Comments Thread For: Ward's Trainer: Carl Froch Owes Smoger An Apology

[Ravens Fan]

I'll never forget Jack Reiss' smirk at Kessler wincing in pain when Ward "came in like a billy goat" (in Al Bernstein's words) and hit Mikkel with the fight-ending headbutt.

I believe that it was in fact a bad head butt and I would have had no problem with a point being taken away from Ward for the infraction. However, I am not convinced that it was on purpose. Simply because Ward was frustrating and whooping Kessler rather easily. So, why would he intentionally foul and possibly disqualify himself in that situation? I am also not even sure why the fight was stopped. Because if I remember correctly as bad as the cut was it was not bleeding into Kessler's eyes.

[Xyei]

i don't know define much?

.............

[davidw9785]

Smoger is one of the best and didn't do a damn thing wrong during the Ward-Froch fight.

Double S Steve Smoger is the best. I rewatched this fight two nights ago. Smoger's motto in life as a ref is "one arm is free, fight out boys".

What occurred in that fight wasn't excessive holding, that was just a physical fight on the inside. That's what boxing is. We practice that during sparing sessions. Getting lower than the other guy, controlling him with your forearms, and pushing him around to keep him on his back foot. Froch had a look of meager desperation many times during the fight as he was getting bulldozed around the ring. That fight was impressive. Froch actually won a couple rounds when he figured out how to throw punches up the middle taking a step backwards. It's effing boxing.

Also, watch the post-fight interview with Froch. He said he got beat fair and square, no excuses. It was a really classy post-fight interview.

If I was him I wouldn't fight Ward again and think I could win.

Also, have people here always been so opposed to the more subtle aspects of boxing (like holding, counterpunching, moving around the ring, etc. a la guys like Ward and Rigo)?? Or is this a relatively new trend with boxing fans? A lot of people complaining "he won't stand and trade!! he sucks!!!"

[#1Assassin]

Double S Steve Smoger is the best. I rewatched this fight two nights ago. Smoger's motto in life as a ref is "one arm is free, fight out boys".

What occurred in that fight wasn't excessive holding, that was just a physical fight on the inside. That's what boxing is. We practice that during sparing sessions. Getting lower than the other guy, controlling him with your forearms, and pushing him around to keep him on his back foot. Froch had a look of meager desperation many times during the fight as he was getting bulldozed around the ring. That fight was impressive. Froch actually won a couple rounds when he figured out how to throw punches up the middle taking a step backwards. It's effing boxing.

Also, watch the post-fight interview with Froch. He said he got beat fair and square, no excuses. It was a really classy post-fight interview.

If I was him I wouldn't fight Ward again and think I could win.

Also, have people here always been so opposed to the more subtle aspects of boxing (like holding, counterpunching, moving around the ring, etc. a la guys like Ward and Rigo)?? Or is this a relatively new trend with boxing fans? A lot of people complaining "he won't stand and trade!! he sucks!!!"

One of the best posts i ever read, i literally take my hat off to you sir.

You are right about the in fighting, whats crazy is the fight went down exacrly like ward and his trainer said it would. They said they would take it to froch who laughed saying ward would run. But they made the point that froch doesnt really know how to fight inside, how to position your feet and head, how to defend yourself in the pocket while creating space for your owns shots. They said wards strenght would surprise froch inside and froch admitted afterwards that it did.

Great stuff from ward, i too watched it several times over and for the record i find it a hundred times more entertaining than sloppy brawls like froch-kessler.

To answer your question most "fans" today arent really boxing fans, boxing being the art of hitting without being hit. They just like random violence, its not a new trend imo. It gradually happened over a number of years. As the sport left the spotlight "fans" became less and less educated on boxing. Now most people dont even know what its supposed to look like and hence they cant appreciate good boxing at all.

[Jack Napier]

love Froch, but he needs to STFU right now
he lost to Ward fair and square, Ward's better than him and that's that
he sounds like a bitter female the way he keeps going on about Ward
nothing would change in a rematch in terms of the action
if it was in the UK, Ward might get robbed, but he'd rightfully win again
that's why Ward isn't keen on making the trip
that and he doesn't have to because he beat Froch clearly
the referee didn't have a damn thing to do with it

[MASTER1454]

Double S Steve Smoger is the best. I rewatched this fight two nights ago. Smoger's motto in life as a ref is "one arm is free, fight out boys".

What occurred in that fight wasn't excessive holding, that was just a physical fight on the inside. That's what boxing is. We practice that during sparing sessions. Getting lower than the other guy, controlling him with your forearms, and pushing him around to keep him on his back foot. Froch had a look of meager desperation many times during the fight as he was getting bulldozed around the ring. That fight was impressive. Froch actually won a couple rounds when he figured out how to throw punches up the middle taking a step backwards. It's effing boxing.

Also, watch the post-fight interview with Froch. He said he got beat fair and square, no excuses. It was a really classy post-fight interview.

If I was him I wouldn't fight Ward again and think I could win.

Also, have people here always been so opposed to the more subtle aspects of boxing (like holding, counterpunching, moving around the ring, etc. a la guys like Ward and Rigo)?? Or is this a relatively new trend with boxing fans? A lot of people complaining "he won't stand and trade!! he sucks!!!"

One of the best posts i ever read, i literally take my hat off to you sir.

You are right about the in fighting, whats crazy is the fight went down exacrly like ward and his trainer said it would. They said they would take it to froch who laughed saying ward would run. But they made the point that froch doesnt really know how to fight inside, how to position your feet and head, how to defend yourself in the pocket while creating space for your owns shots. They said wards strenght would surprise froch inside and froch admitted afterwards that it did.

Great stuff from ward, i too watched it several times over and for the record i find it a hundred times more entertaining than sloppy brawls like froch-kessler.

To answer your question most "fans" today arent really boxing fans, boxing being the art of hitting without being hit. They just like random violence, its not a new trend imo. It gradually happened over a number of years. As the sport left the spotlight "fans" became less and less educated on boxing. Now most people dont even know what its supposed to look like and hence they cant appreciate good boxing at all.

love Froch, but he needs to STFU right now
he lost to Ward fair and square, Ward's better than him and that's that
he sounds like a bitter female the way he keeps going on about Ward
nothing would change in a rematch in terms of the action
if it was in the UK, Ward might get robbed, but he'd rightfully win again
that's why Ward isn't keen on making the trip
that and he doesn't have to because he beat Froch clearly
the referee didn't have a damn thing to do with it

^^^^^^What they said.......

[mshap]

agree that Froch is talking too much -- what's the point of belittling and making fun of the guy who beat you?

[Light_Speed]

If you complain that Smoger doesn't let you fight your fight then you're just full of ****.

[Chris Collins]

Double S Steve Smoger is the best. I rewatched this fight two nights ago. Smoger's motto in life as a ref is "one arm is free, fight out boys".

What occurred in that fight wasn't excessive holding, that was just a physical fight on the inside. That's what boxing is. We practice that during sparing sessions. Getting lower than the other guy, controlling him with your forearms, and pushing him around to keep him on his back foot. Froch had a look of meager desperation many times during the fight as he was getting bulldozed around the ring. That fight was impressive. Froch actually won a couple rounds when he figured out how to throw punches up the middle taking a step backwards. It's effing boxing.

Also, watch the post-fight interview with Froch. He said he got beat fair and square, no excuses. It was a really classy post-fight interview.

If I was him I wouldn't fight Ward again and think I could win.

Also, have people here always been so opposed to the more subtle aspects of boxing (like holding, counterpunching, moving around the ring, etc. a la guys like Ward and Rigo)?? Or is this a relatively new trend with boxing fans? A lot of people complaining "he won't stand and trade!! he sucks!!!"

I (and alot of other fight fans) hate holding it's terrible to watch and a cheap defensive move, I won't criticize fighters for holding when they're hurt or knackered but when holding and clinching for that matter becomes a big part of the game plan because they don't want to get hit, it's just terrible to watch. IMO refs need to crack down on holding, start warning and deducting points more.
Obviously no issue with counter punching or movers, although I'm not a fan of fighters running I except it as a legit style/tactic, but when you get a fighter running and holding pretty much the whole fight that is truly pathetic and **** to watch.

[Troce]

Ward will have to go outside ...

Ward has ALWAYS fought in the US ... this guy is starting to look like a joke. He doesnt sell in the US anyway ! His boxing "olympic" style sucks. He should man up and go fight Froch. Froch and all the other super six fighters went to the US for the tournement made for Ward .... And now he crys again just like he was crying when Lucian Bute wanted him ( before Froch ). That Ward is just a joke ! A Shame !!!