Froch vs. Ward - Saturday fight/chat thread

[ross]

There's a couple things worth mentioning that haven't been mentioned. (1) Ward has never been outboxed. In his whole professional and amateur career, literally, he has never once been outboxed. In contrast, Froch has been outboxed on a few occasions if not for whole fights for a few rounds in a row. Even Brian Magee outboxed him for a bit as wild as that may be. (2) For all the supposed power Froch has, he hasn't knocked out anyone in two years and the only really elite level boxer he has knocked out is Jermain Taylor.

My strong belief is that it is absolutely necessary for Froch to rattle Ward early on and then at least superficially dictate the pace for some of the middle rounds. Ward won't wilt like Jermain Taylor in the final rounds so if Froch allows Ward to build a lead, he won't be able to catch up. He needs to cut off the ring well if Ward runs like Dirrell and he needs to play very rough, perhaps borderline illegal, on the inside. Rattling Ward first is key though.

That doesnt mean hes not powerfull. He is strong but he just doesnt have the reflexes or "athletesism" to make that strength count. Look at the opponents he has faced over the last few years, they havent had it easy because Froch can impose his strength and will on them. Ward will struggle to do anything because Froch will be trying to hurt him and doesnt get discouraged by getting caught and Ward doesnt really have the power to hurt Froch.

[erics44]

Snce taylor froch has fought AA who has never been anywhere near knocked out, dirrell who ran for 12 rounds, kessler who has fought at the top for years and has never been anywhere near knocked out, glen johnson

Given those fights there wouldnt be many in the history of the smws that would have scored a knock out

[Beanz]

You can almost disregard previous performances in this fight the stakes are so high. It had received relatively minor coverage in the non boxing media but for me has the potential to be a fight for the ages. Don't get me wrong both fighters have the potential to nullify each other and make it an anticlimactic event, but if both bring out their A game it becomes compulsive viewing. Froch has been made the underdog and yet Ward does not see himself as the favourite. The focus on his use of the head on many forums seemed to have deepened the chip on his shoulder, and spurred Froch on with the odds narrowing as fight night approaches. It has a surprisingly retro feel to it already for a fight that has yet to be fought. Carl "the cobra" Froch has morphed into a rugged John Wayne/ Rooster Cogburn character and Andre "S.O.G" Ward has much to his chargin been saddled with the role of Tom Chaney. Charles Portis himself could not have scripted it better. Will Rooster hunt him down? Or will Chaney escape with a points victory only to be knocked out in the future by laboeuf/Bute? I live in hope that, Boom, Boom Froch catches Chaney early and then faces Bute in the UK, calling him out at the press conference, "LaBoeuf, if you get crosswire of me you'll think a ton of brick had fell on you! You'll wisht you was back at the Alamo with Travis!"

[Leighton]

Im going for ward to knock froch out in the ninth round. I am a massive froch fan but I think ward is too quick and has better endurance. Froch gets hit too easily. I think he probably lost to dirrel and I think ward is more dangerous than dirrel. Plus if ward makes good use of his head again then it will be even easier.
I love to watch froch fight but I just dont think he can win.

[btahthezone]

This will be a good fight no doubt about that!

As a Carl Froch fan I really hope he can muster out a victory this saturday but on paper Andre Ward is way to good and should record an easy victory but as we all know boxing ain't always about who's the better fighter... sometimes its about who has the better tactics. I mean if Froch can pressure Ward early i can maybe see Froch defying the odds.

I got faith in the Cobra!!

[Mars_ax]

This will be a good fight no doubt about that!

As a Carl Froch fan I really hope he can muster out a victory this saturday but on paper Andre Ward is way to good and should record an easy victory but as we all know boxing ain't always about who's the better fighter... sometimes its about who has the better tactics. I mean if Froch can pressure Ward early i can maybe see Froch defying the odds.

I got faith in the Cobra!!

Ward is a 3-1 betting favorite, but despite the inflated odds, I believe this fight will be competitive. I really don't see Ward being the better man, overall these 2 are evenly matched, it might come down to who wants it most.
It could just be me, but although Ward won a Gold Medal in boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics he doesn't seem all that popular here in the States, I also doubt that he has a very big fanbase.

Frankly, I hope Froch kicks his ass, but i'd settle on a decision.

[Rantcatrat]

This will be a good fight no doubt about that!

As a Carl Froch fan I really hope he can muster out a victory this saturday but on paper Andre Ward is way to good and should record an easy victory but as we all know boxing ain't always about who's the better fighter... sometimes its about who has the better tactics. I mean if Froch can pressure Ward early i can maybe see Froch defying the odds.

I got faith in the Cobra!!

Ward is a 3-1 betting favorite, but despite the inflated odds, I believe this fight will be competitive. I really don't see Ward being the better man, overall these 2 are evenly matched, it might come down to who wants it most.
It could just be me, but although Ward won a Gold Medal in boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics he doesn't seem all that popular here in the States, I also doubt that he has a very big fanbase.

Frankly, I hope Froch kicks his ass, but i'd settle on a decision.

He sells well in Northern California.

[Mars_ax]

This will be a good fight no doubt about that!

As a Carl Froch fan I really hope he can muster out a victory this saturday but on paper Andre Ward is way to good and should record an easy victory but as we all know boxing ain't always about who's the better fighter... sometimes its about who has the better tactics. I mean if Froch can pressure Ward early i can maybe see Froch defying the odds.

I got faith in the Cobra!!

Ward is a 3-1 betting favorite, but despite the inflated odds, I believe this fight will be competitive. I really don't see Ward being the better man, overall these 2 are evenly matched, it might come down to who wants it most.
It could just be me, but although Ward won a Gold Medal in boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics he doesn't seem all that popular here in the States, I also doubt that he has a very big fanbase.

Frankly, I hope Froch kicks his ass, but i'd settle on a decision.

He sells well in Northern California.

Yeah, in front of his homies. There's just something about Ward that turns fans off, part of it has to do with his fights not being entertaining, that S.O.G. bullshit and/or him being so full of himself. Even though Ward works hard on being "charismatic" and articulate, I can't ever see him being popular with most boxing fans.

[ninjaspy3]

This will be a good fight no doubt about that!

As a Carl Froch fan I really hope he can muster out a victory this saturday but on paper Andre Ward is way to good and should record an easy victory but as we all know boxing ain't always about who's the better fighter... sometimes its about who has the better tactics. I mean if Froch can pressure Ward early i can maybe see Froch defying the odds.

I got faith in the Cobra!!

Ward is a 3-1 betting favorite, but despite the inflated odds, I believe this fight will be competitive. I really don't see Ward being the better man, overall these 2 are evenly matched, it might come down to who wants it most.
It could just be me, but although Ward won a Gold Medal in boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics he doesn't seem all that popular here in the States, I also doubt that he has a very big fanbase.

Frankly, I hope Froch kicks his ass, but i'd settle on a decision.

He sells well in Northern California.

Yeah, in front of his homies. There's just something about Ward that turns fans off, part of it has to do with his fights not being entertaining, that S.O.G. bullshit and/or him being so full of himself. Even though Ward works hard on being "charismatic" and articulate, I can't ever see him being popular with most boxing fans.

Certain fans, apparently. I have no problem with him. I hope he goes on to have a good career. I guess it would be more exciting if he had more power in his punches but everyone can't be blessed with that.

[Truth]

I don't see it being very competitive, wide UD for Ward.

[Mars_ax]

I don't see it being very competitive, wide UD for Ward.

I don't buy it, Froch may lose, but he's not going to be dominated, Ward ain't no fucking Mayweather.

[LobowolfXXX]

I don't see it being very competitive, wide UD for Ward.

I don't buy it, Froch may lose, but he's not going to be dominated, Ward ain't no fucking Mayweather.

He doesn't have to be Mayweather. He's better than post-Pavlik Jermain Taylor, and Taylor was heading to a clear UD if he could have stood up for 3 more minutes.

[Mars_ax]

I don't see it being very competitive, wide UD for Ward.

I don't buy it, Froch may lose, but he's not going to be dominated, Ward ain't no fucking Mayweather.

He doesn't have to be Mayweather. He's better than post-Pavlik Jermain Taylor, and Taylor was heading to a clear UD if he could have stood up for 3 more minutes.

That's your best argument, If Taylor hadn't gotten KTFO by Froch in a fight over 2 1/2 years ago he would have won a UD? Too fucking funny.

Lobowolf. ~>

BTW, Jermain was only up on 2 of the 3 scorecards before he got wrecked, so it would have been a SD at best..

[LobowolfXXX]

I don't see it being very competitive, wide UD for Ward.

I don't buy it, Froch may lose, but he's not going to be dominated, Ward ain't no fucking Mayweather.

He doesn't have to be Mayweather. He's better than post-Pavlik Jermain Taylor, and Taylor was heading to a clear UD if he could have stood up for 3 more minutes.

That's your best argument, If Taylor hadn't gotten KTFO by Froch in a fight over 2 1/2 years ago he would have won a UD? Too fucking funny.

Lobowolf. ~>

BTW, Jermain was only up on 2 of the 3 scorecards before he got wrecked, so it would have been a SD at best..

My bad on the UD/SD. Another argument might be last year's loss to Kessler, whom Ward beat handily. The LOL is the suggestion that one need be MAYWEATHER to beat Froch handily. Then again, it depends what you mean by "dominated." I don't think Ward is going to hurt him, but if he wins, say, 117-111, I'd say that qualifies...you win 75% of the rounds, you dominated your opponent.

Maybe I'm badly misreading this fight. We'll find out soon enough. It certainly wouldn't be the first time. But I don't think it's going to be close.

[Mars_ax]

I don't see it being very competitive, wide UD for Ward.

I don't buy it, Froch may lose, but he's not going to be dominated, Ward ain't no fucking Mayweather.

He doesn't have to be Mayweather. He's better than post-Pavlik Jermain Taylor, and Taylor was heading to a clear UD if he could have stood up for 3 more minutes.

That's your best argument, If Taylor hadn't gotten KTFO by Froch in a fight over 2 1/2 years ago he would have won a UD? Too fucking funny.

Lobowolf. ~>

BTW, Jermain was only up on 2 of the 3 scorecards before he got wrecked, so it would have been a SD at best..

My bad on the UD/SD. Another argument might be last year's loss to Kessler, whom Ward beat handily. The LOL is the suggestion that one need be MAYWEATHER to beat Froch handily. Then again, it depends what you mean by "dominated." I don't think Ward is going to hurt him, but if he wins, say, 117-111, I'd say that qualifies...you win 75% of the rounds, you dominated your opponent.

Maybe I'm badly misreading this fight. We'll find out soon enough. It certainly wouldn't be the first time. But I don't think it's going to be close.

It doesn't take a Mayweather to beat Froch, what i'm saying is Ward ain't no Mayweather, and I don't get why some think he's so superior to Froch. Froch's only loss was to Kessler, but I thought the fight was a lot closer then what the scorecards said, it was close and competitive, and Froch gave a good account of himself. Kessler won, but he hardly dominated.

A clearcut decision is almost the same as dominating, clearcut meaning you clearly won at least 7 of the rounds (in a 12 round fight) on every scorecard... that's my take anyway.

I've been doing pretty good on my analysis of fights lately, I nailed Cotto vs. Margo II, and I thought Peterson would give Khan big problems. So maybe i'll be right about Froch vs. Ward, i've got Froch winning a SD, but i'll admit it might be wishful thinking.