NOTTINGHAM, England (Oct. 17, 2009)—The matchups for Group Stages 2 and 3 of the Super Six World Boxing Classic were announced tonight by SHOWTIME Sports®. All Group Stage 2 and 3 matches for the groundbreaking tournament will be scheduled to take place in 2010 and will air on the premium television network SHOWTIME®. Dates and venues for the coming matchups will be announced.
The celebrated tournament pits the six best super middleweight boxers in the world against one another in a modified round robin as they compete for supremacy in the 168-pound division and the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup. The points-based Group Stages ensure a progression of fights and present added pressure for the fighters to earn valuable points towards a berth in the single-elimination Semi-Finals. Each participant will fight three different opponents in the Group Stage segment of the tournament, earning two points for a win with one bonus point for a KO/TKO, one point for a draw and zero for a loss. After Group Stage 3, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the Semi-Finals.
GROUP STAGE 2
ANDRE DIRRELL vs. ARTHUR ABRAHAM
MIKKEL KESSLER vs. CARL FROCH
JERMAIN TAYLOR vs. ANDRE WARD
GROUP STAGE 3
ANDRE DIRRELL vs. ANDRE WARD
CARL FROCH vs. ARTHUR ABRAHAM
MIKKEL KESSLER vs. JERMAIN TAYLOR
For more information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic, including exclusive videos, photography, expert analysis from Al Bernstein and Steve Farhood, and much more please visit www.WorldBoxingClassic.com.
About SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC
The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division. The field is comprised world renowned fighters with a staggering combined record of 161-4-1 with 117 knockouts: former IBF middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham of Germany; U.S. Olympic medalist Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell of Flint, Mich.; WBC super middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch of England; WBA 168-pound champion Mikkel “Viking Warrior” Kessler of Denmark; former undisputed 160-pound world champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor of Little Rock, Ark.; and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward of Oakland, Calif.
All bouts in the Super Six World Boxing Classic will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic trophy.