**Now the Froch v Abraham fight has been postponed anyone who has booked already can choose to keep the tickets which will be valid on the rescheduled 27 November date or opt for a full refund of the tickets, airport transfers and hotel. I'll email everyone who booked individually. **
All change then...
Queensbury Travel is running a trip for Froch v Abraham in Helsinki on 27 November.
The packages with the return airport transfers, 2 nights at a 4* hotel a in the city centre (shared twin or double) and a fight ticket for £150.
Direct flights can be arranged from Heathrow which will hopeully get there in time for the weigh-in. With flights included the price will be aronud £525 per person based on two people sharing one room. There are also direct flights from Manchester & Dublin.
Ticket only sales have started but go on general sale on Wednesday and my allocation won't be protected but i have my pick of seats for Tuesday (12th). Buy them online here. http://queensburytravel.com/FrochAbraha ... chase.aspx
I might also arrange an events space in the hotel like i did for Froch v Kessler for a get together. There will be a buffet, cash bar and big screen showing recent/random fights from my collection before the fight and more food more drinks and Marquez v Katsidis in the early hours after the fight. Details for this will follow later.
Yep, the limited capacity (basically the size of one of the halls at Excel) and the fact that Monaco is full of super-rich people who will pay silly money for a 'glamour' event and I can see ticket prices being very high - hope I'm wrong and there are some affordable tickets in the lower price categories.
Uncomplicated, unshaven 'home' boys, Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham, are right out of place in the lavish splendour of Monaco where they go head-to-head in a world class super-middleweight 12-rounder on October 2, but frankly my dear, they don't give a damn. This is 'must' win for the two men who lost their last fights in bitterly disappointing fashion, this is Monte Carlo or Bust, this is war.
Big Carl was outfoxed and outpointed by Denmark's Mikkel Kessler in a 12-rounder in Denmark three months ago. It was a fight the Nottingham man gave away because he didn't work hard enough, although Kessler undoubtedly had something to do with that. Whatever, Froch knows he has to get busy against Abraham, a noted strongman who can dish it out but doesn't like it up him. The burly, brooding Armenian was floored and picked off by American slickster Andre Dirrell in the States in March, ultimately thumping Dirrell on the canvas after a slip on one of those ghastly ring logos in the 11th round. Abraham, who was disqualified, claimed that Dirrell faked his distress after the late shot and generally had a good moan about everything, even though he was a mile behind on points at the finish. Froch made it closer in that regard.
Now into their 30s, no longer unbeaten, decidedly grumpy, Froch and Abraham have bounced each other around for turf rights, which is hardly surprising. Froch claimed a handshake deal from Abraham's German promoter for the fight to take place in Nottingham, where decisions like the Kessler one go his way, and even threatened to walk away as Abraham insisted on Germany, where he was once allowed to continue with a broken jaw, the referee and the doctor bending over backwards to get him through the fight. In the end Monaco proved mutually acceptable, mutually neutral. This is the first big fight there since Julio Cesar Chavez outscored Rocky Lockridge over 12 rounds a quarter of a century ago.
Froch, with those long arms of his, is quite capable of jabbing and moving in the manner of Dirrell although one doubts he can do it as convincingly or restrain himself from a tear-up for the entire 12 rounds, particularly with Abraham rumbling forward on straight lines so invitingly. Froch prides himself on his strength, and with good justification. He really bosses his opponents in the later stages of a championship fight, where strength and desire take over. Manny Steward says that the fighter who wants it more stands up from the ninth round, and Abraham has also come good in the later stages of a 12-rounder but largely at his old middleweight, so Froch for me holds a real edge in natural strength.
Nevertheless, Abraham probably hits the harder of the two but that is cancelled out by Froch's iron jaw, which has yet to be found wanting, whereas Abraham went down against Dirrell, of course, albeit for the first time in his career. However, his frustration was much more apparent than Froch's as their last fights turned against them and here is where the cool-headed Froch can find another edge. I can see him banging in the borderline body shots, shoving his man around in the clinches and quickly imposing his will on Abraham, who starts slower and busted up against Dirrell. Abraham will not enjoy the rough treatment, nor falling behind again, and we can expect him to begin showing out to the referee and even resorting to more obvious fouls and losing a point or two. Froch, meanwhile, is not holding so much, mixing it up more with the jab and the big right, hooking away in range, smirking at Abraham's punches. You know, Kessler actually struggled to tag Froch, and Abraham, presumably, will also find himself missing, his increasing desperation now really playing into the hands of Froch, who continues to show the better boxing skills, the greater strength in the exchanges, in the clinches, in the closing rounds.
By the 12th, Froch, obviously well ahead, will probably showboat a little, much to the delight of the high rollers in the audience, disguising the fact that he is playing it safe. The fight is his, the win is his, the smarter man's win.
Shirow wrote:It could just be a formality as far as i know but i wouldn't buy flights yet to be safe. http://www.queensburytravel.com
Arghhhhh, don't say that. I've booked them on the basis that lightning doesn't strike twice...
I'll be interested in two fight tickets once you get your allocation Jon (presuming you get an allocation??)
For anyone else on here wondering, Shirow is very reliable for tickets and so on.
I was even a pain in the arse over a possible hotel booking which doesn't seem to have been held against me (my pals thought the central Herning option was too expensive)
Top quality place - always remember wanting to buy a bottle of vodka for the table I was in this top notch club with rather nice women in it - f*ck me had heart failure when told the price - pretended I lost my wallet as the cost of the bottle is worth more than my monthly mortgage payment on my house which is in negative equity
Agree, you could do it yourself and save a bit but its very good value - don't underestimate the cost of trains/taxis from Nice.
Shirow - can you confirm what time the flights are on Fri/Sun as this may determine wheather I go with this package or do the travel independently and just get fight tickets only. Cheers.
Don't forget the private airport transfers from Nice to Monaco and back again are included as well.
Slumming it in Monaco is probably harder than you imagine.
MacTavish wrote:Agree, you could do it yourself and save a bit but its very good value - don't underestimate the cost of trains/taxis from Nice.
Shirow - can you confirm what time the flights are on Fri/Sun as this may determine wheather I go with this package or do the travel independently and just get fight tickets only. Cheers.
I booked some return flights from Gatwick last night which will get you there in time for the weigh-in for less than £100 but where would you want to fly from ?
Don't forget the private airport transfers from Nice to Monaco and back again are included as well.
Slumming it in Monaco is probably harder than you imagine.
Jon
I assume the transfers are by helicopter and the hotel is the Hotel de Paris?
I spent my 35th birthday in Monaco a couple of years ago. I'm not shy about spending cash, but even for me it was eye watering.
MacTavish wrote:
Shirow - can you confirm what time the flights are on Fri/Sun as this may determine wheather I go with this package or do the travel independently and just get fight tickets only. Cheers.
Yes, this is what I - and a mate of mine - want to know...I've mailed you separately Jon and hope you can reply soon. Thanks.
You don't need tickets for weigh ins. Very occasionally they are press only though i'm sure this won't be the case for this fight as Showtime will be filming for 360 so they'll want all the atmosphere the fans can provide.
Never been to Monaco so i can't tell you anything about the bars.
D