Date December 17, 2011 24-0-0 (13 KO) 28-1-0 (20 KO) | S.O.G. The Cobra 6 feet 6 feet, 1 inches | |
Venue Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey Title(s) on the line The Ring/WBC/WBA Super World Super Middleweight Championships. | ||
Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch was the Super Six World Boxing Classic Final championship fight for the WBC & WBA (Super), & vacant The Ring super middleweight titles. The bout was held on December 17, 2011, at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. and was televised on Showtime.
Contents
Pre-Fight
From the time it was announced in July 2009 until the final bout just before Halloween 2011, the super middleweight tournament will have been going on for about 800 days.
Froch was due to face Ward in Atlantic City on October 29 in the final of the Super Six, but Ward's injury required the rescheduling of the bout to December 17, 2011. The fight was promoted by Matchroom Sport(Promotes Froch) and Goossen Tutor Promotions(Promotes Ward)
Ward
Ward advanced to the final by winning his tournament bouts. He won his title against Kessler in his opening bout, scoring a dominant 11th-round technical decision. Ward beat Allan Green in his second bout. Ward's Group Stage 3 bout called off when Dirrell, his 2004 U.S. Olympic teammate, dropped out of the tournament. Ward instead faced contender Sakio Bika outside of the tournament and won a decision. In his May semifinal fight, Ward defeated Abraham to advance to the final.
Froch
Froch defeated Dirrell on a split decision in England in his opening-round bout. Then Froch lost a decision (and his title) to Denmark's Kessler in Denmark in Group Stage 2. However, after Kessler dropped out, Froch met Abraham for the vacant belt in Group Stage 3 and won a decision to claim his title. Froch advanced to the final in June by scoring a majority decision against Johnson.
Result
Although the fight was competitive throughout, Ward was able to use his superior speed and movement to help him outbox Froch for the first half of the encounter, neutralizing his attack and beating him to the punch at both distance and close range. Ward seemed to ease off in the later rounds and Froch began to edge them, looking the stronger by the end of the bout. However, all three judges felt Ward had done enough to become the new unified super middleweight champion.
Main card
Ward def. Froch by unanimous decision (115-113, 115-113, 118-110) to retain the WBA (super) Super Middleweight title, and won the WBC, Ring Magazine world Super Middleweight Titles. Ward also became the Super Six world boxing classic tournament winner.
Preliminary card
Lennox def. Witherspoon by TKO :50 of round 3
White def. Despaigne by unanimous decision (60-53, 59-55, 59-55)
Brook def. Galarza by TKO 1:38 of round 5
Miranda def. Kariuki by TKO in 2:04 of round 5
Tupou def. Holmes by unanimous decision (95-94, 96-93, 95-94)
Melson def. Lugo by TKO 2:01 of round 3