By Sean McDaniel: Former IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 KO’s) doesn’t feel that he has anything to worry about from former World Boxing Council super middleweight champion Carl Froch (26-1, 20 KO’s), who Abraham will be facing on November 27th in their last fight of the stage competition in the Super Six tournament at the Hartwall Arena, in Helsinki, Finland. Abraham says “I will be happy to give him a plastic crown after I am done with him. He will never get a real crown. And he will not get the WBC title either. “

Froch was beaten in his last fight against Mikkel Kessler on April 24th, and showed problems with both his conditioning and defense. Froch also showed his normal problems with his lack of defense, which if fueled in part because of Froch’s habit of fighting with his hands down by his waist.

Abraham fought in the exact opposite manner in his last fight against Andre Dirrell in the tournament fight in March. Abraham fought with a high guard the entire fight, and didn’t look at all tired at the end. However, Abraham sabotaged what would have been a winnable fight by landing a right hand to the head of Dirrell after the American fighter had accidentally slipped on the canvas in the 11th round. Had Abraham held back from hitting Dirrell, who knows who would have won that fight.

But Abraham’s defense was good, but he didn’t start his offense until the 9th round. He waited far too long and let Dirrell build up a significant lead. It’s unknown if that was by design or because of Abraham’s inability to land his shots in the fight.

Abraham and Froch both need to show improvement from their last fights. Froch wants to recapture the WBC title, which he previously held until losing it in his last fight against Kessler. This is Froch’s big chance, but he’s got to try and block more of the incoming fire because if he lets Abraham land his shots all night long like Kessler did, Froch could end up getting stopped and badly hurt.

Both of these guys can punch, but Abraham seems to have the better chin of the two. Froch has been hurt in each of his last three fights. Can Froch stand up to Abraham’s shots? I’m guessing he doesn’t want to find that out, but he needs to cover up and move laterally a little more than he’s been. Froch has been fighting in straight lines and he’s too predictable for his own good.