By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
They say they are friends outside the square ring, but inside it, it was full-on fistic business, a brutal encounter.
The judges at ringside were all in favour of the Danish fighter, 117-111, 115-113, 116-112 on the cards. Kessler reclaimed the WBC belt he lost to Joe Calzaghe on a memorable night in Cardiff in November 2007, having won the majority of the rounds in the early stages of the fight.
Froch had planned to take Kessler into deep water late into the fight, and had a mountain to climb in the last third of the fight, and came back into the contest, but it was too little, too late.
In a war of attrition, and physically evenly-matched, it was another thrilling war involving the battling Briton. It was without question the toughest fight of the 32-year-old’s career, and in many ways, a career-shortener. The last round was a classic, the final minute was simply naked courage from both brave fighters. Froch finished the fight on top, but he was undone at his own game.
Froch, magnanimous in defeat, said: “I feel terrible, I lost my title, I’m gutted. I think I would have won that fight if it had been in my home town. You have to give Mikkel Kessler all the respect he deserves, we are both gentlemen, and it was a good fight, a big fight, and it could have gone either way. I can still win this belt back within this tournament, and I intend to do so. I will be back.”
Kessler simply outboxed Froch with his better work rate, and it was a fair result. There will be another Froch v Kessler contest down the line, but the grim reality is that the fallen champion must now face another tough contest in the third round of television network Showtime’s Super Six series against Germany-based Armenian Arthur Abraham, promoted by Sauerland, the promoters who also look after Kessler’s ring affairs.
There was a call to arms and focus from Froch’s trainer Rob McCracken in the lengthy build-up as the fighters were introduced to a packed arena in Herning, and as the rounds progressed, the lead corner man demanded that Froch take Kessler’s jab from him. In fairness, he never really achieved it.
Kessler was far busier in the first half of the fight, and a much more dangerous ring exponent than the weary-looking fighter who lost to Andre Ward, in Portland, Oregon, on his last outing.The determined Kessler moved to 43 wins, two losses. Froch has lost one in 27 professional fights. Both fighters were in peak physical condition, and it showed as they fought each other to a standstill through the championship rounds.
Froch can be proud of his performance, but he will need to look at his tactics and come back with renewed belief.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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