by James Slater – Unbeaten Carl Froch, the reigning WBC super-middleweight champion, was openly rooting for his WBA counterpart ahead of his defence against Andre Ward. “The Cobra” wanted Mikkel Kessler to prevail over the unbeaten former Olympian when they fought on November 21st, because then, when he and the Dane fought in their next round of the “Super Six” tournament, the fight would be a huge WBC/WBA unification clash. As we know, Ward upset Kessler as well as Froch’s plans of becoming the holder of two 168-pound belts.
However, despite the manner in which 30-year-old Kessler was made to look quite ordinary against Ward, the Froch-Kessler clash, all set for April 17th in the former WBC and former two-time WBA champ’s homeland of Denmark, is still a big fight to get excited about. Trailing Froch in the “Super Six” tournament and now also a former champion once again, Kessler knows this fight is very much a make-or-break one for him..
Froch, 26-0(20) who also failed to look good in his “Super Six” debut, when he narrowly out-pointed the also unbeaten Andre Dirrell in October, has said a number of times how he expects the Kessler fight to suit him far more than the Dirrell bout did, due to the way Kessler will stand and have a fight with him. Indeed, we can except fireworks in April! Froch may now also feel he has an even greater chance of beating the formidable Dane, due to how his confidence can’t help but to have been dented by what happened against Ward; the fighter who, along with Arthur Abraham, is now many peoples’ pick to win the ShowTime tourney.
But, with his very career on the line, could Kessler prove to be an even more dangerous fighter in April? Kessler will be motivated beyond belief, and just because a fighter like Ward defeated him – a fighter who has a completely different style to that of 32-year-old Froch – it doesn’t in any way mean too much regarding his next bout. Styles make fights, and Kessler will not have anywhere near as much trouble getting to Froch – not in comparison to the nightmare he had in locating the crafty and slick switch-hitter’s chin, anyway.
Froch says he wants Kessler, 42-2(32) to stand and have a war with him. But could Froch be made to change his mind if a fiercely determined, even somewhat desperate Kessler – a fighter who is willing to go through hell to win – bites down and slugs it out with him? In a fight like that, both men’s chins would be severely tested. And though he lost to Ward, Kessler’s ability to take a great shot looked to have remained intact. Froch, too, has a great chin, but he was wobbled a little and hurt late in the fight with “The Matrix.”
April 17th’s battle doesn’t figure to go the distance, and it will very possibly be decided by who has the better chin and the most sheer will to win. Can you say pick ’em?!?