Will a Loss for Kessler Kill The Super 6?

by Paul Magno

Whenever you're dealing with elite professional boxers, the best planning you can sometimes hope for is a pair of crossed fingers and a silent prayer.

The Super Six World Classic was supposed to be different.

Six top fighters in a highly competitive, but definitely non-glamor division. No HBO/Golden Boy/Top Rank politics...Just the best fighting the best until there was one elite superstar left. It was a beautiful concept and a testament to what can be accomplished when fighters want to fight and their management isn't afraid to let them.

Unfortunately, the Super Six tournament may be two fights away from falling apart and, if we really would've paid attention, the writing was on the wall all along.

As Mikkel Kessler prepares to take on Carl Froch in what promises to be a Fight of the Year candidate this Saturday, there has to be one simple question on the minds of Kessler and his team: "What if we lose?"

A loss for Kessler would mean an 0-2 mark in the tourney and almost no chance to make it into the final four. What would be the point in going on? What if there were a third loss? Kessler, who was the favorite to win it all, is facing the distinct possibility of having his career crushed.

"The Viking Warrior" has always demonstrated the same type of stiff caution outside the ring as he demonstrates inside of it. The best move, yeah, maybe even the smart move, would be to pull Kessler out and make a grab for a lesser title en route to a cushy Calzaghe-esque reign in his home country of Denmark with packed stadiums and the comfortable assurance that every other top super middleweight will be occupied with one another.

Another option for Kessler would be Lucian Bute and an attempted short cut back to the front of the 168 lb. line.

The other questionable piece of the puzzle is American, Andre Ward, but for completely different reasons.

A win against Allan Green on June 19th puts Ward up 2-0 and further cements his status as breakthrough fighter of the tournament. Things can only go downhill form there.

His next fight would be a supremely tough stylistic encounter against good friend, Andre Dirrell, but why risk it? An impressive win against Green will have HBO calling (if they haven't been ringing the phone off the hook already).

The Miranda, Kessler and Green wins will put the Olympic gold medalist in the perfect position to make some real money and HBO has the cash and a list of potential opponents, strong enough to give Ward a real push as "America's Next Big Thing."

Any way you slice it, Ward and Kessler pulling out after the second round would kill the credibility of the tournament and make it little more than a parody of what it was intended to be.

When you think about it, Andre Dirrell is no sure thing to finish the tourney, either. It's easy to envision a scenario where Dirrell, convinced of the fact that he should be 2-0, decides to explore the open market and see what's available for a flashy, yet inconsistent, Roy Jones substitute.

Froch, Abraham and Green are likely to stay in the Super 6; Froch and Green, because there's nowhere else to go...and Abraham, despite the loss to Dirrell, is still in the lead (at least until Ward fights).

Maybe all this is  just paranoia on my part...Maybe everybody stays put and completes their commitment to Showtime and the fans. But it sure would make business sense for some fighters to pack their things before the end of the tourney. And just how often does the good of the sport take precedent over a management team's personal interests?

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While I Was Away...

by Paul Magno

When I planned out my vacation several months ago I simply didn't know how much boxing action I'd be missing...As much as I needed time away from the day to day grind here in my Central Mexican fortress, I would've put off the festivities for another date...Maybe a few weeks earlier so I could conveniently miss the Pacquiao-Clottey Crapfest...

Well, I've just about caught up on the action I've missed...So, I guess, no harm, no foul...Here's a brief review of some of the action that took place during my swingin' vacation:


Andre Dirrell DQ 11 over Arthur Abraham: Brilliant boxing clinic given by Dirrell over the first 9 or so and 100% validation of my opinion that Abraham is way overrated...As for the fight-ending foul: When, I first saw it casually, I was of the opinion that Dirrell was acting. When I saw it again and actually paid attention, it was clear that Dirrell was legitimately hurt and the way he reacted, by pawing at his eye, was eerily reminiscent of Gerald McClellan's reaction after he suffered a brain injury in a bout with Nigel Benn. Plus, how could anyone watch Dirrell's punch drunk post-fight interview and say that he was play-acting the part of a hurt fighter?

Marcos Maidana KO 6 over Victor Cayo: Whether Maidana goes on to do something at 140, there's no doubt at this point that he belongs among the top jr. welters in the world...Cayo, on the other hand, does not.


Joan Guzman SD 12 over Ali Funeka: Guzman is in a lose-lose situation...He simply can't (or won't) make a weight below 147, but he will be devoured by the elite crew at 147. Unless he can find a way to motivate himself below 135, Guzman is finished. Funeka was also busted for using a diuretic to help make weight...So, what we had was two natural welterweights fighting for a lightweight title...Go figure.


Bernard Hopkins UD 12 over Roy Jones Jr.: I never thought I'd use the words "embarrassing" and "pathetic" alongside the Hopkins name, but this was a career-low for a fighter who deserves so much better. Poorly thought-out, poorly executed and just, plain tedious, this was the most cringe-worthy fight of the year so far.


David Haye TKO 9 over John Ruiz: Haye is for real...It remains to be seen whether he can hang with the Klits, but there's no doubt at this point that Haye belongs on the main stage.


Evander Holyfield TKO 8 over Frans Botha: Sadly, with a near win over Valuev and a TKO of Botha, Holyfield has a case for continuing on with his career...

Andre Berto TKO 8 over Carlos Quintana: Yes, Berto is legit and he's a deserving champion...shame on you if you thought otherwise.

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Allegations of Dirrell Cheating Are Unwarranted

by Dafs117

Experienced writer and analyst, T.K. Stewart, has been the first to openly criticize Andre Dirrell following his disqualification victory over Arthur Abraham at the weekend, accusing Dirrell of 'mock pain and agony' as he was laid flat on the canvas following a cheap shot from Arthur Abraham in Detroit.

Stewart complains that Dirrell faked injury to claim his first victory in the Super 6 Boxing Classic so he can continue on in Showtime's 168-pound tournament.

As always, Arthur Abraham's fan club has used this to back their poorly thought-out argument on how their guy was badly treated by Michigan officials, and how he was robbed of a 32nd career victory.

Dirrell was clearly ahead at this point in the fight and looked relatively comfortable, if slightly tired, as he hopped on his motor scooter and stayed well clear of Abraham, who stalked him looking for another dramatic knockout. The momentum was hardly with Abraham, even though he should have been awarded a knockdown in the tenth.

Stewart goes on to slate referee Laurence Cole, who made the decision to disqualify Abraham after the foul. He claims that Cole "went for the bait - hook, line and sinker", which is uncalled for in my opinion. Cole's job is hard enough without writers like Stewart on his case every time he gets a big fight, constantly referring to this fight for extra credibility from casual fans.

Abraham claims that he "did not see that he was down." Is that his best response? C'mon get real. He'd been looking up at Dirrell, 6'1'' no less, who had been towering over him, 5'9'', all night, but then suddenly Dirrell was clutching Abraham's ankles. Maybe Stewart went for the bait - hook, line and sinker?

Stewart closes his article with "the boxing ring is no place for actors - especially ones as putrid as Andre Dirrell." But the only actor I saw in the ring on Saturday night was Arthur Abraham, who complained and nagged at referee Cole about non-existent low blows. Trying to buy points from officials is a form of cheating, and because he didn't have 'his' referee, frustration boiled over which ultimately led to a thundering right hand from one of the biggest punchers in boxing landing on a defenseless Dirrell.

If Dirrell was acting, he should really try to get a part in an action film, because I was sold. He was obviously not, as he still hadn't realised that he had won moments after he regained consciousness. The twitching, the disorientation; both obvious signs of concussion, was enough for the doctors to make a thorough check on Dirrell in the ring and at the hospital.

The conspiracy theories are flooding in on forums across the web, but you only need to look at other televised fights to see why there is such skepticism of Dirrell. Francisco Lorenzo's melodramatic actions against Humberto Soto is a prime example, even if the aftermath was as despicable. Lorenzo is the scapegoat here, but he and many others are partly responsible for making spectators doubt the true purity of one's actions. It's the same in other sports, not just boxing.

Was Abraham's foul malicious? Probably not, I think it was more out of frustration than anything. It was out-of-character for a guy that has been very laid-back on Fight Camp 360, without even a mention of hatred towards his competitors. His reputation has been tarnished because of one moment of madness. It was a rush of blood to the head type of thing, nothing more.

Everybody's entitled to their opinion, and I'm not trying to brainwash you into thinking that Abraham's shot was intentional, but the correct decision was made. Make up your own mind, the video is here.

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Andre Dirrell Out Of Hospital

According to BoxingScene, Andre Dirrell has received the all clear from the hospital following his visit after last night's disqualification win over Arthur Abraham in Detroit.

Dirrell was knocked-out on his back when Abraham landed a brutal right foul as Dirrell slipped on a canvas logo in the eleventh round. Abraham was disqualified by referee Laurence Cole.

Rick Reeno also reports that the brain scans are negative, which is always good to hear. On our forum, people question how much impact the knockout will have on Dirrell mentally. I honestly don't think it'll have any affect on him what-so-ever. Dirrell didn't expect the blow, and will probably not be in that situation again where someone crouches over him and lands a blatant foul. I have no reason to believe that Dirrell will be at a slight disadvantage because of Abraham's cheap shout.

His next opponent is Andre Ward, who first has to defend his new WBA belt against Allan Green on June 19.

Wilfred Sauerland, Abraham's promoter, has said that he will file a protest over Dirrell's 'acting'. The protest will be pushed aside, as anyone in their right minds can see that Dirrell was not messing around on the canvas.

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Arthur Abraham Disqualified Against Andre Dirrell

Detroit, Michigan - Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KO) dethroned Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 KO) via disqualification tonight in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, picking up two points in the process. The BTBC had Dirrell leading 97-92 after ten.

Abraham was a long way behind on the cards in the eleventh round, when Dirrell slipped for the second time on an advertisement logo, and went down with his hands out in front of him to keep him from falling on his face. Abraham saw the perfect opportunity to land a right hand that put Dirrell's lights out. Abraham was disqualified by referee Laurence Cole, losing for the first time in his professional career.

The disqualification has taken a little bit of the limelight away from something much more important; Dirrell's coming of age. He used his attributes to his advantage and learned the harsh lessons he learned from the Froch fight in Group Stage 1. Even though he got tagged often by Abraham, he annihilated the Super 6 Boxing Classic leader over ten eventful rounds.

Dirrell floored Abraham for the first time in his career in the fourth, landing a straight right on an unbalanced Abraham. Abraham was down again in the seventh, but referee Cole made the wrong call. However, Cole evened things up as he failed to award Abraham a knockdown when he put Dirrell on the canvas legitimately in the tenth.

This has made the Super Six a lot more interesting, with every fighter still with a strong case in making the semi-final spots. If Abraham would've won in Detroit tonight, he could've retired on his stool after the first round against Carl Froch and still qualified.

After the bout, Abraham irritatingly claimed that Dirrell was "acting to get the DQ", which erased any sympathy left for King Arthur. The most frustrating thing for me was that it was getting interesting too, with Abraham getting real close at times to nail Dirrell with those trademark right hands as they approached a nail-biting conclusion.

Next up for Andre Dirrell is fellow Olympian Andre Ward, who first has to tackle the obstacle that is Allan Green. Arthur Abraham will be back at home against Carl Froch, who faces Mikkel Kessler on April 17.

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Final Round: Magno vs. Machine

by Dafs117/Paul Magno

Paul Magno’s attempt to emulate John Henry, a figure from American folklore, concludes this week with a slight twist from the normal proceedings.

The toe to toe battle with Title Bout Championship Boxing in a 21st century boxing-related battle of man vs. machine has been competitive, with both still evenly matched going into the final round.

In the final round we’ll be combining the next two weekends, which starts with Wladmir Klitschko making his defense of his heavyweight championship against Eddie Chambers, and concludes with two fighters that kicked-off the contest, Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell.

John Henry was successful, but will Magno be?

Wladmir Klitschko vs. Eddie Chambers

Magno: This isn't as easy as some would believe. Chambers, in his last fight, executed the perfect strategy against a taller, stronger Eastern European heavyweight. Yeah, Alexander Dimitrenko is no Klitschko, but nonetheless, it was a perfect game plan that I can see working against Wlad.


I'm tempted to pick Chambers in a shocker, but for the sake of the competition, I'll make the safe pick and say Wladimir Klitschko via TKO 8. But, if Chambers comes to the fight in shape and focused, all bets are off.


Machine: In the machine's view, Wladmir Klitschko is far the better fighter in this fight, and holds all the tools that are required to win this fight. He holds the WBO, IBF, IBO and The Ring Magazine's version of the heavyweight championship. Basically, he's dominating the division.

Eddie Chambers has a slight speed advantage, but everything else points to Klitschko's favour, plus the added incentive of fighting at home, if Klitschko needs some home cooking of course.

The Machine doesn't think he will, and predicts Wladmir Klitschko to be victorious via seventh round technical knockout. Eddie Chambers won't be in the fight at all, and will be picked off by the taller and rangier Klitschko, who'll continue his dominance at the top of the heavyweight division.

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Abraham-Dirrell Postponed To March 27

After revealing that he's injured his back in sparring, Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13 KO) has been forced to push back his upcoming fight against Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KO) from March 6 to March 27.

The bout will still open the second stage of the Super 6 Boxing Classic, with Andre Ward making his first defence of his WBA belt against Allan Green and Carl Froch travelling to Denmark in his third defence of his WBC crown versus Mikkel Kessler on April 24.

Abraham leads the way in the groundbreaking tournament with a stunning twelfth-round knockout win over Jermain Taylor, who has since pulled out of the tournament. Andre Dirrell received his first defeat as he was on the wrong-end of a split decision defeat to Carl Froch, and is still searching for his first point of the tournament.

The March 6 card was clashing with HBO's World Championship Boxing broadcast of Devon Alexander's unification fight with Juan Urango for the WBC and IBF junior welterweight titles.

However, the March 27 card also clashes with another HBO broadcast which features Daniel Jacobs, Marcos Rene Maidana vs. Victor Manuel Cayo and a rematch between Joan Guzman and Ali Funeka for the vacant IBF lightweight title.

The fight will still take place at Rancho Mirage, California, also featuring Vic Darchinyan on the undercard.

This fight is an interesting clash of styles, showing how Dirrell's adapted to the Froch defeat and how Abraham controls a quicker opponent. A win for Dirrell adds another dimension to Stage 3, with possibly five fighters in the hunt for four spots.

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2009 Super Middleweight Report

by Dafs117

Andre Dirrell vs. Arthur Abraham, Andre Ward vs. Jermain Taylor and Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler. Over the course of a month and a half, six quality fighters are slated to step into the ring in three outstanding matches. How many of them are on PPV? None. Yes, that’s right, zilch. They compete in a revolutionary new tournament set-up by Showtime Sports to find out who is top dog at 168 pounds.

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Super 6 Boxing Classic Stage 2 All Set

March 6: Andre Dirrell vs. Arthur Abraham - Andre Dirrell will fight Arthur Abraham at the Rancho Mirage in California. This fight will open the second stage of the Super 6 Boxing Classic Tournament on Showtime, which Abraham tops at the moment. Could Dirrell make up for his split decision defeat to Froch?

April 17: Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler - Carl Froch will make his third defence of his WBC Super Middleweight belt against Dane Mikkel Kessler, in either the City Ground, Nottingham, or a venue in Copenhagen or Parken. The venue will be decided in the subject of a purse bid. Could Kessler get back on track or will the Cobra qualify for the semi-finals?

April 17: Andre Ward vs. Jermain Taylor - To finish off the live doubleheader on Showtime, Andre Ward will defend his WBA Super Middleweight belt for the first time against Jermain Taylor at Oakland. Ward suprised most by defeating Kessler in Stage 1, and should have enough in the tank for Taylor. Could Taylor roll back the years and outbox Ward?

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Good Grief, Jermain Taylor...

by Charles R. Horgan

Alright Jermain, you got me. Good one. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me three times, shame on me twice. I have to admit when I’ve been had, and I have to appreciate such an elaborate joke. I mean, to get Bernard Hopkins and even Winky Wright to play along, man, that was good thinking.

For the past 5 years I thought that you were something really special. You came out of nowhere with a sweet record. You were like twenty-three and oh, with something like seventeen knockouts. That’s pretty good. Then there was that jab; Fools were getting dropped by it, boy it was sweet. Then you came right on in and beat unbeatable Bernard Hopkins, twice. I know it was close, but you didn’t want it to look easy, you just wanted to give us a taste.

Now look at us, four years later and I just can’t get my head around it. That Pavlik fight was kind of a fluke, right? That’s what you wanted us to think. He caught you and that was it. The second fight and it was one of those things, like Pavlik just had your number. It happens to the best, Winky had Mosley’s number, you had B-Hop’s, it can happen to anybody. Anyway, you went right in and rocked Lacy, and then you were going to take that title from that 168 lb Vic Darchinyan named Carl Froch.

That jab was right there all night long. Froch tried, but he couldn’t get in there. You kept snapping his head back with those smart, straight shots, and then you dropped the hook on him… Damn, it was nice. Now we know you get tired going into those later rounds, but it would be okay, just coast for a few minutes since you already took the damn fight. I was already leaning back in my chair, ready to celebrate, a smile on my face, counting down the last round.

You got me though. Spit take, double take, yell at the television. It was a doozy. Bravo my friend. You let Froch storm right across the ring and shellac you. You got knocked down, remember that? You pretend like you can’t hold on so that we start yelling in our living rooms and the bars. You got up, and you still had a chance, man just ten more seconds. We’re at home jumping up and down, making fools out of ourselves and you get knocked out.

Come on, man. What the hell was that all about? You beat B-Hop, homie. What are you doing to me?

Anyway, you still got that solid base of knowledge and experience. You get gassed at the end, but now you know that. If you didn’t know it after Pavlik, you sure as hell knew it now, and you’d fix it.

Man, you even said that in one of those Ring articles. You said that you were training different; you said that you could last. I’m such a dummy. I couldn’t hear all the snickers at your training camp. I couldn’t hear you guys trying to hide your laughter when I was sitting down in front of my computer, getting ready to watch you beat Abraham.

I said on the message boards that I was still angry at you for throwing it away against Froch, so I predicted against you, but there I was, talking to Paul Magno and I admitted to secretly rooting for you. I’m sorry, I’m sentimental. Besides, you’re the best guy Abraham’s faced. The guy just covers up and then steals rounds. That’s no way to fight.

And you, you beat B-Hop. Abraham was coming up in weight, you’ve already done fought at Super Middle. It would be a little tough, but you know your limits, you wouldn’t get caught this time. Right?

Fool me twice, Jermain…fool me twice.

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Deja Vu for Taylor as King Arthur Lays Down Marker

Arthur Abraham KO 12 Jermain Taylor

Too skilled, too accurate and too good of a puncher, Abraham, 168, Berlin, Germany, via Yerevan, Armenia, outclassed, wore-down and ultimately stopped the brave Taylor, 166.5, Little Rock, Arkansas, in the closing seconds of the final round to take the maximum 3 points in the opening group stage of the Super 6 Boxing Classic. The two former middleweight champions battled in front of a packed crowd of 15,000 at the O2 Arena, Berlin.

Taylor started lively, outpunching Abraham to take an early lead in the first round. Abraham looked a bit tentative in the opening exchanges and kept a very high guard throughout the first two rounds. In the second round, Taylor was warned countless times for low blows and Abraham took a 30 second break for a punch that landed south of the border.

Abraham, 31-0 (25 KOs), had the edge in power, and while Taylor, 28-4-1 (17 KOs) utilized his jab in rounds three and four, the American got caught by wild left hooks in close that immediately got his attention. Neither blows took any discernible toll on “Bad Intentions”, and he exchanged combinations to the head and body with Abraham as the action warmed up in the fifth round.

As the rounds wore on, Abraham began to settle into the kind of rhythm on which he has forged his reputation. His right hand collided with Taylor’s chin several times, with increased authority, and the American’s punch output decreased significantly. Taylor’s punches lacked the kind of power that Abraham was able to demonstrate.

Taylor’s chin absorbed some more left hands and right hands in the seventh round before Abraham unleashed ominous series of left hooks to his rival’s body. With his confidence sky high, Abraham began to showboat, playing with Taylor and dropping his gloves. Taylor began to retaliate with a right uppercut that landed on the inside. This level of resistance by the former Olympian was not anticipated by Abraham or his team. Their expectation was that Taylor would crumble not long past the halfway point, but the American held his ground and was still in contention after round 8.

Taylor may have outworked Abraham in previous rounds, but the quality of punches were being thrown by the German based Armenian, who landed a hard right that wobbled his opponent in the ninth round. Remarkably, Taylor finished the round on his feet, but Abraham was confident that the win was already in the bag. “King Arthur”’s strength showed in rounds ten and eleven as he landed solid combinations of punches to the head and body of Taylor who was tiring rapidly, but he withstood a sustained assault over the final couple of rounds and stayed on his feet until 15 seconds from the end, Abraham landed a crunching straight and short right hand down the pipe which completely knocked Taylor out senseless. Taylor was counted out on 2:54.

The scores at time of stoppage were 107-102, 106-102, 105-103.

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Super Middleweights Make Weight

WBC Super middleweight beltholder Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch and his American challenger Andre ‘The Matrix’ Dirrell both weighed in at 167½ pounds yesterday in front of a massive crowd of 3,500 people at the famed Market Square in Nottingham, England. Dirrell (18-0, 13 KOs) made weight on his second attempt, having weighed in earlier in the evening at 168.4 lbs. He had up to two hours to make the official weight for the title fight, but only took 50 minutes to return to the scales at 167½.

Former IBF 160-pound titlist Arthur Abraham (30-0, 24 KOs) weighed in bang on the super middleweight division limit of 168 pounds, while his opponent, another former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs) tipped the scales at 166¼ pounds.

Froch (25-0, 20 KOs), a Nottingham native, will attempt to defend his title on home turf at the Trent FM Arena, where a sell-out crowd of about 8,000 fans is expected. The other two super middleweights will fight in front of another sell-out crowd of more than 14,000 fans at the O2 World Arena in Berlin, Germany, Abraham's adopted hometown, on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The 12-round bout is one half of the first stage of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, and will be broadcasted live on Showtime.

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Will Team Taylor's Paranoia Pay Off?

by Paul Magno

"Taylor's people sent an advance man to Germany to look for bugs and cameras in the gym where Taylor will prepare for his Oct. 17 super middleweight fight with unbeaten Arthur Abraham. Taylor, the former middleweight champion from Arkansas, will not eat in the restaurant at his hotel; he'll dine out, unannounced, or his chef will fix something."

This is a blurb from an otherwise forgettable fluff piece in an Arkansas newspaper by writer Harry King, but this does touch on an on-going theme in German fight history.

There is a long line of gossip and innuendo regarding some pretty shady goings-on when it comes to American boxers fighting in Germany.

Strange things often seem to happen to foreign fighters there. The stories usually involve sharp, aggressive challengers arriving in the country, looking like killers in the pre-fight publicity and then showing up to the fight with glassy eyes and a lethargic workrate. After the inevitable loss, they wander the ring like zombies with absolutely no idea why they simply could not throw punches.

The stories of German foul play go back to the first Joe Louis-Max Schmelling fight at Yankee Stadium in 1936 (Schmelling's people were accused of drugging Louis' water before the fight) up to current walking dead performances by Sam Peter vs. Vitali Klitschko and Eddie Chambers vs. Alexander Povetkin.

The theories run the gamut from laced food and water to tainted air supply from hotel air conditioning vents. Of course, none of the theories or cases are provable, but that never stopped trainers and managers, conspiracy theorists by nature, from acting on the stories.

A famous case is when Sam Simon, The Simpson's producer and former manager of Lamon Brewster, kept the reigning WBO Heavyweight Champion out of Germany for as long as possible before his defense in Hamburg with German contender Luan Krasniqi. Simon would go on to sequester his fighter under tight security for whatever time spent in his opponent's home country. No food or water was accepted, no casual walks in the park permitted, no air conditioning was turned on; Everything necessary was brought in by Team Brewster from the UK.

Brewster would go on to flatten Krasniqi via ninth round TKO in a bout littered with injustices ranging from questionable scoring to a 17-second count that allowed Krasniqi to get up following a knockdown in the eighth round. Eventually, it was Krasniqi himself who called an end to the bout after he was knocked down again in the ninth...Krasniqi was ahead on all three judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

Who knows if the tight pre-fight guard on Brewster stopped any potential sabotage from the German promoters or if just the idea of being protected made Brewster feel more confident. The fact is that Brewster and, four years later, Eddie Chambers (who was also allegedly shielded under tight security by his team) in his bout with Alexander Dimitrenko were the last two American fighters in recent memory to actually look good fighting in Germany.

Now, it appears that Team Taylor has stepped up their game in trying to shield Jermain from any questionable tactics. But who will shield Taylor from the questionable practices that often take place within a German boxing ring?

And, then, of course, he also has to deal with Arthur Abraham, one of the top fighters in the world today.

In other words, while Team Taylor is in Germany on their hands and knees, inspecting gyms and hotel rooms, they should also be using that time to pray for a miracle...Taylor's going to need one.

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Magno vs. The Machine (Stage 1): The Super Middleweights

by Dafs117 / Paul Magno


John Henry was a Steel Drivin’ Man

John Henry is a figure from American folklore, a symbolic representation of the modern man vs. machine debate.

According to the story, John Henry was a famously strong “steel-driver” erecting railroads with his co-workers across the mountains to the West.

When the greedy railroad boss purchased a steam-powered hammer to replace the railroad crew, John Henry issued a challenge: him vs. the machine for the jobs of his crew.

Henry ended up beating the machine, but he paid the ultimate price; His heart exploded afterwards and he collapsed on the same railroad tracks that he had just put down.

Now, Boxing Tribune editor-in-chief, Paul Magno takes up the battle as he goes toe to toe with Title Bout Championship Boxing in a 21st century boxing-related battle of man vs. machine.

In this series, both Magno and the Machine will make predictions for all the upcoming major bouts and records will be kept to see whether a modern day John Henry stands a chance against a multi-functional, mega-powered computerized opponent.

And where better to start than a double-header from the revolutionary Showtime Super 6 Boxing Classic.

Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor

Magno: Both fighters made a name for themselves eight pounds lighter in the Middleweight division and, now, both are trying to establish themselves as top dog at 168.

Despite the odds being stacked against Taylor, he still represents the best and most accomplished fighter, by far, that Abraham has ever faced.

In a lot of ways, Taylor and Abraham are similar in style and ability. Both are multi-talented boxer-punchers who are separated from 98% of the pack based solely on pure athleticism.

Taylor’s major defects have been focus and stamina, with both becoming legit liabilities as a fight progresses. Recent losses against Carl Froch and Kelly Pavlik were testaments to Taylor’s flaws as a fighter. In both fights, Taylor was solidly ahead and ended up suffering TKO losses.

But the question is whether Abraham’s defects as a fighter negate Taylor’s biggest flaws. Abraham, as talented as he is, couldn’t be described as a pressure fighter by any stretch of the imagination. He mostly fights in flurries, content to let loose for brief periods of time and steal rounds with his flashes of ability.
The questions in this fight will be whether Abraham can significantly pressure Taylor so that stamina becomes an issue later in the fight and whether Taylor’s natural ability can negate Abraham’s natural ability.

This is an evenly-matched fight that will come down to Abraham’s hometown advantage.
Taylor will make the final bell, but he’ll lose a unanimous decision: 116-112, 115-113 and 118-110.

Machine: As a bigger middleweight, Arthur Abraham should hold a slight advantage over Jermain Taylor, with a perfect physical condition in a much more favourable weight.

Fighting in his adopted country Germany, Abraham will be at an immeasurable advantage as the officiating is one of the most biased on the planet. Any close fight on the scorecards, will go Abraham’s way. Tough luck. That’s why you need to do more than just win a fight in Germany.

Abraham is seen as a pressure fighter. Not so. Just because he’s the aggressor against mediocre opposition, he rarely sustains an attack throughout the round to be styled as a pressure fighter.

The magnitude of his punches should be enough to trouble a post-prime Taylor, who still has the ghost of Kelly Pavlik tap-dancing in his mind under any kind of pressure.

Abraham has been described as one of the best finishers pound-4-pound in the sport today, in the same category as his super middleweight rival Carl Froch, for his outstanding punch accuracy and output when an opponent is hurt.

In front of the richest people in Berlin, Arthur Abraham will send a statement to the rest of the Super Middleweight fighters, with a quick stoppage victory over former Olympian Jermain Taylor.

Abraham hurts Taylor with a straight right in the early exchanges of the first round, and Taylor struggles to make it through the opening round on his feet. Abraham moves in for the stoppage in the second round, and punishes a negative Taylor who falls to the canvas under the heavy pressure from the Armenian. Taylor survives another minute, but it counts for nothing, as the referee judges that Taylor has received too much punishment and waves away the contest. Abraham is the winner by TKO in the second round.

Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell

Magno: This will be a fun match as two unorthodox talents with complete opposite skill sets and fighting philosophies do battle in a screamingly pro-Froch Trent FM Arena in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, England.

Froch, the defending WBC Super Middleweight champ can be seen as a slow-footed pasty version of Tommy Hearns with arms down low and a desire to mix it up.

By far the more accomplished of the the two, Froch has already earned his place with wins over athletically gifted fighters Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor.

Froch’s success depends on his ability to lure Dirrell into a fight and not engage in a boxing match. He was able to do that with quick-fisted fighters like Pascal and Taylor, but Dirrell could be another story.

Andre Dirrell can be seen as the junior entrant of the Super 6 Tournament. He’s perhaps the most athletically gifted of the six, but also the least experienced.
Patterned after Roy Jones Jr., Dirrell is a speedster who, only recently, has started adding some power to his game. The question will be whether he can handle the pressure of fighting a guy like Froch in a place like Nottingham.

If the flat-footed Froch can’t lure Dirrell into a battle, he will be chasing the American all day and catching enough counters to lose rounds. Dirrell’s history suggests that, when pressed, he gets on his bike so that could mean big problems for Froch.

Despite the massive hometown advantage, Dirrell will prove to be too fast and too athletic for Froch. Dirrell wins this via split decision, 116-112, 115-113, 112-116.

Machine: The two unbeaten fighters should put on a show as their different styles will surely make a gripping fight at the Trent FM Arena. Could hometown scoring be a factor?

Froch will be defending his WBC super middleweight belt for the second time, against a switch-hitting speedster that has far superior footwork and a considerable hand speed advantage over the champion. The champion might be judged as flat footed, but makes up for it in the power stakes, as he will possess a serious threat to the untroubled Dirrell.

Dirrell is expected to be on his bike for most of the fight and his punch output should be greater than Froch, so if it goes to the scorecard, Dirrell will hold a major advantage.

Dirrell’s more eye-catching flurries are enough to win him the opening rounds on the judges’ scorecards, as he silences the Nottingham crowd. Froch takes the closer and gritty middle rounds to even it out on the scorecards. The champion edges ahead in a close 9th round, the best of the fight. Dirrell surprisingly thrives under the relentless pressure of Froch, and wins the final rounds to split the Showtime team... and the judges.

Both fighters think they have done enough to win it. Press row are all split with different opinions as the scorecards are announced. Dirrell wins a thrilling opening to the Showtime Super 6 Boxing Classic, with an extremely debatable split decision, 116-112, 115-114 to the American and 115-113 to Froch.

Current Scores: Magno 0-0 (0 KOs), Machine 0-0 (0 KOs)

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There Can Only Be One (Part 2)

by Simon Garner

The “Super Six” tournament has brought together some of the best fighters at 168lb. But who will win? Who will be the surprise package? And will the belts change hands in each and every fight? There are many questions that need answering and will hopefully be resolved in the next 20 months or so.

Now we look to the contenders. So who’s battling it out? And what chance do they have of winning?


Carl Froch (Current WBC Champion): 25-0 (20KO’s): 2/1F

The joint favourite to win the “Super-Six,” the Nottingham-based fighter who claimed the WBC belt last December in a war with Jean Pascal

Pros: “The Cobra” as he’s known to his fans, is the tallest are arguably the biggest puncher of the six combatants. He has recent wins over Pascal and Taylor which is superior to the other participants. He is the only one of the six to have a win over another one of the group. He comes on strong later in fights, epitomised by his KO of Taylor. His heart and mental strength are just as good as anyone in the tournament, if not just that little bit better. Arguably in his prime at 32.

Cons: In his fight with Taylor, he was out-boxed for large parts of it and his fight with Pascal was very close. His low guard can often make him vulnerable to attacks which could be a reason to bet against him in a tournament that includes more boxers than sluggers.

Next fight: vs. Andre Dirrell (October 17) (WBC Championship)

Opinion: Froch has the ability to go far in this tournament and is one of the most proven fighters here. However, if the other guys can out-box him and stay with him in the later rounds, he could be in trouble.


Mikkel Kessler (Current WBA Champion): 41-1 (31KO’s): 9/4

The most established man at 168lb is the “Viking Warrior.” He’s also previously held the WBC belt, which he lost to Joe Calzaghe in 2007.

Pros: He’s been in the 168lb division far longer than the other fighters and has more experience. Showed a lot of fight and heart in defeat in his unification bout with Calzaghe. Has a strong job and punches in bunches. Probably the most physically gifted of the group and in his prime at 30.


Cons: Hasn’t been in the ring since October 2008 due to contractual problems and hasn’t fought a name fighter since Calzaghe and Andrade in 2007. Despite his fight with Calzaghe, he has few names on his resume and has never fought outside of Europe. In order to win this tournament, he will have to travel well.

Next fight: vs. Andre Ward (21 November) (WBA Championship).

Opinion: This will be a big step up in opposition for Kessler and it will be interesting to see how he copes. Most people are calling him the No. 1 seed but we’ll see how he fares come November.


Arthur Abraham: 30-0 (24 KO’s): 7/2

The former IBF Middleweight king is stepping up and will face his first real tests at 168lb during the super-six tournament.

Pros: Successfully defended his IBF Middleweight title on ten occasions, something no other competitor in the tournament can claim. He’s unbeaten and at 30 is still in his prime. Clearly a tough fighter, he battled with a broken jaw for the majority of his first fight with Miranda. Just moved up from middleweight so won’t struggle to make the 168lb limit. Raul Marquez claims Abraham’s speed bothered him more than Shane Mosley’s, a bold claim.

Cons: He’s by far the smallest guy in the tournament and will be giving up a height and reach advantage to his fellow competitors. Hasn’t fought many guys who are larger than him and is largely untested at the weight. Furthermore, he’s only fought outside of Europe once and most of his fights in the super-six will likely take place in the USA. His middleweight defences were not against the highest opposition and therefore, flatter and deceive.

Next fight: vs. Jermain Taylor (17 October 2009)

Opinion: Abraham is an unknown quantity, he’s opposition hasn’t pushed him and he’s barely fought at 168lb. I expect him to challenge but probably won’t take home the overall crown to the disappointment of his subjects.

In Part 3, I will complete a review of the remaining three fighters and conclude who I think will win the super-six tournament.

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Does Jermain Taylor Belong in The Super 6 Tournament?

by Paul Magno

The answer to the question posed in the title of this story is No....and Yes.

For anyone who has read my writings before, you know that I'm not one to walk the fence...and I have the bitter online arguments to offer as proof.

But on this subject, there cannot be any real definitive answer; The issue is just too complex and the answers, too simple.

On a pure merit basis, Jermain Taylor does not belong in a tournament to determine the best Super Middleweight in the world. With only two fights at 168 lbs. and zero wins, he really has no right to be listed among the top six in the division, but, neither does Arthur Abraham.

The former IBF Middleweight champion from Germany, has only fought once at the Super Middleweight limit in four years. If you exclude Taylor on the basis of not belonging, Abraham must go too.

However, when putting something together on the scale of this tournament, some other factors have to be taken into consideration. Name recognition, drawing power and promotional affiliations have to enter into the selection process...It's in this area where the answer to whether Taylor belongs is a big "yes."

Showtime, the host of the tournament, primarily wants to reach their home market of US television sets. Jermain Taylor, for better or worse, easily has more name recognition among casual US fight fans than any of the other five tourney entrants.

While Robert Stieglitz, Sakio Bika and even Allan Green are more deserving of inclusion, Showtime has to pay attention to the basic responsibility and goal of putting butts in front of the TV to watch their programming.

Showtime could've included IBF Champ, Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade instead of Taylor and Abraham, but Andrade is with Golden Boy and the folks at GBP also won the purse bid on the upcoming Bute-Andrade rematch, effectively securing the bout for HBO.

So, Taylor is in and so is Abraham, another recognizable name who will bring some ratings to the battlefield.

It's only fitting that Taylor and Abraham be matched up against one another in the opening round of the Super 6 Tournament on October 17th. Aside from fighting for position in the 18-month battle for Super Middleweight supremacy, they'll literally be battling to see who really belongs there.

Discuss This Topic on The BTBC Fan Forum...Click Here

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There Can Be Only One : Part 1

by Simon Garner

On the 5th February this year, the man considered the king at 168lb, Joe Calzaghe retired from boxing. In doing so, he left somewhat of a void in the super middleweight division. What we’ve been left with, is a number of good fighters with varying degrees of experience, but no one who stands out.

The best case that’s been made for the throne came back in April when Carl Froch dramatically stopped Jermain Taylor in the final round of the WBC title bout. A fight which Taylor largely dominated until the later rounds only for him to tire and for Nottingham based fighter to take advantage.

The likes of Andre Ward and his namesake, Andre Dirrell have both fought since the retirement of Calzaghe but neither has stamped a big impression on the boxing world. The same can be said for Mikkel Kessler, the current WBA champion, a man who fought well against Calzaghe back in 2007, but has only entered the ring to face the likes of Dimitri Sartison and Danilo Haussler in recent times.

The other big name left in the division is ‘King’ Arthur Abraham, who despite his regal title has yet to make significant inroads in the division, with his only win coming last year in a rematch against Edison Miranda. A man who was also recently defeated by Andre Ward

Therefore, due to the confusion in the division, a plan was devised by Ken Hershman, the head honcho of boxing at Showtime to make all of the aforementioned combatants fight it out to find out who is the best in the divison.

The concept devised is an ingenious and unique one, never tried to such an extent before in boxing: a modified round-robin tournament to create an undisputed divisional leader. The winner of each bout will receive three points for a KO victory and two points for a decision. One point will be awarded for a draw. The preliminary rounds will begin in October and each participant will engage in three initial bouts. From this, the top four highest points scorers will advance to the semi-finals in January 2011. The winners will then fight in the final in May/June 2011.

This tournament is similar to others of yesteryear that sought to establish lineage in a crowded divison. The most recent example of this came in a smaller game back in 2001 when the top middleweights fought to establish a champion. First, the Executioner, Bernard Hopkins outpointed Keith Holmes. Then Felix Trinidad knocked out William Joppy. And finally, Hopkins shocked the world by putting on a boxing masterclass and finally stopped the seemingly unbeatable Tito to become the first undisputed champion at 160 since Marvin Hagler.

In contrast the super-middleweight division hasn’t been without a leader for nearly as long. However, by bringing together the top fighters at the weight, all under different promoters, is something that should be applauded. The “Super Six” tournament will turn heads and as Lou DiBella put it recently, it will provided an “international jolt of adrenaline for boxing”

In Part 2, I will consider all the participants, their strengths, their weaknesses and their chances of victory. Finally, I will then state who I think will be crowned as champion in 2011.

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Madcow's Standing 8 Count (6/29/09)

by Madcow

Aside from actually being written, this week's column will be a little different.

Last week, as you all know, Michael Jackson died. I have had a special relationship throughout my life with Jackson. No, I never got to visit Neverland ranch as a child and I was never able to share a can of Jesus Juice with the "one-gloved-one."

My connection with Jackson isn't even about music. Actually, I'm luke warm to his talents.

No. My link with Jackson goes directly through Lori C, Madcow's first love and a very fine looking High School Junior with bubble gum lip gloss and a teddy bear backpack.

I had taken "Ms. C" to the Junior Prom and, to spare all the details, that was the night your favorite bovine became a man.

On the way home, I turned on the radio in my clunker in absolute glee and the first song on the radio was "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson. Not my type of music, but on that particular night, it was the greatest song I had ever heard.

So, this column is dedicated to Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean," and beautiful Lori C, who was more woman at 17 than all 3 of my wives put together. But enough with this sappy crap.

In a "Thriller," Marcos Maidana overcame knockdowns and all obstacles to force Victor Ortiz into submission. Now, after an embarrassing quit job and a non-fighter-like post-fight interview, Ortiz has to seriously take a look at the "Man in the Mirror" and decide if he really wants to continue fighting or if he just wants to "Beat It."

"Smooth Criminal," Oscar De la Hoya desperately tried to spin Ortiz's quit job into something quite the opposite, but nobody is buying it. Overall, it hasn't been a good time to be a Golden Boy prospect. Abner Mares split, Ortiz was just crushed and "King of Pop," James Kirkland is eating bologna and mayonaise sandwiches behind bars.

"Remember the Time" when PPV dates were reserved for only the elite fights, the best of the best? The Latin Fury show this Saturday was just, plain "Bad." I would like to run into the chump who paid 35 bucks to see this suck-fest so I can sell him some bumper car tickets at Neverland Ranch. Wake me up when Juanma Lopez starts fighting someone with a pulse.

Arthur Abraham defended his title against some guy named Oral on Showtime Saturday. I'm sorry, but the only thing I'm watching with the name "Oral" on it is a PPV movie from The Spice Channel.

Everything else this Summer has been a big let-down. Cancelled or postponed fights, combined with weak matchups. Boxing is in a serious "Jam" and needs to fix things fast or, maybe next year, there won't be anyone buying these shows for broadcast.

Well, seeing that its been a slow news Summer and that I've exhausted my Michael Jackson references, I think I'll end this special edition of Madcow's Standing 8 Count.

Besides, I've just called the escort service and told them to send their best; Doesn't matter if they're "Black or White," I just "Wanna be Startin' Somethin'." Now, "Leave Me Alone."

RIP Michael

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The BTBC News Wire (6/18/09)

(Updated Throughout the Day)

Kelly Pavlik: Anatomy of a Fallen Star
Arum Says Cotto Meeting Went Well For Pacquiao Clash
Bobby Gunn Promises "Garden State War" with Adamek
Donaire vs. Cazares Appears To Be On For WBA Title
Adrian Diaconu Fires Back at Pascal Over Comments
McCall vs Lawrence is Set For August 21 in Las Vegas
Younger Curiel Preparing For Debut, A Family Affair
Hopkins To Return in January? Against Froch or Adamek?
Pacquiao/Cotto Negotiations in Full Force, Deal Expected
Kelly Pavlik Enters Alcohol Rehab Center
Mosley breaks out big guns in bid for Pacquiao
Montiel vs. Morel Appears To Be Heading To September
Chavez vs LeHoullier, Gamboa vs Garcia on July 25
Henry/George Card in Houston is Brewing, Not Final
David Haye's Future Plan To Be Decided Very Soon
“Vicious” Vivian Harris Annoucement
Hide Continues To Bait Huck, Vivian Harris a Free Agent
Abraham-Oral: Arthur Ready To Impress on Showtime
Joe Calzaghe Beats Warren in Court, Awarded £1.8million
Amir Khan Can Benefit From Kotelnik Venue Switch
Donaire May Face Concepcion For Interim WBA Title, 8/15
Pacquiao Still Wants Floyd Mayweather Jr. Most of All

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