nature of his wins. he's usually dominant for much of the fight

i tend to agree with you when you say that froch wont be the guy who can push ward

maybe its bute
it's probably going to be somebody at 175
but i do think that somewhere down the line he'll find a dance partner who can bring him into deep water and produce an exciting fight.

we're goign to have to find somebody who can handle the speed and the skills and more importantly find a way shake his chin

[IronDanHamza]

Very excited about tonight's fight.

This is what Boxing is all about, fights like this. The best Vs The best.

I would have honestly considered betting 3 years of payments that Carl Froch wouldn't make it to the final of this tornument. So he's done exceptionally well to prove me wrong.

But after all he's done, his long road to the final. I still don't consider him to be that good.

I respect him, I respect his willing to fight the best and finding ways to win (Despite in my opinion losing to Dirrell).And he's argubaly the best fighter in the division, but I still don't overly rate him.

As for the fight, I've got Ward, by wide Decision.

Other then power, reach and chin, Ward has every advantage and is just all round better in pretty much every caterogory.

[The Surgeon]

Very excited about tonight's fight.

This is what Boxing is all about, fights like this. The best Vs The best.

I would have honestly considered betting 3 years of payments that Carl Froch wouldn't make it to the final of this tornument. So he's done exceptionally well to prove me wrong.

But after all he's done, his long road to the final. I still don't consider him to be that good.

I respect him, I respect his willing to fight the best and finding ways to win (Despite in my opinion losing to Dirrell).And he's argubaly the best fighter in the division, but I still don't overly rate him.

As for the fight, I've got Ward, by wide Decision.

Other then power, reach and chin, Ward has every advantage and is just all round better in pretty much every caterogory.

Dan i totally understand u, its actually embarrassing to show someone Froch and say yeah he is champion and one of the best, Its because he dosnt appear do anything very well and is so awkward. U cant argue with results though, if he finds a way to edge out Ward then he has to be considered p4p. He wins, Thats all that really matters. If Froch was around back in the days before tv/internet and we were reading his record and about his career without having seen him we would rave about him. He is hard to take seriously with his style and just the way he is outside the ropes too but he has balls and he gets results.

Froch (a much improved fighter over the last couple of years) has strengths to match his many flaws, he has a big heart, a solid chin, a good engine, good power and strength, is very strong mentally and is actually a good counter puncher as strange as that seems. He isnt quite as hittable as he appears either though he does take shots. People just dont walk up and score combinations on him or land with real regularity and there is a reason for that. Robert McCracken is top drawer in the cornerman department too IMO, i rate him.

My head still says Ward is way too good and wins it well but my gut says its a tough hard fight that Froch has a real shot at, i dunno maybe its just the Brit in me.......

[IronDanHamza]

Dan i totally understand u, its actually embarrassing to show someone Froch and say yeah he is champion and one of the best, Its because he dosnt appear do anything very well and is so awkward. U cant argue with results though, if he finds a way to edge out Ward then he has to be considered p4p. He wins, Thats all that really matters. If Froch was around back in the days before tv/internet and we were reading his record and about his career without having seen him we would rave about him. He is hard to take seriously with his style and just the way he is outside the ropes too but he has balls and he gets results.

Froch (a much improved fighter over the last couple of years) has strengths to match his many flaws, he has a big heart, a solid chin, a good engine, good power and strength, is very strong mentally and is actually a good counter puncher as strange as that seems. He isnt quite as hittable as he appears either though he does take shots. People just dont walk up and score combinations on him or land with real regularity and there is a reason for that. Robert McCracken is top drawer in the cornerman department too IMO, i rate him.

My head still says Ward is way too good and wins it well but my gut says its a tough hard fight that Froch has a real shot at, i dunno maybe its just the Brit in me.......

I already consider him P4P. I don't think he's that good of a fighter but if he keeps winning he keeps winning. If he manages to beat Ward he's one of the best fighters in the sport currently.

He's already earned my respect. He's earned his way to the final and gone the long and hard way. You have to respect him for that.

His heart, chin and stamina are what seperates him from the pack (other than Ward) their his real gifts, and that's what's got him as far as he he's gone. Not skills.

He's head and sholders above the rest in that regard. And his mental toughness is exceptional aswell.

The problem is, Ward matchs him with mental toughness, heart and stamina. The only one of those in which he doesn't is chin.

And that's where I see Ward taking over, Ward has it all. He has the skills, ability and Ring IQ of the other guys who have given Froch problems (Dirrell, Taylor and Kessler) but what he also has that they don't (other than maybe Kessler) is the mental toughness, stamina and heart to match Froch's. That's the place in which Ward has the huge edge in my opinion.

Ward's not going to gass like Taylor and Ward's not going to be timid like Dirrell. Ward's a tough guy, and has the skills that they possess and then some.

As for the last sentance, yes, it's the Brit in you The Brit in you comes out in abundance every time a Brit is fighting.

[The Surgeon]

I already consider him P4P. I don't think he's that good of a fighter but if he keeps winning he keeps winning. If he manages to beat Ward he's one of the best fighters in the sport currently.

He's already earned my respect. He's earned his way to the final and gone the long and hard way. You have to respect him for that.

His heart, chin and stamina are what seperates him from the pack (other than Ward) their his real gifts, and that's what's got him as far as he he's gone. Not skills.

He's head and sholders above the rest in that regard. And his mental toughness is exceptional aswell.

The problem is, Ward matchs him with mental toughness, heart and stamina. The only one of those in which he doesn't is chin.

And that's where I see Ward taking over, Ward has it all. He has the skills, ability and Ring IQ of the other guys who have given Froch problems (Dirrell, Taylor and Kessler) but what he also has that they don't (other than maybe Kessler) is the mental toughness, stamina and heart to match Froch's. That's the place in which Ward has the huge edge in my opinion.

Ward's not going to gass like Taylor and Ward's not going to be timid like Dirrell. Ward's a tough guy, and has the skills that they possess and then some.

As for the last sentance, yes, it's the Brit in you The Brit in you comes out in abundance every time a Brit is fighting.

Lol so sue me im patriotic! lol, actually i never thought of myself like that but i guess i am a bit, i just dont like all the bashing the UK fighters get on these boards!

As for the rest, ur probably right Ward does have it all, power aside and perhaps not a granite chin but it seems solid enough to me so he should be favoured. I rate the man Highly, if he wins tonight he goes to number 3 p4p for me. Ive had him pegged to win it since the start but these last few days my gut has been telling Froch could do it, ive been watching a lot of Carl lately and i honestly think he has a shot. I might look a total fool tomorrow because the potential for a Ward whitewash is there! But right now im giving Froch a 50/50 shot


BTW is Taylor back tonight too?

[IronDanHamza]

Lol so sue me im patriotic! lol, actually i never thought of myself like that but i guess i am a bit, i just dont like all the bashing the UK fighters get on these boards!

As for the rest, ur probably right Ward does have it all, power aside and perhaps not a granite chin but it seems solid enough to me so he should be favoured. I rate the man Highly, if he wins tonight he goes to number 3 p4p for me. Ive had him pegged to win it since the start but these last few days my gut has been telling Froch could do it, ive been watching a lot of Carl lately and i honestly think he has a shot. I might look a total fool tomorrow because the potential for a Ward whitewash is there! But right now im giving Froch a 50/50 shot


BTW is Taylor back tonight too?

I'm the least bit patriotic I'm usually very critical of my fellow Brit's. Especially the new breed.

I like(d) Khan, Mitchell, Brook, Hatton and a few others.

I dislike and some I even hate - Calzaghe, Froch, Lewis, John Murray, etc.

But I've just never supported a fighter solely because he was from the same Country as me. Just never been like that.

I got a lot of hate back in 07 for being so strongly supporting Mayweather over Hatton when Hatton pretty much but the Nation on his back. It's just not how I've ever worked. When Arguello dropped Watt with that picture perfect left hook I jumped for Joy, I was at that fight, the Scot's weren't too happy

Other's are just different I guess and there's no problem with supporting your countrymen.

I'm not sure about Taylor, he hasn't been advertised to my knowledge.

As for tonight, I'm at 100% supporting and rooting for Ward!

[The Surgeon]

I'm the least bit patriotic I'm usually very critical of my fellow Brit's. Especially the new breed.

I like(d) Khan, Mitchell, Brook, Hatton and a few others.

I dislike and some I even hate - Calzaghe, Froch, Lewis, John Murray, etc.

But I've just never supported a fighter solely because he was from the same Country as me. Just never been like that.

I got a lot of hate back in 07 for being so strongly supporting Mayweather over Hatton when Hatton pretty much but the Nation on his back. It's just not how I've ever worked. When Arguello dropped Watt with that picture perfect left hook I jumped for Joy, I was at that fight, the Scot's weren't too happy

Other's are just different I guess and there's no problem with supporting your countrymen.

I'm not sure about Taylor, he hasn't been advertised to my knowledge.

As for tonight, I'm at 100% supporting and rooting for Ward!

Id have cheered when Watt went down too,

A. Because Alexis Rocks
B. Because i cant stand Jim!


I loved Hatton, still really like him though i went off him when he split with Graham. I even thought he could pull off the miracle off beating Floyd. Just a style thing, Didnt quite work like that and its NOT all Joe Cortez's fault. Though the prick didnt help!


I HATE Calzaghe! His beef with Froch was the only reason i even liked Froch to begin with! lol

[DarkTerror88]

When someone wants to win as bad as Carl Froch does. You never, NEVER, count them out.

[BigStereotype]

I think Ward is just the classier, better fighter. No shame in being worse than him, Froch is a p4p top ten fighter. Ward is just faster and trickier. Froch is gonna frustrate him with his jab and amazing range-control, but I think Ward's speed and ring generalship is gonna win out. It'll be a very tactically interesting fight and I think Ward comes out on top of a fairly close but evident win.