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Ward vs Froch: Gus Johnson, Al Bernstein, Antonio Tarver and Jim Gray Discuss the Fight

Gus Johnson: "WARD-FROCH WILL BE CATACLYSMIC!!!!!!!!" (Photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

Gus Johnson, Play-by-Play Announcer

"We're witnessing two fighters who haven't reached their peak yet. This fight is going to go a long way in determining what path they take. The winner has the opportunity to launch into super stardom at 168. The winner will have the chance to potentially become a household name moving forward.

"These two men are meeting each other at the right time. They're young. They're strong. They're hungry, humble and - maybe most importantly - they really want to test themselves. It's tailor made. Ward-Froch will be cataclysmic."

Star-divide

002_tarver_img_9193_medium Antonio Tarver, Expert Analyst

"The key for Andre Ward is to stay within himself, keep boxing and keep winning the rounds. I think there is a lot of pressure on him to do something exciting, to do something great, but he can't play into that hype. He must stay disciplined. I think that's the key word when I look at what he needs for this battle: discipline.

"For Froch, he's going to have to cut the ring off. He's going to have to limit Andre Ward's movement. Carl is going to have to press him and I think he's going to have to be the aggressor. He needs to make it a fight instead of a boxing match. Froch will have to corner Ward and make him fight with his back against the ropes. And if he can do that and sustain that kind of attack, press him mentally and physically, Froch will give Ward the hardest fight he's ever had. If anybody gets knocked out in this fight, I see Froch catching Ward.

"I really feel like the winner of this fight will write his own ticket as to what he'd like to do in the near future so there is a lot at stake. I'm looking forward to it. We could be looking at the Fighter of the Year. When you look at what they've gone through, you've got to put Ward or Froch in the category for Fighter of the Year if one man can win convincingly."

Al Bernstein, Expert Analyst

"Andre Ward is the consummate boxer-puncher. We thought Mikkel Kessler was the most skilled fighter in the tournament and Andre dominated him. In this match, Ward must bring the kind of ring generalship that allowed Andre Dirrell to do well against Froch - even in losing. The Ward jab needs to be established early and he must punch in combination, while mixing in just enough lateral movement.

"Carl Froch is a much more nuanced fighter than we expected to see in this tournament. He is a better pure boxer than he's given credit for being. He showed that in wins over Arthur Abraham and Glen Johnson. He also has an iron chin. Ward will not attack him like Johnson and Abraham so Froch will need to push the pace more. He, too, must establish the jab early and then land his right hand behind it. He has not used his excellent uppercut as much in the Super Six; this would be a good time to bring it out of mothballs."

Jim Gray, Ringside Reporter

"The key for Ward will be to be patient. He needs to fight at his pace and not be lured in by Froch to brawl. He must also know that Froch has a great chin, and not be frustrated that Froch may not budge with his best shots.

"The key for Froch would be to somehow be able to get Ward to brawl. To get him into wild exchanges and catch him. Froch is tough and he has the ability to take fighters out of their plan and create opportunities."

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Think Tarver has it spot on

Ward needs to stay off the ropes and it will be a fairly easy night for him.

by Sweet science on Dec 9, 2011 3:45 PM EST reply actions  

They’re hungry, humble

Uh, has Gus ever heard Froch speak? Humble is not a word I would have chosen.

Wear something sexy to my funeral.

by Pops Daniels on Dec 9, 2011 3:56 PM EST reply actions  

Boxing is funny.

If you would have told me five years ago that soon Antonio Tarver would become one of your favorite boxing analysts, I would have said you were crazy.

Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"

by Matt Miller on Dec 9, 2011 4:17 PM EST reply actions  

No kidding. He really can take an intuitive impression and articulately unpack it. I think he’s absolutely right that a knockout will be Froch’s.

I think Froch’s underrated ability to box as well as brawl (although I don’t think his win over an immobile Abraham should be used to overinflate his boxing ability), his apparent imperviousness to damage, and what I see as his implacability, will be the difference.

I think Froch ends it late, sometime in the round 10 – 12 range.

by DrRck on Dec 9, 2011 5:18 PM EST up reply actions  

I don't see it

Don’t see Froch stopping Ward.

I think he will really try and lay it on him late on. But it will be too late, and Ward will have racked up enough rounds to take the cards and will be smart enough to negate Froch’s late, crude attacks

by Sweet science on Dec 9, 2011 5:24 PM EST up reply actions  

i can picture Ward getting inside and muscling Froch around, which could really drain Froch and make it tough for him to score a late stoppage.

by Sentimental on Dec 9, 2011 5:32 PM EST up reply actions  

I don't know about musciling him or gassing Froch

But he will certainly tie him up whenever Froch gets in close

by Sweet science on Dec 9, 2011 6:43 PM EST up reply actions  

I agree. I can’t see Froch winning this at all. There is no way. If Kessler and Johnson found Froch easily then Ward should cruise to a win.

by Manuwar on Dec 9, 2011 6:43 PM EST up reply actions  

The only chance is if Ward has no mustard on his punches and he just walks him down

But I think Ward has enough to sting, and will land enough to mark Froch up some

by Sweet science on Dec 9, 2011 7:06 PM EST up reply actions  

I just see it being a really dirty inside fight with elbows, headbutts, clinches and rabbit punches. I pick Ward as I think that his physical strength is vastly underrated. I certainly don’t count Froch out.

Nobody will read this and care and why should they?

by Eoin_not_ian on Dec 9, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions  

Good points

If you like it dirty, this is your fight :)

by Sweet science on Dec 9, 2011 7:17 PM EST up reply actions  

I’m literally invariably wrong about these things, and damned proud of it. Froch takes out Ward in the late rounds.

Also, I have a stock tip for you … just ask.

by DrRck on Dec 10, 2011 10:03 AM EST up reply actions  

The next time Gus Johnson is right about something sports-related...

will be the first. Froch is not young, is probably at his peak, and as Pops notes, is not humble. Gus is full of nothing but junk audio-sensationalism.

Tarver is solid. Glad Showtime brought him on.

by Sentimental on Dec 9, 2011 5:13 PM EST reply actions  

Can't wait.

I think that there will be plenty for Gus Johnson to go crazy about. If not, he’ll go crazy anyway.

by Im_a_fun_haver on Dec 9, 2011 5:55 PM EST reply actions  

WOAOOAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHWWWWWWW

FROCH HOLDS WARD
WARD
HOLDS FROCH

ALCOHOL REHAB

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Dec 9, 2011 6:06 PM EST up reply actions  

Lol I seriously love it

by Manuwar on Dec 9, 2011 6:48 PM EST up reply actions  

I really like Gus Johnson. Yes he goes way over the top with excitement at times, but this is balanced by Bernstein and Tarver, who are really good.

I’m pretty sure that HBO been calling that fight, they would have just had a story of ‘Jermain Taylor runs out of gas again, but this time to some obscure belt holder from Europe’.

Nobody will read this and care and why should they?

by Eoin_not_ian on Dec 9, 2011 7:08 PM EST up reply actions  

Haha, I like Gus. I’d rather the announcer be excited as hell than smug and very highbrow about the whole thing. It’s not his job to offer expert analysis anyway, just call the fight. And Gus get’s a little excited that’s all :)

by Manuwar on Dec 9, 2011 6:45 PM EST up reply actions  

always good times at bad left hook.

by The Twillness on Dec 10, 2011 2:26 AM EST up reply actions  

But it will be cataclysmic, in an understated sort of way. Kind of like Dec. 21, 2012.

by DrRck on Dec 10, 2011 10:06 AM EST up reply actions  

gus looks like a weasel. but he makes me laugh. so whatever. al and tarver will provide the balance needed in quality analysis.

by The Twillness on Dec 10, 2011 2:31 AM EST reply actions  

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