Carl Froch’s (28-1) majority decision victory over Glen Johnson (51-15-2) earlier tonight in Atlantic City, NJ,, means the tough Englishman and WBC super middleweight world champion will now have to face Oakland’s favorite son, Andre Ward (24-0), in the finals of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament later in the year.
The length, height and style of boxing Carl Froch brings into the ring will likely represent the most difficult test to date for the Olympic Gold Medalist and WBA super middleweight world champion. While Froch prefers to fight at a distance, he proved once again tonight his capability of outworking a world class opponent on the inside as well with hard, fast combination punching.
Although Carl Froch has distinct advantages in reach and punching power, the undefeated Andre Ward has shown himself to be a master boxer in his own right, and has proven adept at being able to effectively change his boxing style during fights to counter whatever attributes his opponents display.
While the exact location of the matchup to determine the super middleweight division’s best fighter is not yet known, Oakland, CA, should at least be in the running to host the big fight. In terms of drawing a live audience, placing the fight in England where Carl Froch has proven to be a good draw may prove to be a better location, but one would expect Las Vegas and Atlantic City to also be under strong consideration given their ties to casino sponsorships.
Wherever the location, the winner of the Ward – Froch showdown is expected to ascend to real superstar status in the sport of boxing, and of course a Ward victory would be terrific for the city of Oakland, as it would undoubtedly host other championship fights down the road.
Andre Ward drew reasonably well at Oracle Arena in several previous bouts, so the prospect of winning an additional world title belt as well as the Super Six World Boxing Classic trophy, should mean even better hometown attendance in the future.
More importantly, the hosting of bigger fights would be an economic shot in the arm for a city that needs more positive exposure and events with worldwide attention.
Therefore, Mayor Jean Quan along with the people at the Oracle Arena should be prepared to offer the best package possible to secure this fight right here in Oakland where it belongs.
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