Comments Thread For: Photos: Andre Ward, Carl Froch Face To Face in The UK

[damned1974]

Dirrell is a different fighter then Ward num 1 and num 2 Dirrell ran and hug most of the fight..When he finally did open up it was 10 rds to late..He did not fight as he did in the AA fight,with good reason he would have been nail and most likely stopped bro..I forget what rd it was at the moment but at one point early in the fight Dirrell was trap in the corner and caught some serious blows from Froch that clearly hurt him..I'm telling you Froch has power Ward better be like a fart in the wind,because Froch can and most likely will hurt him in this fight...

lol-I will respectfully disagree.Dirrell IS a different style yes, but Froch can be outboxed and even pressured-at stages,Kessler,Johnson and even Dirrell (when he finally got aggressive in the later rounds) all were able to get Froch backing up-in fact,all of these guys (including Taylor) had staggered Froch.

I think Froch at his finest mixes up his jab and then slugs it out in spots-but that is also a problem.He is relatively lazy the first several rounds and pressure makes him back off.He feels comfortable on the outside.

Froch's power is over-rated.The guy is a hard puncher,but not the ko artist he would have you believe he is.Froch may believe that Ward will get KO'd, because of that Boone fight he had in his 6th fight,but Ward fought at MW back then,not SMW-in fact,a few fights after that knockdown,Ward moved up to SMW,he obviously didn't want to cut weight anymore (remember,he fought at LHW in the olympics).
Since then,I have seen Ward remain composed after taking decent hits from Kessler, Green, Abraham, Miranda and Bika-all of these guys have decent power-in fact some have just as much,if not more than Froch.
Froch's problem in this fight will be his poor reaction time and poor handspeed.He adopts a counter-puncher's strategy when he is put on the backfoot/pressured,yet doesn't have the timing to deliver or catch up to his opponent...when Dirrell quit boxing and got aggressive,Froch got uncomfortable (albeit late in the fight).Just the same,Kessler was able to walk Froch down with a jab and inaccurate punches.

Ward's power is underestimated.He isn't a huge puncher,but he has fast hands that did hurt Kessler,who I view is just as tough as Froch.The only way Ward loses this would be if he stands in front of Froch at mid-range without using head/upper body movement.Froch's right hand is visably thrown when he loads up or "twitches" it.If anything,he will have to use his left hand to get to Ward,who has been hit by lefts at times by Abraham, Green, Kessler,etc- the problem for Froch is,Ward adjusts and never gets hit frequently.

[damned1974]

Really hope this final doesn't turn out like the Mares-Agbeko final, Clean fight, no referee favouring the other guy etc, just a clean durable fun fight..

This has the makings of a dirty fight.Ward will fight rough and has been involved with head clashes in a few of his fights (be honest though,he was only really involved in headclashes with Kessler and Bika-Bika is a known intentional dirty fighter,and Ward just gave him back what he got from Bika).

Froch is dirty as well.This guy likes to hold you behind the head and hit,as well as hit on the break and rabbit punch.In every fight he has recently been in he does this.There is no saint in this fight.

[Rome-By-Ko]

lol-I will respectfully disagree.Dirrell IS a different style yes, but Froch can be outboxed and even pressured-at stages,Kessler,Johnson and even Dirrell (when he finally got aggressive in the later rounds) all were able to get Froch backing up-in fact,all of these guys (including Taylor) had staggered Froch.

I think Froch at his finest mixes up his jab and then slugs it out in spots-but that is also a problem.He is relatively lazy the first several rounds and pressure makes him back off.He feels comfortable on the outside.

Froch's power is over-rated.The guy is a hard puncher,but not the ko artist he would have you believe he is.Froch may believe that Ward will get KO'd, because of that Boone fight he had in his 6th fight,but Ward fought at MW back then,not SMW-in fact,a few fights after that knockdown,Ward moved up to SMW,he obviously didn't want to cut weight anymore (remember,he fought at LHW in the olympics).
Since then,I have seen Ward remain composed after taking decent hits from Kessler, Green, Abraham, Miranda and Bika-all of these guys have decent power-in fact some have just as much,if not more than Froch.
Froch's problem in this fight will be his poor reaction time and poor handspeed.He adopts a counter-puncher's strategy when he is put on the backfoot/pressured,yet doesn't have the timing to deliver or catch up to his opponent...when Dirrell quit boxing and got aggressive,Froch got uncomfortable (albeit late in the fight).Just the same,Kessler was able to walk Froch down with a jab and inaccurate punches.

Ward's power is underestimated.He isn't a huge puncher,but he has fast hands that did hurt Kessler,who I view is just as tough as Froch.The only way Ward loses this would be if he stands in front of Froch at mid-range without using head/upper body movement.Froch's right hand is visably thrown when he loads up or "twitches" it.If anything,he will have to use his left hand to get to Ward,who has been hit by lefts at times by Abraham, Green, Kessler,etc- the problem for Froch is,Ward adjusts and never gets hit frequently.

You make some interesting points,but I have issues with some of umm..

1.Froch Kessler for starters..Yes Kessler put the pressure on,but it was Froch who was accurate and also bust Kessler's face up badly(I even believe he put him out the SS right)..He did not feel comfortable with Kessler's activity(Ward is not an active fighter,he more try's to set up 1,2's)and Kessler took major punishment for this style of fighting I'm not sure Ward is built to take those kinds of punches like Kessler did..Froch does has a counter punchers style but I disagree that his timing is bad..Every fighter that has hit Froch has been punish except Dirrell(because of his holding and jumping on the canvas)..Ward will be no different(as long as he fights as a man and does not try to do the Dirrell)...

2.AA and Bika both visibly staggered Ward,and neither is the counter puncher Froch is..Like I said before,I truly believe Ward will be hit more and wobbled in this fight(more then once)..My prediction for this fight(I been said this as well)is a 8 to 10 rd KO for Froch..I just see him getting to Ward..Froch is more active and accurate then Bika and AA,and both were able to land but not good enough to follow up..Froch is,and will...

3.Ward has good power,but I've never seen him stop someone in their tracks..Bradley is a fighter who most feel have no power(I'm not one of umm)but even Bradley KD or visibly stun an opponent..He hit's you and then try's to move never really sitting down on his punches,I think his chin has a lot to do with that..Froch is going to use his jab,and because of his awkwardness Ward won't see every right hand or left hook coming bro..Froch hides his punches very well dude..You talk as Froch does not have a chance in hell,I really want you to know that's far from the truth..

[damned1974]

You make some interesting points,but I have issues with some of umm..

1.Froch Kessler for starters..Yes Kessler put the pressure on,but it was Froch who was accurate and also bust Kessler's face up badly(I even believe he put him out the SS right)..He did not feel comfortable with Kessler's activity(Ward is not an active fighter,he more try's to set up 1,2's)and Kessler took major punishment for this style of fighting I'm not sure Ward is built to take those kinds of punches like Kessler did..Froch does has a counter punchers style but I disagree that his timing is bad..Every fighter that has hit Froch has been punish except Dirrell(because of his holding and jumping on the canvas)..Ward will be no different(as long as he fights as a man and does not try to do the Dirrell)...

2.AA and Bika both visibly staggered Ward,and neither is the counter puncher Froch is..Like I said before,I truly believe Ward will be hit more and wobbled in this fight(more then once)..My prediction for this fight(I been said this as well)is a 8 to 10 rd KO for Froch..I just see him getting to Ward..Froch is more active and accurate then Bika and AA,and both were able to land but not good enough to follow up..Froch is,and will...

3.Ward has good power,but I've never seen him stop someone in their tracks..Bradley is a fighter who most feel have no power(I'm not one of umm)but even Bradley KD or visibly stun an opponent..He hit's you and then try's to move never really sitting down on his punches,I think his chin has a lot to do with that..Froch is going to use his jab,and because of his awkwardness Ward won't see every right hand or left hook coming bro..Froch hides his punches very well dude..You talk as Froch does not have a chance in hell,I really want you to know that's far from the truth..

Don't get me confused here-I am not saying Ward will fight like Kessler in straight lines to back Froch up-what I am saying though is Ward can and more than likely will make Froch back up by rushing in with punches and to get inside.Froch will want to keep distance all night-thats his nature.

You say every fighter that has been able to hit Froch has essentially had to pay,but the problem is-like Dirrell,Ward has a fast reaction and moves in and out.He will be too quick for Froch to counter-and like I said before,Froch's right hand is predictable-it's not sneaky.He loads up on it and at times you will see him twitch his hand before he throws it.

AA and BIKA were able to hit Ward-yes (then of course,in a fight everyone gets hit,Ward just gets hit much less than most).These two fighters are more sporatic when they throw.AA hit Ward a few times-not many,but where was Andre staggered?He got hit with 2 left hooks,but still stood his ground (not on shakey legs either). I have seen Froch staggered in nearly every fight he has recently been in.If you are going to call Froch iron chinned,then you may as well assume Ward has one too,in fact Ward is staggered a lot less than Froch...of course this also has to deal with defense as well,something Froch doesn't have a lot of.

IMO Froch has been saying he has more ways to win (meaning points or KO), but lets be honest,is Froch going to outpoint or outskill Andre? This isn't Nottingham,there won't be a robbery.I believe the only way Froch wins is by KO in this one (see,I do give him a chance).TBH, I like Froch as a fighter,but unless he has a strong gameplan then I doubt he has got this one...and honestly,I don't think it hurts his career.Froch always brings excitement in the ring and people respect what he has been doing-fighting the cream of the crop.Who knows,maybe we will see him in a rematch against Dirrell or Kessler-both would be good.

I do expect this to be a dirty fight in a lot of places-As we have seen Ward involved in a couple of fights where there are headclashes (not to mention he fights southpaw a lot and Froch is orthodox) and he elbowed Bika shortly after receiving an elbow from him.Froch does dirty tricks as well-rabbit punching, holding his opponents head down and hitting,etc...I won't be surprised to see a lot of warnings or controversy.