Preview: Carl Froch vs Andre Ward

by Gautham Nagesh

After over two years, countless delays and a couple withdrawals we’ve finally reached the conclusion of Showtime’s Super Six super middleweight tournament. On Saturday night British veteran Carl Froch will battle Oakland Olympian Andre Ward to determine who rules the roost at 168 lbs. The finale in Atlantic City will match the sport’s two best fighters at super middleweight, which means despite all the setbacks it’s hard to label the tournament anything but a success.

Ward is undeniably the favorite and deservedly so, considering how he has made short work of almost everyone he’s faced since the tourney began. Froch’s stock has also grown considerably thanks to his wins over Andre Dirrell and Arthur Abraham; even in his loss to Mikkel Kessler he showed tremendous heart and a granite chin. The fight looks incredibly close going in and we’re expecting a back-and-forth affair featuring two warriors in their prime.

Froch is known as a brawler but he’s showing increasing sophistication in his recent bouts, most notably during his semifinal win over Glen Johnson. His ring-savvy and willingness to mix it up ensure the Cobra won’t be a pushover like Ward’s last three opponents. The key to victory for Froch will be to test Ward’s chin often and maintain the pressure in the late rounds. His one clear advantage appears to be his beard, so Froch would do well to start trading early and often.

Ward knows all the tricks in the book despite his tender age (27). He’s essentially a younger, faster Bernard Hopkins: capable of fighting inside or outside, defends brilliantly and wins convincingly albeit without much style or panache. His fights can be downright boring even for boxing purists but his talent is undeniable. The Son of God can win the final going away if he maintains his composure and doesn’t allow Froch to get under his skin and inside his defense.

Ward’s superior gifts should allow him to start quicker but Froch has the experience and will likely make the first adjustment. Expect Andre to change his tactics and get rough if things don’t go his way early; he’s been criticized for excessive use of his head when trying to work on the inside. Froch will have to bring the full toolset if he wants to put a dent in Ward’s undefeated record and winning a decision won’t be an easy task.

We see Ward as having the physical advantages but Froch has the type heart that can’t be dismissed lightly. Ward’s best performances have all come in this tournament but with the exception of Kessler in the first bout it’s hard to point to any of his wins as being particularly impressive. Not so for Froch, currently riding the most impressive six-opponent streak in the sport dating back to his decision win over Jean Pascal in 2008.

Ward will appear to be in control early but Froch will rally late and steal a decision spurred on by the screeching of his pinup girlfriend Rachael Cordingley. It won’t be pretty but it will be one of the most even pairings of premier talents boxing has seen in quite a while. Unfortunately yours truly will be on a plane to Mexico and out of pocket for the next week, but when I get back we’ll be featuring the result in our end-of-the-year print edition.

Enjoy the fight and have a happy holidays.