I feel sorry for Dirrel

Get some sleep Carl.

 

Froch didnt whinge that much I didnt think, a bit but not excessive.

 

Who mentioned brawling?

I used the word fighting but you could substitute 'engaging' in

He just wouldn't do it

The art of defence is one thing but when you refuse to allow a contest to take place, how the hell can you be awarded rounds?

 

If you can just keep picking someone off why should you engage? Theres obviously been a few doubts about his chin so it'd be suicidal to start going at it.

He could have done more I think like after the point deduction he stepped it up but what he done was clearly enough to win for me. The "didnt come forward enough" argument always seems to be a bit of a cop out when a crap decision happens.

 

There wasn't any picking off. He didn't do anything meaningful for large swathes of the contest.

 

Which is still plenty more than Froch done hence he should have got the decision.

Froch didnt do anything meaningful full stop. The Froch fans on here would be hailing a "boxing masterclass" if it was Froch who put in that display.

 

I thought he really made an effort in the later rounds NOT to be seen as someone trying to sneak a verdict. He and his corner made a point of not coasting and trying to survive, and in rounds 10 and 11 Dirrel proved a big point imo and made Froch look like a dick after months of Carl predicting that Dirrel would be a hanging on at that point and trying to hold.

He won the fight by at least two rounds in my book.

 

Aye but until the last couple of rounds he didn't pick him off, that's my gripe. He literally ran and spoiled for entire rounds at times.

Others have said it but there were shades of Joe-Hopkins. Joe couldn't find Hopkins at all that night, but you cannot give a guy rounds for neutralising his opponent alone. He HAS to do something positive. IMO.

That said, in my heart of hearts, I had Dirrell nicking it.

I just think he has only himself to blame and if he fights like that every time he faces a decent opponent he's got a lot of tough decisions to come.

 

Dirrell should have won that fight..he cleary had froch in his pockt due to his speed and elusive style BUT he didnt do enough.

From round 3 to 9 he danced/ran more than he engaged. Its ok to be elusive ala Leonard but if you cant throw combinations at the same time it will make you look negative.
His continous clinching when getting hit or in danger of being hit was infuriating.
Froch as awful but to the judges he looked like the agressor, controlling the centre of the ring as dirrell did sweet **** all for large parts.

I had it 6-6 with the point deduction giving frch the win but it coukld have gone either way.

 

I put my thoughts elsewhere, I had Dirrell 7-5, but it was an awful fight and Dirrell was incredibly negative. He looked terrified for the majority of the early rounds and would literally RUN away from Froch. He had the speed to stand his ground a bit more early on - so why not make those rounds clear and emphatic?

I thought Froch was dreadful - everything I said about him following the Taylor fight is true: big heart but doesn't seem to have any fighting intelligence. There were simple ways to close Dirrell down - compact hooks to Dirrell's body because it's the one part of him that is not mobile.

Carl would get him on the ropes and go for a head shot, which Dirrell is young enough and fast enough to slip. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.

Froch could have made that easier on himself: lead right feints followed by a left hook to the body, stepping around Dirrell's jab rather than going back, feinting when Dirrell was against the ropes, then stepping around to where he was trying to go.

it was all obvious but Carl just doesn't do it.

Awful, awful fight.

 

He will but will ultimatley end in a knockout loss for Dirrell.. You can rest assured that Abraham will let it all hang out where as Froch was just too hesitant last night..IMO

 

He plain and simply didn't do enough to win the fight. To much running and clinching. Deserves all he gets.

 

Abraham doesn't really let it all hang out. He's a technician who has a scary knack for knowing just when to drop the hammer and will give away rounds until he sees that moment, knowing it will come.

Silly against a speedster, but I bet Arthur will commit to the body earlier and won't waste chances on the ropes like Froch did.

 

Yep, Froch was way too hesitant, especially early

He let Dirrell settle and acclimatise

Should've begun the roughing up process from the first bell and forced him into a fight

Froch looked a little nervy at the start and he started terribly against Taylor too, it's becoming a theme

 

I had Dirrell winning comfortably tbh, even though I was supporting Froch. He doesn't have a great style to watch and the holding was getting very annoying,but unfortunately for most of the fight Carl couldn't get near him,was too slow.

All we can hope for is that Dirrell is the quickest boxer Carl comes up against, certainly Kessler should be a better style match up imo.

As for Dirrell, I think he can cause all other fighters problems in this tournament, but fear his style is not explosive or exciting enough to get any close decisions,especially away from home, and possibly not hard hitting enough to get the ko. But I'm not writing him off just yet.