Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Froch focused on Super Six Showdown

Britain’s only reigning World Champion Carl Froch believes he can cement his boxing legacy by winning the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic. The “Cobra” is one of six world renowned fighters that have been selected for a groundbreaking new series which will begin later this year and culminate in a final bout early in 2011. Froch got the opportunity to get up close and personal with his rivals at a press conference at Madison Square Garden in New York earlier today although in the case of Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor the Nottingham man needed no introductions. Froch and Taylor waged war in the U.S. earlier this year in Froch’s first defence of his WBC super middleweight title. Froch eventually emerged victorious courtesy of a stunning final round KO of the former undisputed world middleweight champ. Taylor has been included on the super six roster which also includes two other American stars in the shape of Olympic gold medallist and number one ranked contender Andre “S.O.G.’’ Ward and fellow 2004 Olympic medallist and top ranked contender Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell. Joining them will be Denmark’s reigning WBA super middleweight kingpin Mikkel “Viking Warrior’’ Kessler and German based IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham who is moving up to super middleweight to compete in the series. Froch will kick off the round robin series in the U.K. later this year as he clashes with the unbeaten Dirrell and he believes he has what it takes to win the series outright. “I’m going to be the last man standing,” declared Froch. “I’m a world champion and I’ve worked so hard to get here that I’m not giving my belt up for anyone. This is what boxing is supposed to be about with the best fighting the best. These are the kind of challenges I’ve always wanted and I’m really fired up for this tournament. “It forces the best fighters in the division to all face each other and that’s something that has been missing from boxing in recent years. You’ve got established champions like Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham, a former undisputed world champion like Jermain Taylor who I already know all about and then you have the two rising stars from the U.S. Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell.” Froch believes that ultimately the series will come down to himself and Mikkel Kessler but he admits that his first opponent, Andre Dirrell is something of a danger man. “Right now he’s something of an unknown quantity for me because I haven’t seen very much of him. He’s coming into this tournament on the back of a lot of hype and he certainly talks a good fight. It’s in the ring that it will count though, that’s where he will have to back it up but he’s big at the weight, he’s got that great amateur pedigree, he’s unbeaten and he’s some good scalps on his record so he’s definitely a dangerous opponent for my first fight. “Ultimately I believe the series will come down to myself and Kessler in the final. He’s a reigning world champion just like me and I believe the experience of being world champ gives you that extra edge. He’s an excellent fighter but I believe I’m the best of the bunch and it’s just about going out now and proving that. ”

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