Second stage of Super Six set

Stage Two of the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Showtime has been set, according to Dan Rafael.

First up on March 6, Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KO) will take on Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13 KO) in Rancho Mirage, California. It's a familiar venue for Dirrell's promoter Gary Shaw, and Dirrell (from Flint, Mich.) really has no home base anyway, and Abraham isn't yet a star in America.

On April 17, Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KO) defends the WBC super middleweight title against Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KO), who is coming off of a demoralizing upset loss to Andre Ward in Oakland. It's a huge fight for Kessler, and the matchup this time is much better for him. The fight will be in either England or Denmark, but I'd guess Denmark. Froch has in the past shown a willingness to go on the road and defend (he fought Jermain Taylor in the States this year), and they probably make more money at the gate in Denmark, where Kessler's fights are massive. Showtime will air Froch-Kessler on tape delay.

The same night airing live, Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KO) makes the first defense of his newly-won WBA title against Jermain Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KO). Recently, British promoter Frank Warren complained that Taylor by rights shouldn't have a title shot at all. I agree, really, but then I recall some of the "world title" mismatches Warren has put together over the years, and wonder if the words carry much weight given their source.