FROCH: KESSLER ‘TOOK WARD LIGHTLY’

In the Round 1 matchup between Kessler and Ward, accidental head butts caused Kessler to be badly bruised around the facial area, which sent the verdict to the scorecards in the 11th round and resulted in a victory for Ward.

Froch, however, said Kessler overlooked Ward, whom he also took to task for what he believes were intentionally dirty fouling tactics.

“[Kessler] took Ward lightly, and then, during the fight, I don’t want to bring up what happened in terms of the way in which the fight and the contest happend and the cuts and tactics and styles and clashes and all sorts of rubbish that went on in this fight, but that’s what happened,” said Froch. “There’s 101 reasons why Kessler didn’t perform and didn’t win on that night.”

Click here to watch Part 1 of Froch’s roundtable interview. Part 2 is here.

BUTE ‘GOT KNOCKED OUT, BUT WON ON POINTS’

Froch has long insited that Bute never was good enough to be involved in the Super Six, and points to his controversial, unanimous decision over Librado Andrade in Octover of 2009 as a reason why.

Bute, who won the rematch by fourth-round knockout over Andrade in November of 2009, benefitted from a long 10-count in their initial bout that allowed him to rise from a knockdown and avoid being counted out.

Click here for video of Bute-Andrade I

“Most definitley, there are two names on Lucian Bute’s record other than Librado Andrade and that’s Brian Magee and Glen Johnson. Other than, Librado Andrade, and let’s not forget that Librado Andrade knocked out Lucian Bute in the 12th round of that contest. You have 10 seconds to get yourself ready to carry on fighting, and he didn’t make it within the 10 seconds,” said Froch.

“So he lost that fight by knockout, but he won on points, you see what I’m saying? But that’s what happens in boxing. He’s a big deal in Canada. So that’s one of his fights, and the other was Brian Magee, who I knocked out six years ago. And I broke my hand in Round 2 of that fight. And then, Johnson, his friend, did they have a sparring session? Did they have a move-around for 12 rounds? I was bored to tears for that fight. I don’t think that anybody will be re-setting their DVD player and watch that one with a box of popcorn will they?”

Photos by Tom Casino, Showtime

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]