By Patrick McConnell: This is my first article but I am an educated boxing advocate to say the least. On a night were destiny would be the sky’s limit for either fighter, both came to fight. On the part of the underdog and under-rated, Carl Froch, the World Boxing Council (WBC) Champion of the world, he was regarded as the hardened warrior ready and ready he was for the battle. On the other hand we had the slick, humble, under-rated WBA Champion and 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist for the USA, Andre Ward.

The pre-fight bravado was average at best, at least by HBO viewing, yet this was Showtime. A channel that is not as high profile as HBO but with a tournament and with a fight, has just made up ground with their ultimate competitor’s with a tournament and fight such a Froch vs. ward. Showtime must now build and consolidate.

With referee Steve Smoger the fight had the perfect setting. A referee who had the guile to allow a fight to be exactly as either fighter chose, a fight!! And that’s what it was. Ward throughout the fight landed the clearer blows while Froch tried his best to do as Kessler had tried before him and attempt to de-throne Ward, by out-powering him. Ward however was to savvy for such skills and made his intentions clear from the offset.

Ward was too slick, too strong and too work-man-like for Froch to explode upon. Froch was upon to deliver on his pre-fight claims that he would dominate Ward, would have too much power for Ward and would ultimately “knock him out” with either hand as Froch boasted on Sky Sports.

Froch was humble in defeat. His words gave nothing away except that he acknowledged Wards superior boxing skills. But Froch’s lack of professionalism in defeat via his lack of excuses must be warranted. He is a Champion on a world class pedigree. He is without doubt in the top 4 in the Super-Middleweight division. He is a man who cannot be disregarded and must always, always be placed amongst the very best of his generation. He will come again, no doubt.

We must however look at Andre Ward in conclusion. He is 27 years of age. He now holds 2 world championship belts, the WBA and WBC. He is without doubt the king/supreme Super-Middleweight in world boxing. His boxing skills range from the Mayweather type defensive to the Hopkins in regards exploding forward right hand first and clinching. He knows every trick of the trade and thus must be considered one of the top 5 Pound for Pound.

We must demand as a boxing nation the fight between Andre Ward and Lucien Bute next. The odds are stacked in Ward’s corner. He is a supreme amateur athlete. He is a double world champion and beaten the two previously best regarded world champions in the Super-Middleweight division by unprecedented margins (Froch and Kessler). Ward is this division’s Mayweather, but only if Dan Gossen can deliver as a promoter. Ward as the fighter he is should be with GBP or dare I say it Arum. He is far too exceptional to be with a B tier promoter. This fighter needs primetime and worldwide exposure that only the aforementioned can accommodate.

Over the next 12 months we have a lot to look forward to in this division. We have up and comers with Groves my personal favourite with him being of the Froch mentality, although De Gale is just as good if not more talented. Then we have Kessler making up lost ground looking to get his world title ambitions going with fights against either Bute or the paper champion that is Robert Stieglitz. Froch will also be looking at these two fighters himself and with the match making that will be happening in the near future the Super-Middleweight division has bright and prosperous future to look forward to.