England's Carl Froch overcame the speed, athleticism and switch-hitting tactics of previously unbeaten Andre Dirrell of Flint Mich., to retain his WBC super middleweight title by a split-decision Saturday night at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England.Froch benefited from referee, Hector Afu's, 10th-round, one-point deduction penalty against Dirrell during a session in which Froch was hurt by the challenger, only to rebound en route to the split-decision that was welcomed by most of the more than 7,000 screaming fans on hand.
European judges Massimo Barrovecchio and Daniel Van De Wiele both scored the fight 115-112 for Froch, while Mexican judge Alejandro Rochin awarded Dirrell a decision 114-113.
FanHouse scored the 168-pound clash 115-113 for Dirrell, who slipped to 18-1 with 13 knockouts.
"I definitely thought that I won the fight from round one through to round 12. I got caught with a couple of shots rushing in when I went wide with a few of shots. I got hit and walked into a very, very fast left counter-punch," said Froch, who rose to 26-0 but failed to score his 21st knockout.
"Let's not forget Andre Dirrell. He's very fast, and has very quick hands. He's got good range. He's a great fighter. But he didn't want to stand and fight," Froch added.
"The minute we got into close quarters and I tried to rough him up and make a fight of it, the fight I wanted to be involved in, he fell to the floor or complained to the referee or held on and had every excuse in the book, really.
"If you don't want to stand and fight like a man, like a warrior, then all that I can do is take what's there. I took what was there and I'm still champion. It was a comfortable night for me," said Froch. "I've got no aches or pains or damage. I can't believe that it was a split-decision. I walked into one or two shots."
Froch was coming off of April's 12-round stoppage of Jermain Taylor, who floored "The Cobra" for the first time in his career in the third round, and who was ahead in the fight before being stopped.
In defeating Taylor, Froch won the biggest fight of his career during only his second time on American soil. Defeating Dirrell, a former Olympic bronze medalist, is another feather in his cap.
Super Six World Boxing Classic
Great Britain's Carl Froch celebrates after his win over Andre Dirrell of the U.S. in their WBC world super-middleweight title fight at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Nick Potts, PA) **UNITED KINGDOM OUT: NO SALES: NO ARCHIVE **
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, right, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S., at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, right, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S. at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, right, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S. at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, right, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S. at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, left, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S. at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, left, lands a punch to Andre Dirrell of the U.S, at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, background, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S., at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, left, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S., at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
Britain's WBC super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, right, fights against Andre Dirrell of the U.S., at the Nottingham Arena, in Nottingham, England, Sunday Oct. 18, 2009. Froch retained his title with a split-decision victory over Dirrell in the second fight of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
AP
"The fans tonight know what I can do. They came to see a fight. I wasn't able to show what I could do tonight, because the minute I stood close to him and tried to have a trade off, he leaned back and ran," said Froch. "I didn't manhandle him like I could have because the referee was on my case. If he's going to give me the side of his head, I'm going to hit him on the back of the head. He throws a great left hook, and he caught me with one of them."
The hard-hitting, 32-year-old Froch will next face Denmark's WBA titlist Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KOs), who will meet former Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) on Nov. 21 at Oracle Arena in the latter's hometown of Oakland, Calif.
"I'm looking forward to fighting Kessler. He's a proud warrior who will stand and have a fight and exchange blows with me at times toe-to-toe," said Froch, who will face Kessler in England.
"[Kessler] is a slick boxer who moves well and he's got slick skills," said Froch. "That's what the fans want to see."
The unbeaten champion's local popularity has paled in comparison to that of former junior welterweight (140) titlist Ricky Hatton of Manchester, and former super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe of Wales, who retired with a record of 46-0 with 32 knockouts following successive decisions over multi-division champs Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones.
"My fans come to see a fight, but I'm not 100 percent satisfied because I didn't feel like I was in a fight," said Froch. "I feel that I could go another 12 rounds and beat him again."
Dirrell was disappointed in the loss.
"We know where we are. He's the hometown favorite. I worked my [butt] off. He came on strong. It didn't go our way," said Dirrell, 27.
Hit behind the head and on the break several times by Froch, Dirrell said he was surprised by Afu's penalizing him.
"I still don't know why he took a point from me. I'm still clueless on the point for leaning in him. He was holding me and hitting me in the back of the head the whole time," said Dirrell, who in the fifth round was victimized himself, being slammed to the ground by Froch."He brought me down to one knee. He was rough the whole fight. And he takes a point from me without no warning. I don't remember any warning. But we know where we're at. But I'm going to hold my head up high," said Dirrell, who was told by his corner that he needed a knockout entering the final round.
"Of course I thought I could [win a decision] or else I wouldn't have come out here. This is the first [loss.] I'll do anything for that world title belt," Dirrell said. "Two judges gave it to him, but I don't understand that. But I know that I can go the full 12 rounds. I'm a warrior. I'll get back into the gym and work hard."
Dirrell will next face 29-year-old Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) of Germany, who stopped Arkansas' Jermain Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KOs) in the 12th round of Saturday night's earlier clash of former middleweight (160) world champions at the O2 World Arena in Berlin.
"That first loss makes you a dangerous man. But it's going to be a lot tougher fight going against Abraham. I have to get back into the gym now and execute my gameplan," said Dirrell. "What happened tonight, I'll definitely learn from it."
Abraham-Taylor, Froch-Dirrell, and, Kessler-Ward are part of the first of three, group stages of Showtime's Super Six Super Middleweight World Boxing Classic, a round-robin tournament which is expected to end in 2011.
Abraham picked up three points -- two for the win, and another for the KO. Froch has two points for his decision victory.
For the tournament's rules, format, structure and advancement criteria, click here.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
You can't take a man's title by running and holding and falling down. Direll did some good things, but the bad outweighed the good.
Dirrell clearly won the fight over Froch. Froch won maybe 3 or 4 rounds at the very most. He said it himself that it's called boxing and how can you win a fight if you can only reach the guy 1/4 of the round while your being hit.
Dirrell was robbed and anyone that thinks Froch won that fight needs glasses. There is no way a boxer should win a fight because they walk in a forward motion. You have to be able to hit your opponent to win a BOXING match.
Mayweather is the best boxer in the world because he knows the truth about boxing and that the name of the game is "to hit and not be hit."
Holding okay. Maybe some but no more than being hit behind the head while he was having his head pushed down and not to mention throwing him to the deck. But of course no point deduction for those things.
WOW boxing is moving away from the true art of the sport. What happen to strategy and the ability to out think an opponent in the ring. I always thought of boxing as being a game of chess but with men. Not anymore I guess.
Comparing Direll to Floyd Mayweather is ridiculous. Floyd doesn't run like a rabbit or grab and hold. Floyd can stand in front of a guy and slip punches. As far as agression, it certaintly does count. Judges give credit to the fighter who is trying to make the fight, not the guy who is running and holding. You have to take a title, not run from it.
What the hell happened to this division, if anything, it was a draw between two crap boxers. We all had a big laugh watching the hometown crowd carrying on like a bunch of jackasses. Granted, Direll sucked, but Froch sucked even more as a so-called champion. Plain and simple, this is hands down the weakest division in boxing. The biggest joke was taking a point for holding?? I guess a couple dozen deliberate punches to the back of the head is now accepted as fair boxing. I must have missed that new ruling. Now the best part of the fight was the camera shots of Froch's wife.....she is smokin hot. Would she really be with him if he was Froch - the letter carrier. His champion days are numbered and I'm willing to bet that when the fame goes, so will his wife.
I think people who love boxing as I do and have for over 65 years are tired of home town decisions and unprofessional referees who sully the sport. Many fights are far more controversial than this one. The sport needs a Commission that will hold the officials to a higher standard and weed out the hacks.
highway robbery direll won at least 10 rounds if not all 12 rounds,how can we get boxing back when you can clearly see the masterful proformance direll put on bobbin and weaving making his opponent swing at air,and without a doubt the cleaner shots, stop this and at least judge the fight right
this was a stick up with out a gun ,andre dirrell won at least 10 of those rounds ,while it is true that he held he did have the effictive blows mr froch will be exposed he is very slow and only has a right hand
Andre Dirrell fought an outstanding fight against the hometown favorite Froch. Every viewer outside of Nottingham sees the decision for what it was, robbery. Froch proved himself to be a classless fighter by resorting to dirty tactics. Dirrell out performed Froch in every area. His superior speed and talent all but eclipsed Froch’s awkward technique. The referee was very biased toward Dirrell and should be reprimanded for such a blatantly erroneous point deduction. Froch got away with numerous punches after the break, to the back of the head, and even a street thug style body slam. His comments after the match were totally delusional and far removed from reality. Froch has mistaken talent and finesse for cowardice. I look forward to seeing Froch meet another world class fighter outside of his bias venue. Andre Dirrell is a true champion who has his best days ahead of him.
Andre Dirrell fought an outstanding fight against the hometown favorite Froch. Every viewer outside of Nottingham sees the decision for what it was, robbery. Froch proved himself to be a classless fighter by resorting to dirty tactics. Dirrell out performed Froch in every area. His superior speed and talent all but eclipsed Froch’s awkward technique. The referee was very biased toward Dirrell and should be reprimanded for such a blatantly erroneous point deduction. Froch got away with numerous punches after the break, to the back of the head, and even a street thug style body slam. His comments after the match were totally delusional and far removed from reality. Froch has mistaken talent and finesse for cowardice. I look forward to seeing Froch meet another world class fighter outside of his bias venue. Andre Dirrell is a true champion who has his best days ahead of him.
I HAD THE FIGHT FOR DIRREL BY ABOUT 2 POINTS.. FROCH SHOULD HAVE HAD 2 POINTS TAKEN AWAY FOR THE CONSTANT PUNCHES ON THE BREAKS,, PUNCHING BEHIND THE HEAD,, AND THE BODY SLAM.. DIRREL DIDNT EVEN GET A WARNING FOR THE HOLDING.. THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AMERICANS FIGHT IN EUROPE.. HE COUDNT EVEN CONNECT WITH DIRREL FOR SOLID BLOWS.. DIRREL WAS POWER PUNCHING THE HELL OUT OF HIS HEAD..
DIRELL Won that fight..... Boxing judges need to be FIRED!!!!! Alejandro Rochin 114-113 Was Perfect I WANT TO SEE A REMACH on this ONE!!!!....
CLEARLY........... Direll WON.............
A huge problem with boxing...
Why is it an unwritten rule that every round has to be scored 10-9 unless there is a knockdown or point deduction, then it's still only 10-8?
If you dominate a fighter for an entire round (like Dirrell did from the 1st-4th and again 9th-12th) why can't it be 10-7 or 4-2 or 8-3...
The way the scoring is today, it is very easy for a judge to score a fight for whichever fighter he wants. Give 'your guy' a 10-9 in every close round and the rest of the rounds don't even matter.
Froch is the worst boxer I have ever seen slow,slow and slower. He has no natural skills only a good chin he would be good for MMA.
The most entertaining part of the night was when Tarver called him crotch in the post fight discussion.
I was extreamly excited for the super 6 competition. I have been a FAN of boxing for 25 years. over the past 10 years the once solid and trusted sport of boxing has become sick, and spirals uncontrollably towards the end. just a small sign of that now, is the never ending decline of viewers from boxing events. I am disgusted and often ashamed to be a boxing fan. I LOVE the sport but cannot continue to watch if fights like Dirrell vs Froch are judged so poorly. WATCH THE FIGHT. If anyone reading this including the WBC brass. can Honestly tell me that Froch won that fight. please feel free. I fear that over next few years if boxing does not clean up its terrible judging/corruption, the true fans of the sport, like miself will dissapeer and many will turn to the more fairly judged, but less exciting sport of MMA. How can boxing let this happen?.
Let an un-influenced judging panel score the fights and reap the rewards of a solid boxing community without doubt.
Froch is a not a good boxer he is slow,slow and slower. He does seem to have a good chin he belongs in MMA. The most entertaining part of this fight was when Tarver called him crotch in the post fight discussion.