Froch-Kessler: Will Carl’s upright European fighting stance hurt him
March 25th, 2010
By Scott Gilfoid: It’s no secret that WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KO’s) fights in a straight up European style of fight, whereas his next Super Six tournament opponent Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KO’s) has more of a modern pro style of fighting where he hits and moves constantly. When I see Froch’s stand up style of fighting, I think he’s going to have problems in this fight with Kessler. Goodness knows, Froch struggled badly in his last fight with Andre Dirrell by running into pretty everything that Dirrell threw in that fight.
You don’t have your head sticking out like that because it’s going to get strung over and over again. So I think Froch needs to widen his stance, and get lower so he doesn’t run into quite so many Kessler’s jabs on April 24th. Besides Froch’s stand up Euro style of fighting, he needs to put his guard up. I can’t stand to watch him with his hands down by his waist, plodding forward with his lantern jaw sticking out like a large battering ram.
Froch has got to put his guard up and try to block some of the incoming he keeps getting nailed with in every fight. There’s no crime in blocking a few shots, and even if Froch doesn’t block a whole of punches by keeping his guard up, at least he can block some of them. I just think it looks bad to see the guy moving around with his hands down by his waist and not being able to block all the shots that are thrown at him.
In the past, it didn’t matter so much because Froch was fighting a bunch of 2nd tier fighters, but in the past year or so, he’s starting to face better opponents and he’s really getting creamed a lot with big shots. For Froch to beat Kessler, he’s got to get a clue and start putting gloves up to try and block at least some of the shots that are that thrown his way.
If Froch doesn’t change his stand up style of fighting before he meets Kessler, I see him taking a royal beating in that fight and winding up losing his WBC title. It might be good lesson I suppose. If Froch ends up getting battered all over the ring, he’ll understand that he needs to change his defense and fighting stance and make it more modern.
Tags: 21 Responses to “Froch-Kessler: Will Carl’s upright European fighting stance hurt him”
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26 have tried; 26 have failed.
There is no blueprint to beat The Cobra.
i got kessler
I really want to see this coky twat get kod hes gettin tobig for his boots he is not in calzaghes level
European stance only works for fighters with superior size and strenght, otherwise u will get cut ddddown
They need to compress the time in between fights, it’s getting tiring.
Tyson@
Gilfoid was only right about the Kessler – Ward fight because he backs every American fighter no matter what, id say that about 85% of his predictions are wrong.
Get real Kessler has no chance of K.Oing Froch maybe a points win though
Scott was right about the ward – kessler fight. Kessler is not what he used to be. But still he has more class and will KO froch…
kessler got the more basic upright European stance….but he still whoops carl THE SLOTH froch….
Ukansodoff….thats because he doesnt know his arse from his elbow when it comes to boxing! haha
As always Scott go die a painful death
Nothing wrong with the so called European style of fighting…..it works for some fighters, I have fought against it and it can be difficult as can other styles be.
Denmark is in Europe you complete idiot. stand up style? you are a complete hethen.
Stop deleting my comments because you know that im right. You obviously dont know anything about boxing styles becaue Froch DOES NOT have a European boxing style!! A European boxing style is generally described as being upright, with a high guard, not a great amount of pressure and throwing many straight shots. In fact a boxer who is known to typically personify this style is non other than Mikkel Kessler!
If you want to keep writing this trash go ahead, but at least get your facts straight.
Scott,
you annoy me with your constant inaccurate badgering of Haye but I agree with you in this piece. Froch is so tough that he leaves his left hand down at his waiste but you are right he is fighting better fighers now and needs to hold that hand up and block the incoming fire. He can still fight just as effectively and take less punishment to dish out his own. Even though he has a granite chin he can /will be stopped unless he corrects this obvious flaw.
HAHAHA, YOU are trying to give boxing tips to the undefeated WBC champion!! Whata joke you are!
froch to win the whole thing you can thank me later for the tip scott gifford
scott, iv never read a good article from you yet, how can a boxer who is 32 just unlearn his technique that he has used all of his boxing life, and why dont you ever write anything dirogitory about american fighters, like wards rough tactics against kessler!
i tend to agree with scot here. froch doesnt have the speed or agility to keep his guard low. hes relyed on his chin to get him through fight for too long. bring them arms up. against dirrell froch coudnt get in range because of dirrells speed. but if he had a high guard he could of taken one or two shots and got home with some of his own.froch has some outstaning positive about his boxing but he just does things very wrong!
So you think Froch should change his entire style? Even though thats what makes him exciting to watch? Rubbish.
Froch is very under-rated boxer and he will systematically break Kessler down and stop him in the later rounds. Froch is more of a warrior then Kessler and will be victorious. Saying that, this will be a tough fight for both guys. But I simply do not see Froch losing.
Another great article, Scott!