Carl Froch: either Abraham is winning brutal knockout or Dirrell
taking a decision in a tactical fight
26.03.2010 15:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Americans, Andre Ward and Allan Green, give
their compatriot, Andre Dirrell, a slight edge to upend unbeaten
Arthur Abraham in a Group Stage 2 bout in the Super Six World Boxing
Classic this Saturday, March 27.
The Europeans — Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler — anticipate a tight
fight, too. However, they aren’t so certain who will prevail in what
will be a fiercely contested, scheduled 12-round match.
Dirrell (18-1, 13 KOs), of Flint, Mich., needs a victory in his `home
game’ to get on the tournament scorecard after coming up on the wrong
end of a hard-fought, disputed 12-round split decision to Froch last
Oct. 17 in Nottingham, England.
Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs), of Germany, has three points after knocking
out Jermain Taylor in the 12th round last Oct. 17, in Berlin, Germany.
The Armenian will be looking to extend his lead atop the Super Six
World Boxing Classic standings as Group Stage 2 action begins.
Froch, who will put his unblemished record and World Boxing Council
(WBC) super middleweight title on the line against Kessler, a former
World Boxing Association (WBA) 168-pound titleholder, in a Group Stage
2 showdown Saturday, April 24, couldn’t pick a winner but is clearly
rooting for Abraham.
`I can’t pick a winner because they’re fighting in the United
States,” said Froch (26-0, 20 KOs). `I see it as a 50-50 fight —
with either Abraham winning by brutal knockout or Dirrell taking a
decision in a tactical fight. Come on Abraham. Catch him sweet!’
Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs), of Denmark, pictures it going either way. `I
think the fight will be a close decision — maybe even a draw,” said
Kessler, who was dethroned by Ward on an 11th-round technical decision
last Nov. 21, in Oakland, Calif.. `Abraham is very confident with his
style and tactics, so I guess we will not see anything new from him.
`Dirrell, on the contrary, seems like a guy who can change tactics and
style based on how the fight develops and who his opponent is. Also,
you have to take into consideration that Dirrell needs a win
desperately. If he loses, he’ll have difficulties advancing in the
group stages. That favors Abraham and his tactics.
`Abraham’s fought in the United States against Edison Miranda and he
can use that experience positively. It is not something new for him
to fight in another part of the world. On the other hand, he’s not in
his safe home, Berlin. It’s going to be interesting to see how much
Dirrell will benefit from his home crowd.
"No matter what, I think that we are in for a great and entertaining fight."
Ward (21-0, 13 KOs), of Oakland, anticipates a determined, career-best
performance from Dirrell.
`As I’ve said, if Dirrell is in tip-top shape and fights a focused,
disciplined fight for 12 rounds, which I believe he will, he’ll be
victorious,” said Ward, who will make his initial defense of the WBA
crown against Taylor’s tournament replacement, `Sweetness’ Allan Green
(29-1, 20 KOs), of Tulsa, Okla., in a Group 2 match, on Saturday, June
19, in Oakland.
`Abraham should be respected. He’s a wily veteran and very strong. But
Dirrell understands that he NEEDS a win. Dirrell is also fighting at
home, which will give him that little extra and could be the
difference in the fight. This is the beauty of boxing. We’ will all
have to tune in to SHOWTIME to see what happens.
`I look for Dirrell to have his coming out party.”
Green envisions an even scrap, but gives the advantage to Dirrell —
if he is healthy after suffering a back injury that forced a contest
slated for March 6 to be pushed back to this Saturday.
`It’s a pick `em fight,” said Green, a winner of six consecutive
starts who’s ranked No. 3 in the World Boxing Organization (WBO), No.
4 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 7 in the World Boxing
Association (WBA). `Abraham is much stronger, but Dirrell should be
able to outbox him if his back has fully recovered,” boxingscene.com
cited him as saying.