Photo Credit -Tony Brochner – By Scott Gilfoid: Three of the top Super Six tournament contestants Andre Dirrell, Andre Ward and Arthur Abraham are predicting that Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KO’s) beats World Boxing Council super middleweight champion Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KO’s) this Saturday night in Herning, Denmark. Dirrell, who was beaten by Froch in a controversial 12 round split decision last October, had this to say about Kessler’s chances against Froch: “Mikkel Kessler will win by majority decision. He’s a very smart boxer with great ability. Despite his loss to Ward, he has had a lot of success against Europeans and that will be the case again in his fight with Froch.” I have to say I totally agree with you, Mr. Dirrell.
I think Froch is in over his head with Kessler. Mikkel may have lost to the talented Andre Ward last November by an 11 round technical decision, but Kessler is a European killer in the ring. Kessler is like kryptonite against European opposition, knows how to beat them and is in his element when facing these fighters. Froch is as European in fighting style as they come, and presents no differences between many of the fighters that Kessler has already beaten. If you put Kessler in with a stand up Euro fighter like the 32-year-old Froch, bad things will happen to Froch.
Ward also thinks that Froch will lose to Kessler, saying “Kessler is too skillful, too polished, and has too many tools in the toolkit for Carl Froch to overcome.” Here here, Ward. I totally agree with you. Kessler has way too many tools in the toolbox for the slower, more limited Froch to deal with. Kessler is a fighter that has not only a well equipped toolkit to fall on for this fight, but he has natural skills that I see as far superior to the slow moving Froch. Kessler has better hand speed, movement and power that are very similar to Froch.
Former IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham says “I think Kessler will win.” To be fair, Abraham might have a little bias because he fights out of the same stable as Kessler with Sauerland promotions. However, I think Abraham is on the level with his prediction and basing it on who he actually believes will win and not just who he wants to win the fight. You can’t blame him for coming to the decision he’s made because in looking at Kessler and Froch both fight, I can see how it would be hard to pick the slower, more upright and wider open Froch than Kessler.
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