BoxRec

Super Six hit Berlin in the final leg of worldwide media tour



All six superstars, their promoters and SHOWTIME Sports Senior VP & GM Ken Hershman were present in Berlin today as the Super Six World Boxing Classic media tour hit Germany.

After an official press conference in the Grand Ballroom of the renowned Hotel Adlon, the six fighters posed in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the Berlin sun.

It certainly was an event to remember, with six top athletes and their famous promoters sharing the same podium. Undefeated Olympic gold medal winner Andre Ward finally came face-to-face with his rivals after missing the previous media events due to the flu. “It is great to be here,” he said. “I really wanted to make the effort and come here after I could not attend the events in New York and Copenhagen. I am thrilled to participate and I am very confident I will win.”

All six fighters were asked to pick the finalists. While Nottingham’s Froch believes he’ll end up in a final showdown with WBA super middleweight champ Mikkel Kessler, the American stars – namely Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell and Ward – voiced their confidence, stating that they will definitely be in the final and that the opponent does not really matter to them.



Undefeated IBF Middleweight Champion King Arthur Abraham came up with a unique answer by stating, “They all said they will be in the final. They can say whatever they want but once they have been hit by the first punch it will be an entirely different story. I know the answer to the question but I will keep it to myself.”

New Team superstar Mikkel Kessler spoke to the German press for the first time since joining the Berlin based promoters. “I am happy to be here,” he said. “I have been with Team Sauerland for five days now and I am already standing here to take part in this great tournament, which pits the best fighters in our division against each other. That is fantastic. Boxing needs something like that and it will be a huge success. I am the WBA world champion, the most experienced fighter in the tournament and I will prove my class.”

Froch also believes he got what it takes to win it all. “I have the punching power, I have superior boxing skills and I will stamp my authority on the tournament from the first bell on,” he said. “I already look forward to winning the first three points.” His opponent Andre Dirrell has a similar plan. “I will beat Froch,” he said. “First I win the WBC belt, then the WBA belt and then I win the tournament. It will be spectacular and I am thrilled to participate.”

Former undisputed champion Jermain Taylor said he was already looking forward to coming back to Germany for his first-round match-up against Arthur Abraham. “It will be a great fight,” he said. “I will outbox him.

I am confident I will win this tournament.”

Abraham´s promoter Wilfried Sauerland knows that the American superstar will be tough to beat when the duo clash in Germany. “Taylor is such a big name and we don’t yet know how Arthur will do in the new weight class but I am very optimistic he will continue his winning streak,” Sauerland said.

“We are proud to have two fighters in this great tournament and once again we want to thank Ken Hershman for putting everything together.”

Hershman revealed it was a “tough task” to get five promoters and six fighters agree to participate in such a ground-breaking tournament. “We are thrilled that we have everybody on board,” he said. “It took a lot of hard work but in the end everything was worked out. There is so much talent at super middleweight. This tournament guarantees big fights right from the start and in the end there will be a true champion. We cannot wait to get started.”

Absolutly loving this super six thing how's the next round going to work? will winners take looser or will it be random. I'd personaly like to see froch take on the winner of Taylor Abrahams keeping him and Kessler appart for the final.

this is such an awesome idea. Kudos to everyone involved. These sorts of things should be made the norm in boxing to ensure the best fights. Fake champion not interested in taking part? strip him of title. allegedly looking to cheat his way to success? put his charge in a super six tournament or show him up for not wanting the challenge.

For sure I think each guy deserves credit as they are all showing their willingness to take a risk by being forced to fight away from home against some of the top names in the division.

Super middle is stacked and this sort of tournament is an excellent way of giving us an idea who is the man.

jameswilson wrote:For sure I think each guy deserves credit as they are all showing their willingness to take a risk by being forced to fight away from home against some of the top names in the division.

Super middle is stacked and this sort of tournament is an excellent way of giving us an idea who is the man.

Absolutely agree.

I just wonder if Calzaghe could have been persuaded to sign-up to such a tournament

liamlion wrote:
Absolutely agree.

I just wonder if Calzaghe could have been persuaded to sign-up to such a tournament

Well.... His last two opponents had a combined age of 83.

you could squeeze Dirrell (25) Froch (32) and Ward (25) into that figure alone = 82.

Kessler (30) Abraham (29) and Taylor (30) = 89.

If Froch was 43 or Abraham was 39 and both were on a string of defeats, then maybe. But with these 20-something Olympians in there, plus a fully fit Kessler? no chance.

Any worries that Taylor might correct himself against Froch next time? He was 14 seconds away from winning, Froch can't overlook this.

G0mez wrote:

liamlion wrote:
Absolutely agree.

I just wonder if Calzaghe could have been persuaded to sign-up to such a tournament

Well.... His last two opponents had a combined age of 83.

you could squeeze Dirrell (25) Froch (32) and Ward (25) into that figure alone = 82.

Kessler (30) Abraham (29) and Taylor (30) = 89.

If Froch was 43 or Abraham was 39 and both were on a string of defeats, then maybe. But with these 20-something Olympians in there, plus a fully fit Kessler? no chance.

I'd probably put money on Calzaghe to beat all of the fighters in this tournament except Froch and maybe Ward who I haven't seen. I didn't like his safety first approach but think your being a bit harsh.

Who would everyone like to see froch take on in the round robin stage? I'd like to see Direll, Abrhams and Ward although I imagine this view might change as we get through the first round of fights and different fighters look good.

Anyone know if the WBC are happy for him to do this without facing any manditories in the interim?

jBacca wrote:Any worries that Taylor might correct himself against Froch next time? He was 14 seconds away from winning, Froch can't overlook this.

I think if froch can swing a home fight (which he has earned by beating him in the first place) and fights a bit smarter in the early rounds he would do a better and probably get to him earlier.

Hopefully Froch will get on live tv now

BIGMARK wrote:

[quote="josh fg
Anyone know if the WBC are happy for him to do this without facing any manditories in the interim?

here's the answer to that question and prepare yourself:

Jose Sulaiman, president of the WBC, sent him an email that fully supported Froch’s campaign in the tournament. The WBC will not force Froch to make any mandatory obligations during his run in the super middleweight tournament. The two top contenders, Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell, are part of the tournament and I’m sure that helped with Sulaiman’s decision.

Undoubtedly.

There has been some discussion of how the contracts for tournament participants are structured. They are alleged to have language which does not allow an out for mandatories to be made in lieu of tournament fights. For those frustrated by sanctioning body politics and stripped titles, this would seem a breath of fresh air. To illuminate it as a point of the tournament furthers the idea of the purist aesthetic unfolding. Fights versus the best and damn the silliness!

Right?

There is a little bit of sleight of hand here. It’s not a negative in this case, and it won’t affect the marketing, but it is there. Whether by chance or more likely by design, the titles which will regularly be at stake in the tournament should be well protected. Mandatory challengers should be a non-issue for the duration of the tournament. With a pair of belts in play and the number of excellent fighters, there are questions of whether or not the tournament will crown a true World champion by its end.

It bears closer examination beginning with potential alphabelt scenarios.

The tournament features two of the four most recognized titleholders at 168 lbs. in WBA titlist Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KO) and WBC titlist Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KO).

As noted above, Ward (19-0, 12 KO) and Dirrell (18-0, 13 KO) occupy the top two slots of the WBC ratings. Not noted is the man currently in the WBC’s number three slot: tournament participant and former World Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KO). Froch draws Dirrell in October’s first round of ‘tournament play’ and, given other matches made, Dirrell assumes the role of mandatory. Even without Sulaiman’s early blessing, this belt appears to be well protected.

On the WBA side, Kessler’s present mandatory is Gusmyl Perdomo (16-2, 10 KO). All indications point to Kessler, who has nearly a year of ring rust on him after contract problems, fighting Perdomo only weeks before the tournament begins. Perdomo is probably considered a walkover by most and yet is the biggest threat to the tournament coming off without a hitch. He’s better than some would think having been seldom seen, a gangly and fluid Venezuelan whose only two losses (Mario Veit and Dimitri Sartison) came far from home, and narrowly on the cards, in Germany.

He shouldn’t beat Kessler but he’s not entirely incapable. It’s a fun drama point in the build to the tournament. It’s more fun for now to assume a Kessler win and an eliminated mandatory obligation.

Kessler’s first round foe is Ward while Taylor faces longtime IBF Middleweight titlist Arthur Abraham (30-0, 24 KO). An Abraham win would allow him an easy justification to slide into the top WBC spot after the first round as Ward and Dirrell will either be champions or move down.

When the first round concludes, title considerations get very interesting. For the sake of avoiding migraine, everything from here assumes the tournament coming off entirely as planned. Here are the possibilities based on the tentative matches for the second round.

Abraham-Dirrell
o If Dirrell wins in the first round, this will be for the WBC title.
Kessler-Froch
o If Kessler and Froch win in the first round, this will be a unification fight.
o If Kessler wins and Froch loses, it will be for the WBA belt.
o If the opposite occurs, the WBC belt will be on the line.
Ward-Taylor
o If Ward wins in the first round, this will be for the WBA belt.

Based on these scenarios, it is possible the second round could end with a unified champion, barring a draw of course. While easily mocked, the WBA utilizes a “Super Champion” policy whereby unified WBA titlists are allowed much more flexibility, and time, in putting off often less than marketable mandatories while other men fight for ‘regular’ champion status. Should the second round end with a unified titlist, Kessler’s WBA belt likely joins the WBC belt as safe into the intended end dates for the 12-fight tournament in 2011.

And if there is no unified titlist at the end of two rounds?

Here are the title possibilities based on the tentative matches for the third round.

Dirrell-Ward
o If both are still undefeated, unification happens here.
o If Ward is still unbeaten and Dirrell is not, it’s a WBA defense.
o If the opposite, it’s a WBC defense.

Abraham-Froch
o If Froch is still undefeated, and Kessler beats Ward, this is a unified defense.
o If Froch is still undefeated but Ward beats Kessler, this is WBC defense.
o If Froch loses to Dirrell, Kessler beats Ward, and Froch beat Kessler, it’s a WBA defense.
o If Dirrell beats Froch, Abraham beats Dirrell, and Froch beats a still reigning Kessler, this is a unification bout.

Kessler-Taylor
o If Kessler is unbeaten in the tournament, it’s a title defense regardless with the caveats being:
 If Froch beats Dirrell, it’s a unified defense.
 If not, it is WBA only.
o If Ward beats Kessler and Taylor beats Ward, Kessler can attempt to reclaim the WBA belt.

Altogether, this leaves three fights (Kessler-Froch, Ward-Dirrell, and Abraham-Froch) as potential unification matches. If no unification occurs, then the WBA belt could be threatened with a mandatory from the outside, leaving the WBC belt the only one in play. However, by the end of round three, interest should be such that the best available sanctioning fees will come from the elimination rounds making a WBA ‘interim’ title designation for outsiders as a viable option.

Those are some alphabelt scenarios. There is also the notion of a new lineal champion at 168 lbs., something the division has lacked since Joe Calzaghe’s Super Middleweight exit. Lineage could be as tricky as the alphabelts here. While not the sole determinant in establishing a new lineage, Ring Magazine’s belts are often looked to in that regard making their current divisional ratings a factor.

As of this writing, four of the six participants are rated at 168 lbs. by Ring with the champion’s spot rightfully vacant. Kessler is at #1, Froch #3, Taylor #8, and Ward #9. Excluded from the tournament is IBF titlist Lucian Bute (24-0, 19 KO), Ring’s #2 man. Dirrell is unrated and Abraham has long been the Ring’s #1 contender at Middleweight.

Obviously, Bute could have a lot to say about how locked in the tournament winner will be in calling themselves the ‘real’ Super Middleweight champion.

Bute is scheduled to face #4 Librado Andrade (28-2, 21 KO) in the fall, a rematch of their controversial first fight won by Bute. Should Bute lose, an Andrade rubber match is likely and the road is probably clear for the Showtime tournament to crown the new outright world champion, particularly if Kessler and Froch is a unification match.

Kessler holds a decisive, as in won every round, victory over Andrade. Even if Andrade were elevated to #2 off of a Bute win, Ring recognizes showdowns between #1 and #3 for their belts circumstantially. It would be surprising if this scenario didn’t produce such a circumstance.

Assuming Bute wins and stays at Super Middleweight, the following current Ring rated contenders will be available at least in the sense of their not being in the tournament:
#5 Sakio Bika (27-3-2, 17 KO)
#6 Allan Green (27-1, 19 KO)
#7 WBO titlist Karoly Balzsay (20-0, 14 KO)
#10 Denis Inkin (34-1, 24 KO)

Of these men, Bute already holds a lopsided win over the Contender Season Three winner Bika with a Bika rematch looming as a potential mandatory after Andrade. Talk of Bute-Green has sounded before and could again. If Bute were to take and win the latter two fights after an Andrade win, it would be very difficult to argue he hasn’t maintained his number two position. Depending on tournament results, he could even slip into Ring’s #1 slot.

There is also the x-factor of reigning World Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (35-1, 31 KO). 2011 is a long way away. Pavlik could keep winning and yet find 160 lbs. too hard to make over time. Bute, an impressive draw in Canada, and Pavlik, an impressive draw in the eastern U.S., could find each other as the best financial option while the tournament continues. Should both not lose in the run to such a fight, the winner would have a hell of a case as best at 168 without a tournament fight between them.

As noted last week in a separate analysis of this remarkable turn of events (http://www.BS.com/?m=show&id=20879), the outsider who performs best over the next year to two years will be in a hell of a position. In title terms, they will either be the obstacle to crowning a new lineal champion or the absolute must contender for the tournament winner and a major pay-per-view option.

It is certain some of the possibilities have been lost here while others not considered have yet to emerge. It’s part of what makes this is all so worthy of our anticipation. The quality of the fights will matter more at the end of the day then who has what strapped around their waists but titles, now as ever, matter.

More than titles, we seek champions. At Super Middleweight, we can’t help but get one before this is done.[/quote]

The good thing is it should leave only one fight at most after the torniment to establish the linier champion and then they can happily defend for a few fights. It may be that one of the Andre's will be massivly over matched and get beat three times in the round robin and that could discredit the torniment to an extent.

I hope no one gets injured but it is good that all fighters will be fighting regulardly (at least 5 times in two years for the winner) I get bored of people fighting every six months.

G0mez wrote:

liamlion wrote:
Absolutely agree.

I just wonder if Calzaghe could have been persuaded to sign-up to such a tournament

Well.... His last two opponents had a combined age of 83.

you could squeeze Dirrell (25) Froch (32) and Ward (25) into that figure alone = 82.

Kessler (30) Abraham (29) and Taylor (30) = 89.

If Froch was 43 or Abraham was 39 and both were on a string of defeats, then maybe. But with these 20-something Olympians in there, plus a fully fit Kessler? no chance.

But it would be ok for a 32 year old Froch or even younger opponents form the tourney to fight a 37 year old Calzaghe, who if he got to the final in 2011 would then be 39 too?

Double standards in my eyes, Calzaghe's career was nowhere near as good as it should've been but I swear people take it to far sometimes and it's done now, nothing can be changed.

G0mez wrote:

liamlion wrote:
Absolutely agree.

I just wonder if Calzaghe could have been persuaded to sign-up to such a tournament

Well.... His last two opponents had a combined age of 83.

you could squeeze Dirrell (25) Froch (32) and Ward (25) into that figure alone = 82.

Kessler (30) Abraham (29) and Taylor (30) = 89.

If Froch was 43 or Abraham was 39 and both were on a string of defeats, then maybe. But with these 20-something Olympians in there, plus a fully fit Kessler? no chance.

dont try and go that route mate, its bull. jeff lacy was the big young up and comer and was thought of more highly than dirrell and ward are now when calzaghe fought him. same with kessler who happens to be the best fighter in this tournament. a fully fit kessler? if joe came out and beat him again what would it be this time, inactivity?

mike john wrote:
dont try and go that route mate, its bull. jeff lacy was the big young up and comer and was thought of more highly than dirrell and ward are now when calzaghe fought him. same with kessler who happens to be the best fighter in this tournament. a fully fit kessler? if joe came out and beat him again what would it be this time, inactivity?

Mike, don't think for one moment i'm being clever 'after the event'.

I watch so much boxing it's unhealthy and i recall about 7 years ago watching Jeff Lacy slug it out with Richard 'Alien' Grant at the Playboy mansion in a dire display.

Echols etc knocked 'Alien' Grant out in just a few rounds. Since then he was beat in a round by Andrade and Oganov. Jeff was getting out-muscled by Omar Shieka for christ's sake.

The only fight he looked mustard in was against Rubin 'hollywood' Williams at the Bay a few years ago when he first won the vacant title.

Since then, Lacy lost to Tsypko (well he got a home cooking decision i should say really) and then we've had him drawing on Chuck Giampa's card with Peter Manfredo and barely winning a split against one dimensional Epifano Mendoza on a Wednesday night in some obscure venue.

He then got a 119-109 drumming against Taylor... and his last fight wasn't even televised against Griffin..which was another majority decision (one judge had it as a draw).

Griffin i add, has been KO'd by the incredible Jesse Brinkley going into the Lacy.

In closing, Jeff has always been average at best, even back as an amateur when Palac beat him, wheras Gaydarbek and Brian Magee knocked him out !

Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov, now thats what you call a proper talent. Shame he didn't turn pro.

Lacy looked really good beating Reid, as well. Of course he's done crap since Calzaghe beat him. Not only did he take an awful beating (more mentally than physically, imo), but his shoulder has been mucked up since then.

liamlion wrote:

jameswilson wrote:For sure I think each guy deserves credit as they are all showing their willingness to take a risk by being forced to fight away from home against some of the top names in the division.

Super middle is stacked and this sort of tournament is an excellent way of giving us an idea who is the man.

Absolutely agree.

I just wonder if Calzaghe could have been persuaded to sign-up to such a tournament

doesn't look like his or the franker's style, to be honest.

when you look at the promoters who didn't get their fighters in the super 6, you have Universum (Germany, Balzsay WBO champ) and Interbox (Bute, IBF champ).

which british promoter pushes his fighters (usually) toward backdoor titles and brings in extraordinarily bad opposition is he's allowed to? and which fighter fought for him as a champion for about a decade?

Asterix wrote:Lacy looked really good beating Reid, as well. Of course he's done crap since Calzaghe beat him. Not only did he take an awful beating (more mentally than physically, imo), but his shoulder has been mucked up since then.

i think more than anything lacy was a GREAT package. sneering, muscular, hard hooking american who fought regularly, knocked guys out regularly (OK the sheika fight showed us signs that he wasn't so great). it brought the interest of US TV which had been indifferent to joe i believe after the mitchell fight, and i would think lacy was a big reason why FW was able to get to many to come to the fight in manchester

Asterix wrote:Lacy looked really good beating Reid, as well. Of course he's done crap since Calzaghe beat him. Not only did he take an awful beating (more mentally than physically, imo), but his shoulder has been mucked up since then.

Agreed, his rotator cuff repair has seemingly failed him.

But having spoken to Rob about the prep he had out there it's no surprise he was a flat footed, out of sorts sacrificial lamb.

He had no sparring and because the hotel was in the middle of knowwhere, his training / sparring consisted of some skipping and pads adjacent to the swimming pool, as people read their magazines and applied sun tan lotion.

G0mez wrote:

Asterix wrote:Lacy looked really good beating Reid, as well. Of course he's done crap since Calzaghe beat him. Not only did he take an awful beating (more mentally than physically, imo), but his shoulder has been mucked up since then.

Agreed, his rotator cuff repair has seemingly failed him.

But having spoken to Rob about the prep he had out there it's no surprise he was a flat footed, out of sorts sacrificial lamb.

He had no sparring and because the hotel was in the middle of knowwhere, his training / sparring consisted of some skipping and pads adjacent to the swimming pool, as people read their magazines and applied sun tan lotion.

Yes I spoke with Hughes about it, he said that they had offered him a terrible option of training in Lacy's gym or some such thing, which they weren't keen on understandably, and so they elected to train by the pool.

I love this....love Berlin....Love the "six"....A "World" wide event.......I like the attention that the middleweight division is getting...and showing fans that there is competition , popularity and enthusiasm of the sport other than in America. Can't wait .....

Its a very good idea and will definetly get the world wide attension it deserves I fancy Kessler or Abraham to win it but cant see anyone keeping there "0"

alexpaterson wrote:Its a very good idea and will definetly get the world wide attension it deserves I fancy Kessler or Abraham to win it but cant see anyone keeping there "0"

Think Abraham is going to struggle personally, he gets by on power and toughness at 160, but he's in with bigger men now.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

alexpaterson wrote:Its a very good idea and will definetly get the world wide attension it deserves I fancy Kessler or Abraham to win it but cant see anyone keeping there "0"

Think Abraham is going to struggle personally, he gets by on power and toughness at 160, but he's in with bigger men now.

I still think he will be strong and powerful at SMW also he has been killing himself to make the weight so I think now he will be at his best at his natural weight

alexpaterson wrote:

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

alexpaterson wrote:Its a very good idea and will definetly get the world wide attension it deserves I fancy Kessler or Abraham to win it but cant see anyone keeping there "0"

Think Abraham is going to struggle personally, he gets by on power and toughness at 160, but he's in with bigger men now.

I still think he will be strong and powerful at SMW also he has been killing himself to make the weight so I think now he will be at his best at his natural weight

Same here, and he's got a lot more to offer than toughness, strength and a mega punch. He is very accurate, explosive and hard to hit cleanly. When he lets his hands go the opponent has to make sure none land.

i think abraham has good experience, a good accurate style of fighting, and massive power. if anyone could chop down froch, i'll bet abraham does it. he picks his shots so well. his defence is tight and he just pounces. his workrate was poor at 160 but he has a way of letting the opponent think they are getting into a rhythm, and then surprising them with hard, accurate bursts.

with the extra pounds he'll be able to finish off good fighters with a sustained burst. he looked terrible v lajuan simon, when he really struggled to make the weight and basically gassed after trying to score a knockout.

arthur is class. i'd say he's naturally short and stocky. despite being short, he has knocked out some very capable rangy guys such as ikeke and oral. he has a good feeling for distance and ring space. that KO of khoren gevor looks great now, given that many had gevor beating sturm.

the problem - as i see it - for AA is that he has faced so few punchers apart from miranda.