Super Six World Boxing Classic Stage 1 – Where We Stand
For those who aren’t familiar with the Super Six, or who might’ve started watching after it started this past October, here’s what Wikipedia says about the format of the tournament:
The competition starts with a group stage where each boxer will fight three times. A boxer is awarded 3 points for a win by knockout or technical knockout, 2 points for a win on points, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
The top four from the group stage will continue to the semifinals, matching the leader against no. 4 and no. 2 against no. 3. The winners of the semifinals proceed to the final, for the tournament.
The WBC Super Middleweight Championship and WBA Super Middleweight Championship will be on the line for each of the champions’ fights. The winner of the Super Six World Boxing Classic will also be unified champion of the super middleweight division.
In the event of a fighter being unable to continue in the contest, a reserve boxer will enter in his place continuing from the previous fighters points.
In the first stage, these were the match-ups:
Andre Dirrell vs. Carl Froch
Jermain Taylor vs. Arthur Abraham
Andre Ward vs. Mikkel Kessler
Based on the fights in round one, here are the standings before round two:
1. Arthur Abraham – 3 points (2 points for the win and a bonus point for a KO)
2, Carl Froch – 2 points (2 points for the decision win)
2. Andre Ward – 2 points (2 points for the decision win)
4. Jermain Taylor – 0 points
4. Andre Dirrell – 0 points
4. Mikkel Kessler – 0 points
For the second round, the match-ups are as follows:
Andre Dirrell vs. Arthur Abraham (January 23 2010 in the United States)
Mikkel Kessler vs. Carl Froch for WBC Super Middleweight Championship (March 6 2010 in Denmark)
Jermain Taylor vs. Andre Ward for WBA Super Middleweight Championship (Date TBA in Oakland, California)
In each match-up, you have fighters who lost their first fight facing someone who won their first fight. Based on the match-ups, Andre Ward seems to have the best shot to go to 2-0 in the tournament since Jermain Taylor seems to be very much at the end of his career. It’s still up in the air as to whether or not JT takes the fight, but because Ward isn’t a huge puncher, it would seem like JT would give it one more shot before having to fight Kessler in the third stage.
Arthur Abraham looked the best out of all six fighters in his dismantling of JT, though he faces someone in Dirrell who is going to give anyone problems just because of his speed. But if Dirrell was hurt by Froch’s power, he’s going to have the same issues with Abraham, and I think Abraham is better defensively.
And Kessler vs. Froch is a battle of two world class fighters who didn’t look their best in the first round. It’s really redemption time for both guys, even though Froch won his fight. Because of styles clashes, both guys didn’t look their best, but I have a feeling we’ll see the best of both guys in this fight.
I can’t wait until January when this thing gets started back up for stage 2.
