By Mark Vester

At the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (26-0, 2OKOs) won a twelve round split decision over Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13KOs), picking up two points in the first stage of the Super Six Boxing Classic tournament. The scores were 114-113 for Dirrell, 115-112 for Froch and 115-112 for Froch.

Dirrell's advantage was clear in the first round. He used his quick hands to get to Froch wit his jab. Other than a quick rush of punches, Froch did not do much in the first round.

Froch started using his own jab in the second while Dirrell turned southpaw. Dirrell was able to make Froch miss and countered well. Dirrell came out with two quick hooks in the third. Froch began to cut off the ring. Dirrell continued to counter and was too quick on his feet for Froch. Dirrell caught Froch flush with a big left and Froch chased after him to land a left.

Dirrell with some sharp left hands at the start of the fourth. Dirrell continued to use his quicker hands outwork Froch with shots to the head and body. A quick combination in the first minute of the fifth saw Dirrell land a crisp right hand to Froch's chin. Froch warned for throwing Dirrell down to the floor. Froch tried to chase him but Dirrell was again to fast and caught him with counters coming in.

In the sixth, Dirrell used his quick hands to land big lefts on Froch who tried plenty of rough tactics to throw dirrell off his game. A quick combo by Dirrell to start off the seventh. The round quickly turned into a brawl with holding, shots to the back of the head by Froch, left hooks by Dirrell and rough tactics by both. The eight was Froch chasing and Dirrell countering with lefts and rights. Two good combos by Dirrell and a hard left landed for Froch.

In the ninth, Froch started using his jab to come inside. Two lefts by Dirrell backed Froch off. A left and right combo to Froch's chin by Dirrell. And then another left landed by Dirrell. Froch continued to come forward and throw big shots. During the tenth round, Dirrell went back to staying on the bike and using quick potshots as Froch came inside. Dirrell lost a point for holding. Dirrell would land a huge left hand a moment later and then left two right hands. A left hand by Dirrell at the end of the round had Froch hurt. Dirrell rushed him at the end of the round but the clock ran down.

Froch rushed Dirrell into the corner in the eleventh. Dirrell was able to weather the storm with two left hands and then rocked Froch a moment later with a combination. They were trading often but Dirrell's punches were quicker and got to the target first. Dirrell was going for big punches in the first minute of the twelfth. Dirrell rushed him and threw some quick combinations. Dirrell seemed to get tired near the end and Froch started to come on, trying to land something big.

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