Kessler was a fresher faster guy then and he was totally beaten by the end of that fight. With Froch, he was still in it right to the bitter end.
He also fought a very stupid fight vs Calzaghe. Something he probably wouldn't do now he's more experienced.
It goes beyond that. Calzaghe was mentally far harder than anyone Froch has ever beaten. Hopkins was knocking everyones dick in and Calzaghe reduced him to a quitting sham. He was also far far more versatile than anyone Froch ever beat.. Sure, Glen Johnson is a big name. Sure, Taylor was a big name. Sure, Abraham was touted. All one-trick ponies of one hue or another. Joe wouldn't just beat fuck out of Froch, he'd let him know he was doing it. I'd like to see how big Froch walked once he was getting speared and Calzaghe was doing his shit-eating-grin stuff. Froch doesn't have the speed to compete and in a fight of its nature, All-British grudge match, Joe would be as keyed up as they come. In fact, if he got his ass in shape now, he could beat Froch a year from now.
Did you see the fight this evening? Frochs jab had him stunned for 3 rounds and in the last 3 he was out on his fight. Of course the pace of the fight (Calazghe) slowed but that was both guys. Tonight Froch could have fought another 5 rounds. Kessler was close to getting stopped.
No...Kessler did not slow down. He stopped trying with the same enthusiasm because Joe was countering fuck out of him and mugging him. Joe figured him out by the mid rounds and took over. If you think Froch is going to get anywhere with that jab-n-rush bullshit, think again. And Joe is a very underrated body puncher. Believe me, he'd embarrass fuck out of Froch in a years time if he put his mind to it.
Not sure I entirely agree with this. Froch looked jaded from the 4th on, and was in real trouble in the 11th, then he had a good 12th but this "stoppage" stuff was Kessler being hit low and forced back. He wasn't really all that close to going out.
Froch would beat that wels clown by making him reluctant and giving him pressure. Calzaghe is not that strong mentally, Bika and Salem both were making him run around like the coward he is
Pace / styles / experience it's difficult to argue after the fact. IMO this is not the best version of Kessler, even his footwork was off tonight. I put that down to fatigue, dude is getting old
Froch also gave him a lot more pressure than joe did, and hits way harder than this slapper. That's why he beat him down at the end, not cause Kessler has declined
He'd beat the Pirouetting Agrarian a year from now if he wanted to. He'd come back and absolutely beast the guy. Froch gets great respect for his attitude and his application, but he's such a terrible, terrible boxer.
I just felt Froch was taking the shots, yes he was stunned but he had the ability / fitness to come back that little bit stronger than Kessler. The Dane has lost a step.
He's one of the hardest men the game has seen in years, physically and mentally. You don't know what you are talking about.
Definitely. In the fight with Calzaghe, he backed off, as Joe was making a mug of him. Tonight, he just didn't have a gear to go into, and had fought too few recent rounds to have any sharpness worthy of the name.
What the hell you talking about? You think Froch doesnt want to fight ward? What is the point of the fight then, if not to determine the #1 contender to the championship?
you're seriously delusional. If you're impressed by his mental strenght caused he beaten a couple of weak minded kids, and an elderly man, I must say your easilly impressed. Not to mention he was mentally owned by Bika and Salem
The point of the fight was to have a rematch to a very close foty candidate between two of the best fighters in the division. Froch has a lot of option apart from Ward, they were already talks about Hopkins before the Kessler fight. Sorry to bust your bubble but not everything turns around Ward, especially if he's not willing to leave the US
Why not, Andre couldn't sell out a barn in the states. Carl on the other hand could sell out the city ground
Hopkins? Hopkins? What does that do for Froch's legacy? If you are a fan of Froch, would you rate a Hopkins victory as having any significance whatsoever? He needs to fight ward. And if that means travelering tot he states, than that is what it means.
It makes sense. The money is with Froch and fighting in the UK. Not to mention they already fought in the US
Im not sure why ward wouldnt want to go, but after listening to one of those scorecards, i dont know.