Ringside Boxing Report: Carl Froch – Dale Westerman
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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Making a rare London appearance, British and Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra†Froch overcame a ponderous start to grind down Australian journeyman Dale Westerman in nine tougher than expected rounds at the prestigious York Hall arena in Bethnal Green. Headlining the Hennessy Sports show, screened live on Sky Sports, Nottingham based Froch struggled to find any sort of rhythm in the early going and it was only when his fleshy opponent began to fade that he was able to assert himself and eventually force an unspectacular stoppage.
When referee John Keane called a halt to the action, it was to save a fighter who wasn’t so much being battered as he was plain old knackered. Despite not being seriously hurt, the huffing and puffing Aussie actually looked relieved when the fight was waved off. No doubt he was more than satisfied with his showing up to that point, and appreciated the chance of an early shower.
With a showdown against Brian Magee already set for March 31 in Belfast, it is entirely possible that Froch swaggered into the ring on Friday viewing Westerman as nothing more than a tune up. Certainly there was nothing in Westerman’s 15-5 (7) resume to suggest he would be much of a threat, other than the fact he was coming down from light heavyweight and seemed to have a bit of a dig.
The opening rounds were shaky for Froch to say the least. Caught off guard by the shorter and far stockier Westerman’s deceptively quick hands, he was repeatedly rocked by lead rights and counter left hooks. Appearing sluggish from the opening bell, subdued even, Froch struggled to find his range and was limited to throwing one punch at a time. It was clear almost straight away this would not be the stroll in the park most had anticipated.
Showing an almost total disregard for defence, Froch carried his hands audaciously low from the outset and was subsequently caught flush nearly every time Westerman let one his bombs fly. Occasionally he would lean back from a punch just in time to see it brush past his nose, but for the most part Froch was either too slow on his feet or lacked the agility to pull out of the way in time. As heavy shots crashed into his wide-open chin, a flicker of concern washed across the champion’s face. He was in for a long night.
Pumping out a heavy jab, Froch finally snapped out of his lethargy midway through the second. Backing Westerman against the ropes, he unloaded a classy burst of uppercuts and hooks, drawing thunderous cheers from the partisan crowd. But in the middle of the ring Westerman remained in command, continually beating the champion to the punch. The visitor carried with that advantage for most of the fourth, until Froch once again backed him up and scored well. This time, his attack was punctuated by a beautiful right uppercut
that snapped the Australian’s head back and sent sweat spraying.
Westerman was nothing if not crafty. Playing possum, he would regularly retreat to the ropes of his own accord and, when Froch invariably opened up on him, launch a haymaker that more often than not landed. However, such ambush tactics can often be telling as they are traditionally employed by fighters not in the best of shape. One got the distinct feeling that Westerman, carrying a fair bit of surplus weight around his midsection, was looking to catch his breath at every opportunity. Through the first five rounds, though, he was clearly the busier and more effective fighter.
Froch, surely aware that he was being outworked, came out for the sixth with increased urgency and purpose. Although not landing a great deal, he was letting his hands go and forcing the issue for the first time. Westerman, at this point, was indeed tiring. His punches, robbed of their earlier snap, became increasingly wild and noticeably less frequent. Froch now chose to step in with his trademark uppercuts, landing them cleanly and following up with eye catching combinations. Finally, he was starting to look in control.
The eighth was by far Froch’s best round of the fight. As he unloaded a full repertoire of meaty shots, Westerman’s ambition visibly drained away as he retreated into a defensive shell. The fight was still close in a scoring sense, but going into the penultimate round it was all Froch. The referee, fully aware that the fatigued challenger was about to get a pounding, wisely pulled him out after a sickening right hand thudded against the challenger’s skull. The stoppage came at 1 minute 45 seconds of round nine. Froch picks up the win, climbing to 18-0 (14) while Melbourne’s Dale Westerman falls to 15-6 (7).
Not a vintage Froch performance by any stretch of the imagination. He not only looked bored and lacklustre during most of the rounds, but was a worryingly easy target throughout. Had he been in with a bigger puncher, say a Jeff Lacy, the night may have been a painfully short one for the British and Commonwealth Champion. Although he got the job done, this uninspired showing will have persuaded very few people that his claims of being the future of British boxing hold much truth.
It also reeks of something well past overconfidence that he can be caught with so many punches yet still defiantly refuse to defend himself, i.e., by bringing his hands above his waist. Blocking your opponents’ punches with your face aint the way to become a world champion, unless of course you’re Jake LaMotta – and even he had a high guard. Froch can take a fair punch, but he is yet to face anyone with world class power. His chin may be solid, but leaving it so woefully exposed is not only inviting disaster, its down right foolhardy.
Carl Froch – Dale Westerman
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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In other action, lightweight prospect Lee Meager won an impressive four round decision over the exceptionally durable Ben Hudson, who weighed in twelve pounds heavier than Meager. Utilizing his superior hand and foot speed, the Salford man fired off zippy, accurate combinations to the head and body as he boxed and moved. As the rounds progressed, Meager became increasingly dominant until Hudson was reduced to no more than a punching bag. Wincing from body shots, in the end “Catweazle” looked glad just to have extended Meager, now 19-1-1 (6), the full four rounds. Cambridge’s Ben Hudson heads down to 6-13-1 (1).
Lee Meager – Ben Hudson
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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Former English Light Heavyweight champion Steve Spartacus was next up, winning an entertaining six rounder against Karim Bennama of France. Winning most of the rounds with his work rate, Spartacus furiously banged away in close and looked on the verge of stopping his French opponent on a couple of occasions. Bennama, despite spending most of the fight in a defensive posture, looked dangerous when he opened up but couldn’t keep up with the pace set by the Ipswitch based Spartacus, now 19-2 (11). The Frenchman Bennama falls to 14-7-2 (3)
Steve Spartacus – Karim Benama
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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Also featured was a welterweight tussle between Jon “Jono” Thaxton, usually a lightweight, and Alan Temple. It was a fight that saw Temple go down in the opening moments of the first and second rounds, before pecking, poking and countering his way back into the contest. Although clearly the stronger fighter, Thaxton was starting to be frustrated by Temple’s hit and move tactics before delivering a devastating left hook to end matters in round five. Temple, his face a bloody mask after picking up a cut over his right eye, did not beat the count. Norwich based Thaxton, who gave Ricky Hatton one of the toughest fights of the Mancunian’s career, heads to 29-7 (16). Hartelpool southpaw Temple drops to 16-20 (4).
Jon Thaxton – Alan Temple
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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In other action on the bill, Harrow light middle “Dazzling” Darren Barker impressively finished French journeyman Louis Mimoune in the second round to move to 9-0 (5). Mimoune, now 20-33 (1), had been in with top European competition at welter and light middle and had not been stopped in almost three years.
Darren Barker – Louis Mimoune
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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Lanky welter John O’Donnell of Shepherd’s Bush, London, used his southpaw style to sweep every round from the forty year old stocky centurion Karl “Plug” Taylor and remain undefeated at 10-0 (3).
John O’Donnell – Karl Taylor
Click for larger image © Stefan Christou / Saddo Boxing
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And finally, one of the best up and coming lightweights in the country, the London based towering Scotsman Dave Stewart, handed Jason Nesbitt his fifteenth straight loss while improving to 18-0 (5).