Carl Froch is FINISHED!

[forcefraser]

Froch was dissapointing, but he was fighting a very slick boxer who simply did not come to fight.

No way can Direll claim a win after such a negative performance. Terrible fight.

Abraham was also dissapointing. Gloves up defence and very inactive for much of the fight. Great punch to win it though.

Anyone know what the judges scorecards were when he knocked him out.

[banjo]

Froch was dissapointing, but he was fighting a very slick boxer who simply did not come to fight.

No way can Direll claim a win after such a negative performance. Terrible fight.

Abraham was also dissapointing. Gloves up defence and very inactive for much of the fight. Great punch to win it though.

Anyone know what the judges scorecards were when he knocked him out.

Scoring after the 11th round: 105-103, 107-102, 106-102, all for Abraham

[Tykemania]

Dirrell didnt want to fight last night, every time froch went in dirrell either ran off or gave carl a big hug then went to his knees. granted froch should have gone for it when he had dirrell in the corners. Im a big boxing and froch fan but last night was a big anti climax. if anybody should be getting stick it should be dirrell for his anti - boxing tactics, the sad thing is dirrell could have easily won this if he made the effort.

I don't think I've seen such a negative performance since Clinton Woods froze against RJJ - it was close even to an early Johnny Nelson! I gave Froch pretty much evertything because, whilst he seemed short of ideas at times, he was always the aggressor - indeed, I thought at times that the referee could have had a word with Dirrell to explain what boxing was!

[tonyevs]

Can we finally put an end to Froch being this dynamite puncher now
Since he has stepped up his power is shown to be very average .. not bad - but definetly not good.

[whicker]

first I will say Froch DID WIN this fight... Dirrel DIDN'T WANT TO FIGHT, did nothing but hold and although he threw more punches he was rarely effective.

Froch whom I like, and had a great hope for, I'm sorry to say IS far too one dimensional, he has forgotten how to box and all he had to do from the mid rounds on was to "tuck in", go after Dirrel and way in to him... he DOESN'T know how, too one dimensional and though some of that credit goes to Dirrel's work (running scared), negative as it was

Froch just didn't know what to do and I fear his run is over.

Kessler and Abraham should beat him!

ohh oohh I'm too important to post on one of the current threads, I'll start a new one...

[lowersmiths]

Having not seen the fight and having to go by the testimony of posters here, as a massive Froch fan I'm gutted by two particular things:

1) It was pretty unanimous on here before the fight that he needed to jump on Dirrell from the 'get-go' and that's not some incredible insight from us, it was just common sense. So I'm struggling to understand why he didn't even attempt to do that.

2) I remember as far back as the Adamu fight most of us saying needed to bring the left hand up as he didn't have the reflexes to carry off that style. Some close to him argued that he'd either be able to get away with it at world level or would tighten up accordingly as he moved up, but clearly neither has happened.

I guess what I'm gutted about is that there's zero evidence that he's learnt from the Pascal and Taylor fights. The latter in particular should have acted as perfect prep for the Dirrell bout, but it seems as if any 'learning curvel has gone straight out of the window.

I'm really looking foward to seeing what he and his camp have to say in the wake of this one...

how can you make that kind of assessment when you haven't even seen the fight?

[Manc_Red]

Having not seen the fight and having to go by the testimony of posters here, as a massive Froch fan I'm gutted by two particular things:

1) It was pretty unanimous on here before the fight that he needed to jump on Dirrell from the 'get-go' and that's not some incredible insight from us, it was just common sense. So I'm struggling to understand why he didn't even attempt to do that.

2) I remember as far back as the Adamu fight most of us saying needed to bring the left hand up as he didn't have the reflexes to carry off that style. Some close to him argued that he'd either be able to get away with it at world level or would tighten up accordingly as he moved up, but clearly neither has happened.

I guess what I'm gutted about is that there's zero evidence that he's learnt from the Pascal and Taylor fights. The latter in particular should have acted as perfect prep for the Dirrell bout, but it seems as if any 'learning curvel has gone straight out of the window.

I'm really looking foward to seeing what he and his camp have to say in the wake of this one...

A well wrote post.

1 problem - its completely bullsh*t, you didn't see it.

[jimglen]

I posted this Right After the Fight, with a very valid set of thoughts and opinions...

what's the matter you don't like the 'possibility' of what you hearing and so with a patriotic wound you don't care to share a thought or two, such a typical British respond "deny, protect, cover up or sidetrack!" I know I am British!

Almost anywhere else in the world, they would just "except" things as conversation, thought and opinion and would reply to it in either agreement or disagreement, and discuss it!

but it's too uncomfortable for us Rule Britainia blue bloods too admit to such things - they say the USA was patriotic to the point of ignorance, IT ISN'T...

It's right here at home in the UK brother

[whicker]

I posted this Right After the Fight, with a very valid set of thoughts and opinions...

:

Yeah, I was only joking--- the predictable thing about this board is that after a fight there will be lots of different threads, all saying much the same thing (in this case thjat Froch's win was debateable). I happened to "pick on" yours!!

[FLINT ISLAND]

Froch will fare better against Kelsser

Froch would always struggle and look bad against a slippy quick negative fighter like Dirrell

Kelsser comes to fight and is a much more static upright European - should suit Froch alot better - the flip side of it is - Kelsser will fight more -so there is alot more higher probality of Froch getting knocked out - but he could knock out Kelsser too.

Kelsser V Froch should be alot better action packed fight.

[Maelstrom]

I think is interesting how on this thread last night, the overwhelming opinion was that Dirrel was robbed.

The fresh posts started this morning, however, are a lot calmer about it all. It is amazing how people's opinions settle.

Personally, I think Dirrel won clearly and that a few things are being overlooked by a lot of people:

1) Yes Dirrel was moaning a lot, but Froch made this is a pretty dirt fight in the middle rounds when he realised he wasn't going to walk him down.

2) The art of boxing is to hit and not be hit. Dirrel hit Froch a lot more, with effective shots, than Froch hit him. The fact that he was backpedalling at times shouldn't detract from this. Some would consider that style particulalry skillful.

3) Dirrel DID start sitting down on his shots in the Championship rounds. He also became more aggressive and hurt Froch more than once in my opinion. If he had more confidence in himself, I think he could have made things a lot easier.

4) Bunce and Rosenthal should be ashamed of themselves this morning. I know everyone has a paymaster, but that is taking things toooo far!!!

[Spiker]

Froch is not finished but I had him well beaten by 3 rounds last night.
Dirrell was putting punches together nicely at times and Carl did not at any time.
I dont know what Buncey was talking about after either as the shots were hitting carl in the face not the gloves.
The HOMETOWN decision should not exist as dirrell clearly was more classy and the better boxer.

I would pick Abraham or Kessler over Froch now.

BTW the crowds booing of Dirrell really sucked as well total moronic.

[Raff The Frenchman]

Direll exposed Froch's flaws : very crude very wild, little skill, poor defense.

[nobby_nobbins]

I don't think I've seen such a negative performance since Clinton Woods froze against RJJ - it was close even to an early Johnny Nelson! I gave Froch pretty much evertything because, whilst he seemed short of ideas at times, he was always the aggressor - indeed, I thought at times that the referee could have had a word with Dirrell to explain what boxing was!

I think the referee actually did! After one of Dirrell's many complaints - the referee just yelled "FIGHT!" at him and waved them back together. I've never seen Froch look so bad though. Dirrell seemed to figure Froch out late in the fight and I would think he might pick up where he left off in a rematch and take a comfortable points decision. Dirrell will learn from this, but as much as I admire Froch, I can't see him getting any better at his age.

[Spud]

To be honest the most dissapointing thing for me is that although I thought Dirrell won the fight - yeah okay not as big a controversy as I initially thought:

But what I cannot understand is all this "hatred" or severe criticisms for Froch on other threads - how many times have Refs done a bad job for our fighters when they have visited another country, how many times have the judges cheated our fighters out of a decision - I believe whilst it was wrong - last night one of our very best fighters got the benefit of the doubt and people are laying into him on other threads like he is some form of enemy to this country.

I will state again - yep definitely thought Froch lost the fight - but hey we got a rare "home" decision - Froch has a chance to go away and if he chooses make some changes to the way he approaches fights and the way he and his promotional team portrays him in the media - I think now is the time for Froch and Hennessy Sports to be a little humble in the outlook concerning last nights fight and also the future - there is f*ck all chance of it happening but I think it would win over a lot of people if it did.

I think Froch v Kessler will be a tremendous fight - although I think Kessler will win easily enough - so then it will be down to Froch v Abraham to see if Froch gets through to the next stages - and you guessed it folks I honestly think there will be controversy in that fight too and we British fight fans could be on the other end of one of them "home" decisions as I believe that fight will take place in Germany.

[glahn]

Dirrell probably did win the fight by a point or two, but I'm glad he didn't get the decision because he fought such a horrible, negative fight. Running and holding for 12 rounds does not a champion make.

[jimglen]

yeah he's done, that fight was nearly a carbon copy of the Taylor fight...
only difference Taylor wanted to fight and made a fight of it. Dirrell was a stinker - ran, held and complained, but Carl's performances wasn't much different than in the Taylor fight.

That's two "lunging" to land or score fights, never busy or throughing enough and not seemingly knowing how to get in and even the few times he was in, it seemed he wasn't in enough to land...

I donno, I just think Carl can't go any further, it's a shame too, I thought he had more to offer!

[Twinkle Toes]

I just don't understand why it's taken so many of you, so long to wake up and smell the coffee in regadrs Froch.

In now way is he a fraud though, but I don't think he is very sporting at all.

[Autobarn]

Re Abraham - he's always like that, but at least he was in control of the fight - physically and tactically - and at least he scored an awesome KO.

I would think after last night Froch'll be inspired to really go at it against Kessler. It will be a different fight. But Kessler is there to be hit, and will actively try to win. So there are more chances for Froch to get battered, but there are also better chances for rallies. Who knows, he might do it, and this could create a totally different spin on things. I would not like to see him face Ward, but perhaps due to styles he might

Sounds like a thankless task last night for Froch - a southpaw opponent running for his life, and then hitting you with hard shots at the end. Even Juan Manuel Marquez had some similar nights to these, vs Norwood and especially Gainer - and those who wrote off JMM proved to be fools, no? But it seems Froch did not find something, an adjustment, to make it more convincing. Stu Jones' prediction of Froch being both messy AND boring has come true.

Got to say, perhaps the ppl that put this together should have thought long and hard about Dirrell, due to the Curtis Stephens performance where he ran and ran.

So after Kessler-Ward is it - Froch faces Kessler next, Dirrell faces Taylor next, and Abraham faces Ward next?

[Carbo]

To be honest the most dissapointing thing for me is that although I thought Dirrell won the fight - yeah okay not as big a controversy as I initially thought:

But what I cannot understand is all this "hatred" or severe criticisms for Froch on other threads - how many times have Refs done a bad job for our fighters when they have visited another country, how many times have the judges cheated our fighters out of a decision - I believe whilst it was wrong - last night one of our very best fighters got the benefit of the doubt and people are laying into him on other threads like he is some form of enemy to this country.

I will state again - yep definitely thought Froch lost the fight - but hey we got a rare "home" decision - Froch has a chance to go away and if he chooses make some changes to the way he approaches fights and the way he and his promotional team portrays him in the media - I think now is the time for Froch and Hennessy Sports to be a little humble in the outlook concerning last nights fight and also the future - there is f*ck all chance of it happening but I think it would win over a lot of people if it did.

I think Froch v Kessler will be a tremendous fight - although I think Kessler will win easily enough - so then it will be down to Froch v Abraham to see if Froch gets through to the next stages - and you guessed it folks I honestly think there will be controversy in that fight too and we British fight fans could be on the other end of one of them "home" decisions as I believe that fight will take place in Germany.

I think this is a fair point, Spud. People here don't half tend to go over the top. Really, it's hero to zero every time. Froch is suddenly a fraud for claiming he won. When was the last time a fighter didn't think he won a fight? Especially when he got the decision. People here just aren't in the slightest bit realistic. It's not Carl's fault he got a dodgy decision.

The point is that by the time this is over, Froch will have tested himself against four of the best ten super middleweights over an 18 month period (including the Taylor fight) -- and potentially more if he goes to the semi-finals and finals.

That's something that the vast, vast majority of fighters never, ever do.

[thepocketrocket]

Spud, AA is going to put a world of hurt on Froch, I think the best he can hope for is that he has anything left after Kessler and AA have mauled him

[hitman_hatton1]

froch is not a pressure fight in the classical sense.

he's got that boxer cautious approach.

he was reluctant to take chances.

that's alright if u don't come out before a fight saying your gonna jump all over a guy.

he backed up none of his pre fight boasts whatsoever.

he's a very lucky man this morning.

[Autobarn]

If froch is a fraud, what is Dirrell?

No way can you call froch a fraud. Look at his great fights with Taylor and Pascal.

He will have more to prove next time, and this might show in his performance vs a different style.

[Asterix]

The biggest problem was that Froch doesn't know how to cut off the ring. He let Dirrell move off to the side, when his back was against the ropes, every time. Hook the bastard in the face the next time he moves of to the side, and throw combinations! Single shots aren't going to work.

[lowersmiths]

Spud, AA is going to put a world of hurt on Froch, I think the best he can hope for is that he has anything left after Kessler and AA have mauled him

i doubt that. AA was almost as negative as dirrell last night.