Good post, Mand. I couldn't have said it better, but i'll give my thoughts nontheless. Froch's keys. The Jab: Probabily Froch's most important weapon. He needs to be assertive with it. Carls jab is underrated and sometimes even he doesn't know how good and effective it is. It's what made the difference in the Pascal fight and he didn't use it effectively enough against Dirrell. Frochy throws a nice up jab. An up jab is really effective against good defensive fighters (Leonard/Benitez). It allows you to time it better and get more success with it as it's coming from a different angle and below the line of sight of your opponent. Carl needs to use it for his offense. He can't just charge in without setting his punches up properly. You don't wanna be doing that against someone like Ward who is the complete antithesis of someone like Amir Khan. Ward, the more questions you ask in terms of pressure the better his answer, if you're being reckless in your offense. A good assertive, creative jab which Carl has in his arsenal will allow him to measure distance better, to set up power punches and combinations . It will also keep Ward off balance and disrupt his timing. You need a good jab to beat someone like Ward. He reads and catches single looping shots. Carl has to keep his punches straight, because Ward opens and turns the glove with anything wide. The Uppercut: I'm one who thinks that Carl uppercut is somewhat overrated, he hasn't been effective with it at the top level. But it's still important in this fight because not only is it good enough, not only is it still one of Frochy's best punches. It's also probabily the shot that Ward is most susceptible to. Andre sometimes falls in when he's trying to smother your work. There's a split sec. that he's open for that shot. He squares up momentarily, puts his guard high and jumps in. Carl needs to try and time this punch. If he does it could land and hurt Ward. It's the only punch he's really been hurt with. But Froch must not throw it at the wrong times. Sometimes he has a habit of throwing it from outside and when he does that he puts his chin in the air and has no defense whatsoever. He can't throw it from outside because he'll be made to miss and pay. He needs to time it, when Ward plants his feet, anticipate the attack and try and get off first. Coming in with the uppercut at the same time as Ward is coming in with his attack. Workrate: Froch needs to keep his workrate high, he can't allow Ward to win rounds on single clean counter punches. Carl needs to do something that he's really good at, and that's having the last word in exchanges. Coming back with stuff of your own if you get hit clean. This sways the judges mind and makes the rounds competitve even if you've lost it in other areas. He can't throw single power shots, because they're easier to read and counter. Constant flurries and a high output can unsettle and overwhelm even someone as adept at counter punching as Ward. He needs to throw his combos in unpredictable sequences. He can't let Ward get comfortable with his punching pattern. Carl has the tools to be awkward and unpredictable. When he throws the jab, follow it up with a left uppercut instead of a right, things like that to off set Ward. He must not be sloppy, which he has a tendency to be at times, especially when he's tired. Don't Languish in the pocket too long: Everybody thinks Ward is ganna fight on the outside, that he's primarily an outside boxer and call him 'slippery'. But people overlook just how physically strong he is. Frochy can't stay on the inside for long periods. Be aggressive and have a high workrate, but don't be smothered and clinched on the inside. Carl can be rough with the best of them, he throws rabbit punches that will have your head hurting for weeks. But if he allows Ward time to work there after clinches he'll get eaten up. Ward aligns his hips and is brillient skilled fighter on the inside. He also punches well to the body when up close. He'll tie one of Froch's arms up and go to work, smother his punches and deflect them.
Ward keys. Body work: Ward is a brillient body puncher. He needs to work the body to slow Froch down, it's where he can hurt him the most. He throws a good jab to the body which will be key. The straight right lead to the solar plexus or midriff is also a punch Froch is susceptible to. Kessler changed the trajectory of the fight with the right hand to the body. When he's inside he needs to change the angle and throw the left hook to the liver. Right hand over the top and left hook: Froch is really open to these two punches, especially the right hand. He's a sucker for a right hand counter and it'll probabily be the punch he'll get hit with the most. Almost every Froch opponent has landed it over and over. Feint with the jab to the body and the right hand over the jab will be there all night. Carl also has a bad habit of putting his right glove across his face. This opens him up to the left hook, he also does that 'bow n arrow' when he throws his jab, he pulls his right hand back and takes it away from the guard. Froch has a poor punch recovery. - Take away Froch's jab. - Don't get overwhelmed early. - Smother Froch's power punches and handcuff him on the inside. - Don't let Froch have the last word in exchanges, especially don't allow him to flurry after you break in clinches. - Don't fall in too much. - Don't exchange punches for extended periods. - Slide under Carl's over the top stuff and make him pay for missing. - Cross the danger zone, get on the inside and go to work. - Maintain mobility, don't hold the feet.
Slip, you think Carl's uppercut is overrated? Who rates it?!? It's dreadful, makes Numata's look like a genuine Shoryuken Nice post though :good
I would actually make Carl's uppercut a key punch cos Ward leans forward and falls forwards at times sadly Carl needs half a ring to get leverage to throw the ****ing thing . It's one of funniest punches thrown in sport today, Ward's jab is like Jeremy Beadle's throwing it. Really cocks it but it works for him so who can moan.
If they've worked on carls defence, speed, and shortened a few punches then this could be a very close fight.
I think Ward will take the decision, but as the weeks went on I've started believing the Cobra could spring an upset but I think I've maybe allowed myself to get in on the hype like I did for Haye-Klitschko. If Ward's confidence is brimming and his chin is checked with no problems then Froch is going to start having problems. Ward tends to switch southpaw when his confidence is up but against Sakio Bika, who roughed him up all night, he didn't switch stance as much. Froch needs to impose his will on the inside early and make it count because he will get his ears boxed off.
Lol. Not so much now, but it did use to be rated before. Anyway, it's still important in this fight, because it's probabily the punch that Ward is most susceptible to. You need a Bute-esque uppercut, which is sneaky and with little wasted motion to catch him with it though.