By Scott Gilfoid: WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (24-0, 13 KO’s) believes that boxing fans as a whole prefer to see him and WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (27-1, 20 KO’s) in the finals of the Super Six tournament. Ward has already booked his ticket for the finals with a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision win over Arthur Abraham earlier this month on May 14th.

Ward is now awaiting the results of the June 4th bout between Froch and 42-year-old Glen Johnson (51-14-2, 35 KO’s) at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Speaking with eastsideboxing.com’s On The Ropes Boxing Radio program, Ward said “I think I match up well with both guys [Johnson and Froch]. I think the fans want to see me and Froch because number one, he’s from England and I’m from the United States and there have been rivalries between these two countries over the years…I think from the fan’s standpoint, three is a lot of excitement for Ward-Froch.”

Ward is right. There is a lot of interest in Froch vs. Ward, because of the dynamics behind Froch’s deeply controversial 12 round split decision win over talented American Andre Dirrell in the first fight of the Super Six tournament in 2009, a fight that took place in Froch’s home city of Nottingham. Froch appeared to lose the fight, but was given the decision when two of the European judges ruled in his favor. By Ward taking on Froch, it will be a chance for payday and the fight will be taking place in the United States rather than England. I can’t see Froch having much chance of winning that fight.

The Froch-Ward fight likely won’t take place, however, because Froch has got his hands full with Johnson on June 4th. That’s a fight where Froch is going to be facing a guy that has the power, the workrate, and the style to beat him. Froch says he’s going to box Johnson rather than slug it out with him, but Froch has never shown himself to be anything more than a pure slugger/counter puncher during his career. For him to alter his fighting style entirely for the Johnson fight is extremely doubtful. I makes for good soundbites from Froch but it’s not realistic. It’s like someone coming up with a New Years resolution on paper but then failing to make the changes that they had written out. I can’t see Froch being anything more than what he’s always been in the past – a slugger. Johnson does well against sluggers and with his pressure and stamina, he’ll likely beat Froch and be the one to meet Ward in the Super Six finals.