Does everyone think Ward will beat Froch?

[boxbet]

We all want Froch to win, but are most people backing Ward? is Ward a dead cert to win? Are people backing Ward with their hard earned cash?

[crusader]

I think Ward will win but he's far from a dead cert.

[jameswilson]

We all want Froch to win.

stujones certainly doesn't.

[stevek3lly]

My money is on Froch and that is not because he is British, I genuinely think he can beat Ward.

[nobby_nobbins]

I am a huge Froch fan but I slightly lean slightly towards Ward in this one. But I think Froch is at his absolute peak at the moment and learned so much from the Kessler defeat. He's got a brilliant chance of upsetting the odds.

[Wales]

What are the odds, anyone?

[hitman_hatton1]

ward boxes his head off.

bring it on.

[hitman_hatton1]

My money is on Froch and that is not because he is British, I genuinely think he can beat Ward.

only way he does it is by clipping ward and getting him going with something.

cos no way he wins the boxing match.

ward will be whizzing those quick ones off his nugget all night i reckon.

[Bard of Boxrec]

I really think I must be missing something with this one.

I just don't get why Ward is such a favourite. Noone beats Froch easily. Froch threw more punches than Glen Johnson in his last fight and he isn't even known as a volume puncher. Do people think Ward is just going to pick him off without getting anything in return??

If Ward can survive being dragged into the trenches having absorbed some tough shots and the frustration of not being able to hurt Froch, he could win a close decision on superior skills.

but - I can really see Froch putting too much heat on Ward and Andre not liking it. You've got to do a lot to beat Froch, both in terms of gutsing out the periods where he puts it on you and also throwing enough to discourage him. Can Andre do enough? I really don't think he can on the evidence of that time he was KD by some bum - he looked so frail. On that evidence, how is he going to survive 12 rounds against someone who is going to be throwing and landing a lot of leather and won't ever be stopped himself?
Anyone with me??

[jameswilson]

I really think I must be missing something with this one.

I just don't get why Ward is such a favourite. Noone beats Froch easily. Froch threw more punches than Glen Johnson in his last fight and he isn't even known as a volume puncher. Do people think Ward is just going to pick him off without getting anything in return??

If Ward can survive being dragged into the trenches having absorbed some tough shots and the frustration of not being able to hurt Froch, he could win a close decision on superior skills.

but - I can really see Froch putting too much heat on Ward and Andre not liking it. You've got to do a lot to beat Froch, both in terms of gutsing out the periods where he puts it on you and also throwing enough to discourage him. Can Andre do enough? I really don't think he can on the evidence of that time he was KD by some bum - he looked so frail. On that evidence, how is he going to survive 12 rounds against someone who is going to be throwing and landing a lot of leather and won't ever be stopped himself?
Anyone with me??

I don't read anything into Ward getting put down by that guy early in his career. We saw clips of Dirrell getting floored early in his career and Froch didn't knock him out. The key thing that is in Froch's favour is I don't think Ward has faced that situation in his career where he smacks a guy and the guy takes what he has to throw and also manages to smack him back. In the Kessler fight Mikkel didn't seem to be throwing back and landing effectively, so if Froch can manage to land on Ward it could be a long night for the American as he hasn't had to deal with it at this level. Obviously Froch has to be landing his fair share of shots tho. His strategy has to be to be in the fight (points wise) with 4 or 5 rounds to go and from there take Ward into deep water.

[Jon Saxon]

I really think I must be missing something with this one.

I just don't get why Ward is such a favourite. Noone beats Froch easily. Froch threw more punches than Glen Johnson in his last fight and he isn't even known as a volume puncher. Do people think Ward is just going to pick him off without getting anything in return??

If Ward can survive being dragged into the trenches having absorbed some tough shots and the frustration of not being able to hurt Froch, he could win a close decision on superior skills.

but - I can really see Froch putting too much heat on Ward and Andre not liking it. You've got to do a lot to beat Froch, both in terms of gutsing out the periods where he puts it on you and also throwing enough to discourage him. Can Andre do enough? I really don't think he can on the evidence of that time he was KD by some bum - he looked so frail. On that evidence, how is he going to survive 12 rounds against someone who is going to be throwing and landing a lot of leather and won't ever be stopped himself?
Anyone with me??

I want Froch to win but anyone who can hang with Bika in a shit storm aint no shrinking violet in the tough guy stakes. I hate Wards 'Mayweather light' jab n grab headbutting style, it's ugly to watch.

That said If Froch can out man him he MIGHT just do it.

[whiskey]

I'm not 100% sold on Ward like it seems everyone else is.

I personally think Froch will emerge a points winner. Might need a knockdown to clinch it, but knowing how fecking driven the guy is and how much he wants to win it, then I'd never bet against him.

Nobody has their way with him. They underestimate his jab and how accurate and fast those 2nd and 3rd clubbing shots come flying in. Wherever they land they rattle you. He can throw serious rib benders and short jolting shots. They wear his opponents down.

He won't piss around like he did against Kessler. For the first time he knows he's a legitimate underdog here and that will tell in his performance. He'll work behind a solid jab, but won't keep his distance like he did against Abraham and Johnson, he will be stepping in and putting everything into his punches.

Regardless, I think Ward knows he's got a mountain to climb in October. I just don't see him as a dangerous puncher like Abraham, nor does he have the physical strength of Johnson and definitely not the slippery speed of Dirrell.

Bika was boxed silly by Bute and Allan Green was stretched by Johnson - yet Ward really laboured hard against them both. Allan Green was there for the taking and he still couldn't summon the power or drive to get him out of there. His fights are very tedious and poor viewing in my opinion.

[Final round]

I think it will go to points....and can see Ward winning a close one. He seems to be able to drag an opponent into his fight. Hopefully Carl can put pressure on him longer it goes.

[ShadrachSimmo]

I might have a bet on Froch he's about 2/1 just now. He needs to really pressure Ward. A knockdown or two will be required.

[Counter-puncher]

I'm not 100% sold on Ward like it seems everyone else is.

.

I'm not that sold on him, mate. I just think stylewise he matches up well with Froch. we will, of course, see

[orbtastic]

He's not unbeatable, but we've already seen what somebody with quick hands and good footwork can do to Froch.

That said, we've seen what aggression and throwing plenty of shots can do to Ward.

I didn't see the whitewash against Bika that most seemed to see, I had it much closer, personally. AA won the first 4-5 rounds just by going forward and throwing hard shots.

I think Froch is a better boxer than the two of them, by far, but if he goes throwing single shots he's got his work cut out.

I see him winning early rounds, then Ward evening it out. It could even become scrappy and clinchy late on but I see Ward's cleaner work edging it for him. Froch to then spend the next X years moaning that Ward didn't come to fight blah blah.

[Roars Like Me]

I want Froch to win too but he does have a downside that was evident against Kessler. He can take his foot off the pedal and then can't find the accelerator again. I noticed he used to have quite a lot of lazy rounds prior to being a WC. Alright he had the better of the fighters at the time and consequently took it easy but that's something he can't do at this level and especially not against Ward. He'll find himself losing rounds and quickly without even realising it and then it could be too late. Of course it's hard to be focused and on it for the whole 12 rounds but when you're having your moments in a round when bravado and ego come into play, you end up throwing away rounds. Froch has that in him with his 'your punches don't bother me mate' and before you know the round is slipping away. Maybe that's his way of preserving his energy for the whole 12 rounds, maybe that's his breather moments, I'm not really sure.

[bad mamma jamma]

a jab and grab 12 rounds points win for ward unfortunately..he will get away with all of his tricks over there...such a shame he resorts to those tactics cos he has all the tools to be a good clean and exciting fighter..

[MightyWarrior]

Very interesting fight, and the biggest fight of 2011 as far as I can see. Ward does look a special talent; anyone who outclasses Kessler like that, has to be. I've often thought his chin might catch him out against Froch, but he's been in with big hitters like AA, Kessler, Miranda etc and not show any weakness whatsoever.

That said, Froch probably hits harder than the lot of them, and if he manages to catch Ward clean (not easy) Andre will be in big trouble. No way Ward stops Froch of course ( outside of cuts ) but I think he'll be looking to keep it close, head to head, and stay inside Froch's looping big punches; he might outwork and out land Froch that way.

[Captain Hook]

Very interesting fight, and the biggest fight of 2011 as far as I can see. Ward does look a special talent; anyone who outclasses Kessler like that, has to be. I've often thought his chin might catch him out against Froch, but he's been in with big hitters like AA, Kessler, Miranda etc and not show any weakness whatsoever.

That said, Froch probably hits harder than the lot of them, and if he manages to catch Ward clean (not easy) Andre will be in big trouble. No way Ward stops Froch of course ( outside of cuts ) but I think he'll be looking to keep it close, head to head, and stay inside Froch's looping big punches; he might outwork and out land Froch that way.

x2

A scrappy affair, with Ward winning a close one..

[whiskey]

I want Froch to win too but he does have a downside that was evident against Kessler. He can take his foot off the pedal and then can't find the accelerator again. I noticed he used to have quite a lot of lazy rounds prior to being a WC. Alright he had the better of the fighters at the time and consequently took it easy but that's something he can't do at this level and especially not against Ward. He'll find himself losing rounds and quickly without even realising it and then it could be too late. Of course it's hard to be focused and on it for the whole 12 rounds but when you're having your moments in a round when bravado and ego come into play, you end up throwing away rounds. Froch has that in him with his 'your punches don't bother me mate' and before you know the round is slipping away. Maybe that's his way of preserving his energy for the whole 12 rounds, maybe that's his breather moments, I'm not really sure.

I'd be inclined to agree with you in some respects. It's like he doesn't wear a watch and thinks they'll stand there until round 40.

That said, he has booked his ideas up a lot since that night in Herning. He boxed strictly to orders for McCracken against Abraham and Johnson.

But the feeling is he'll need to go a little bit back to his old self in this fight.

[THEBUTCH]

I don't buy into this "everyone is 100% sold on Ward". Not at all, but he is super slick, a solid puncher and is all about getting the win. Lots of punters will be backing Froch, but I won't be one of them.

Froch was masterful against Abraham, but didn't impress me at all against Johnson and I'm convinced something has gone.

Ward will do whatever he has to do to get the result and prove his superiority over Froch. Mind you, it's legacy complete if Froch does do the business.

[Autobarn]

ward is a very messy fighter and actually makes the mistake of mauling too much. if he wasn't an olympian with a gold medal, there would be absolutely no audience for him. that's what some ppl don't understand - it's not necessarily a positive thing to emulate bernard hopkins, who let's not forget didn't win a title til he was in his '30s and who didn't get a good payday til he was about 35, who had more longevity/patience than most, and who ended up with the right promoter and the right fights.

that said, froch does make a huge number of mistakes, has slow feet/poor balance and is an extremely disjointed fighter, who - against the wrong opponent - could get punished or made to look foolish. on the other hand he's determined, intense and is able to turn a fight around; the kind of fighter who seems to do things wrong, but can usually get away with it. i hope he wasn't serious about making ward come to him - surely that way carl will get beaten to the punch and mugged out of the super 6 final.

hope he can win because we could do with a big british victory.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Froch has always struggled with slick movers, and awkward customers, even Brian Magree gave him a few fits before Froch clocked him one.

The ease with which Ward beat Kessler has me rather concerned for Froch, he made Kessler look very ordinary indeed. Kessler and Froch for me are similar beasts, both are big, rangy and powerful with good chins and decent output.

, except that Kessler is more upright and a better technical boxer. Froch a little more unorhodox.

[SteveDow]

I'd love Froch to win this one as I'm a huge fan and have been for a number of years now. If it was in the UK, I'd make it a 50-50 but given that it is in the US, I can only see a Ward points win.