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Six questions about the Super Six
With Carl Froch meeting Glen Johnson in Atlantic City this Saturday to determine who faces Andre Ward in the finals of the The Super Six World Boxing Classic, it's time to look back and analyze one of the most ambitious ideas in recent boxing history.
The super middleweight tournament, put together by Showtime, has had it's ups and downs, including a near-collapse with the withdrawal of three key figures. However, as is the case with most major events in boxing, it has produced as many questions as definitive answers.
Here's a look at six key question produced over the course of nearly two years of tournament action:
Did Jermain Taylor and Arthur Abraham belong in the tournament?
Former middleweight champ, Jermain Taylor had name recognition, but little street cred at the time of the tourney, having lost three of his last four bouts (two by brutal knockout). Abraham, although a long-time middleweight champ, had only competed once at the super middleweight limit over a period of more than four years. Arthur would legitimize himself to a degree by knocking Taylor out in the twelfth round of the tournament's opening bout. However, the Armenian-born German would drop his next three tournament bouts decisively to Andre Dirrell (DQ 11), Carl Froch (UD 12), and Andre Ward (UD 12).
Was the idea naive?
In the turbulent and unpredictable world of big time pro boxing, was Showtime being naive by assuming fighters would stay put and live up to the terms of their contract for two years and for as many as three to five fights? As fate would have it, Taylor would retire from the sport after his opening bout KO, to be replaced by Allan Green. Andre Dirrell and Mikkel Kessler would remove themselves as well, citing injury, after Group Stage 2. Durable veteran, Glen Johnson was added to the mix, but only after significant scrambling from the organizers of the tourney. Given the nature of management and the perceived career suicide of losing back to back high profile contests, was it a foregone conclusion that The Super Six would be missing several key figures by the end of its run?
Was there an Andre Ward bias?
Let's face it, Andre Ward got hometown and/or home state advantage throughout the tournament. While its true that the venue shouldn't matter to a real professional, the fact that everyone had to travel across the Atlantic at some point during the tournament and Ward did not, is tough to justify.
Can it be done in other divisions?
There's no doubt that the idea behind The Super Six was generally good and it did create some good fights and several memorable moments. The winner will also be the universally recognized super middleweight champ, regardless of who wears the belts at the time. While the idea can certainly be duplicated in other divisions, the fact that no Top Rank or Golden Boy fighters figured prominently in the 168 lb. class allowed for a politics-free negotiation process among the other promoters.
Were Andre Dirrell and Mikkel Kessler "faking?"
Dirrell pulled out of the tournament due to a head injury suffered via illegal shot by Arthur Abraham and Kessler withdrew after his Carl Froch victory, citing an eye injury. There's simply no way to tell whether either fighter was legitimately hurt or whether their withdrawal was more of a business/career move. However, Kessler is returning to active duty on the same day as the Froch-Johnson semi-final bout and Dirrell is back in the gym, preparing for his own return. The well-timed comebacks, meant to coincide with the end of The Super Six, create su****ion about the injuries of both fighters.
Did the tournament accomplish what it set out to do?
As said earlier, The Super Six World Boxing Classic produced some good fights and several memorable moments. The withdrawal of Mikkel Kessler and Andre Dirrell put a damper on the tournament and interjected some doubt into the idea that the winner would be regarded as the undisputed champ among super middleweights. The absence of Lucian Bute, a consensus Top 3 super middleweight on most lists, also cast some doubt on the tournament. All in all, despite relatively poor TV ratings and the loss of three original competitors, The Super Six has to be viewed as a success for those who love and respect the sport.
Well..did JT and AA belong in the super six tourney? I'd rather have seen Lucian bute replace either! What about you guys who coulda took the place of them?
The super middleweight tournament, put together by Showtime, has had it's ups and downs, including a near-collapse with the withdrawal of three key figures. However, as is the case with most major events in boxing, it has produced as many questions as definitive answers.
Here's a look at six key question produced over the course of nearly two years of tournament action:
Did Jermain Taylor and Arthur Abraham belong in the tournament?
Former middleweight champ, Jermain Taylor had name recognition, but little street cred at the time of the tourney, having lost three of his last four bouts (two by brutal knockout). Abraham, although a long-time middleweight champ, had only competed once at the super middleweight limit over a period of more than four years. Arthur would legitimize himself to a degree by knocking Taylor out in the twelfth round of the tournament's opening bout. However, the Armenian-born German would drop his next three tournament bouts decisively to Andre Dirrell (DQ 11), Carl Froch (UD 12), and Andre Ward (UD 12).
Was the idea naive?
In the turbulent and unpredictable world of big time pro boxing, was Showtime being naive by assuming fighters would stay put and live up to the terms of their contract for two years and for as many as three to five fights? As fate would have it, Taylor would retire from the sport after his opening bout KO, to be replaced by Allan Green. Andre Dirrell and Mikkel Kessler would remove themselves as well, citing injury, after Group Stage 2. Durable veteran, Glen Johnson was added to the mix, but only after significant scrambling from the organizers of the tourney. Given the nature of management and the perceived career suicide of losing back to back high profile contests, was it a foregone conclusion that The Super Six would be missing several key figures by the end of its run?
Was there an Andre Ward bias?
Let's face it, Andre Ward got hometown and/or home state advantage throughout the tournament. While its true that the venue shouldn't matter to a real professional, the fact that everyone had to travel across the Atlantic at some point during the tournament and Ward did not, is tough to justify.
Can it be done in other divisions?
There's no doubt that the idea behind The Super Six was generally good and it did create some good fights and several memorable moments. The winner will also be the universally recognized super middleweight champ, regardless of who wears the belts at the time. While the idea can certainly be duplicated in other divisions, the fact that no Top Rank or Golden Boy fighters figured prominently in the 168 lb. class allowed for a politics-free negotiation process among the other promoters.
Were Andre Dirrell and Mikkel Kessler "faking?"
Dirrell pulled out of the tournament due to a head injury suffered via illegal shot by Arthur Abraham and Kessler withdrew after his Carl Froch victory, citing an eye injury. There's simply no way to tell whether either fighter was legitimately hurt or whether their withdrawal was more of a business/career move. However, Kessler is returning to active duty on the same day as the Froch-Johnson semi-final bout and Dirrell is back in the gym, preparing for his own return. The well-timed comebacks, meant to coincide with the end of The Super Six, create su****ion about the injuries of both fighters.
Did the tournament accomplish what it set out to do?
As said earlier, The Super Six World Boxing Classic produced some good fights and several memorable moments. The withdrawal of Mikkel Kessler and Andre Dirrell put a damper on the tournament and interjected some doubt into the idea that the winner would be regarded as the undisputed champ among super middleweights. The absence of Lucian Bute, a consensus Top 3 super middleweight on most lists, also cast some doubt on the tournament. All in all, despite relatively poor TV ratings and the loss of three original competitors, The Super Six has to be viewed as a success for those who love and respect the sport.
Well..did JT and AA belong in the super six tourney? I'd rather have seen Lucian bute replace either! What about you guys who coulda took the place of them?
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