Carl Froch v Mikkel Kessler (rematch in England) - Who wins and how?

Just a poll to see who people would pick to win if these pair fought again

Iv gone for Kessler on points


Regards

Steffan

I've written Carl off too many times.

Said he wouldn't beat Abraham, said he wouldn't beat Taylor, Dirrell or Bute, I can't go against him again!!

Froch Points with better tactics and slightly better execution.

I could see Froch winning a close, hard-fought decision this time around.

While he didn't win the tournament, I think you could easily argue that Froch was the most improved fighter of the Super Six series, if you compare his performances just before (Pascal, Taylor) to the ones towards the end of the tournament (Abraham, Johnson) and throw in the job he did on Bute last night. I'm a little reluctant to use the Ward fight as too much of a rod to beat him with (or Kessler, for that matter) as I genuinely believe that Ward is a great fighter in the proper sense of the word.

As such, I do think that Froch is an improved fighter since the Kessler defeat. Froch lost that fight by being neither outclassed or outboxed. More than anything, he was simply outworked. Gifting away the first three or four rounds has been all too common a theme with Froch in recent years, but in light of the Abraham and Bute fights, there's evidence to suggest that he's perhaps remedied that.

If that's the case, then with his confidence sky-high and hometow support behind him, I'd probably put my money on Froch to win a tight decision (perhaps a majority one, for instance) over Kessler who, I'll stress, is a fighter I admire greatly and who I rate as a very fine operator.

I've gone for froch by a close decision.

Since the last time they met I would say froch has looked better. Kessler looked a lot worse vs ward than froch did, meaning that Carl has improved technically since the first fight as the Carl froch from the first fight was more crude than he is now and wouldn't have caused ward any problems if Kessler couldn't.

Mikkel is 33 whereas froch is 34 but Carl is a young 34 having only 21 fights whereas Kessler has had almost 50 with many being hard fights.

Last time out vs green Kessler didnt really impress me and it was against green who is a gatekeeper type fighter. He has only had 2 fights since froch and injuries have affected him at his age.

Presuming he has another big effort left in the tank I see him beating Kessler. He's shown he knows he has to start quick and not leave himself a mountain to climb. Kessler's body punching is still hurtful though and it won't be easy in the long run. He'd be 35 by the time of the rematch if I'm not mistaken.

What hurts a fighter more, inactivity or constant activity against top opposition?

I agree that Froch could well win on points. Not sure why someone has gone for Froch KO though. Kessler is very solid even if he was getting outworked he wouldnt get KO or stopped

Neither will be stopped

Froch stopped Bute but there where question marks over this chin due to the Andrade fight but hasn't really shown world class power bar Taylor who is a middleweight. Don't get me wrong it was a good KO but Kessler has a very solid chin, almost good enough to match johnsons and Abrahams.

Froch won't be stopped by any super middleweight atm as he has an unorthodox style making him had to catch and when he does he takes the punches very well

Steffan wrote:I agree that Froch could well win on points. Not sure why someone has gone for Froch KO though. Kessler is very solid even if he was getting outworked he wouldnt get KO or stopped

Kessler looked to be hurt pretty bad in the 1st round against Green, maybe age and inactivity has got to him a bit. Seemed to carry some real real whack at Light Heavyweight though as Green found out.

Kessler was hardly at light heavyweight, didn't he weigh 169? One pound over the super middleweight division?

Froch will win a UD in an extremely entertaining fight.

Froch wins in a v similar fight to the Denmark one but the other way round, maybe even one or both touching canvas. Stop with all this Kessler at LH stuff. He is not a LH - he weighed in at 169.

I think Green's chin was a major factor, like BF88 says, he was only a pound over SMW. After the first round of Kessler Green, I can see Froch hurting him, not stopping him but maybe enough, hopefully, to grab a 10-8 or two for Froch.

AlexHuckerby wrote:I've written Carl off too many times.

Said he wouldn't beat Abraham, said he wouldn't beat Taylor, Dirrell or Bute, I can't go against him again!!

Froch Points with better tactics and slightly better execution.

Kiss of death there if ever I've seen one.

Froch wins this no matter what if it's in Nottingham... 'home decision' and all that.

I'd prefer this fight to be in Vegas.

azania wrote:

AlexHuckerby wrote:I've written Carl off too many times.

Said he wouldn't beat Abraham, said he wouldn't beat Taylor, Dirrell or Bute, I can't go against him again!!

Froch Points with better tactics and slightly better execution.

Kiss of death there if ever I've seen one.

You're probably right to be honest, lol.

I picked Froch to beat Ward and lose to Bute so im gonna say Froch is gonna win this one now and then hope im wrong

I did predict Kessler to beat Froch on points last time although the 'Froch late KO' gang wouldnt listen to me

I'd envisage a similar fight to the one in Denmark. Froch looked good early in that fight but took his foot off the gas and allowed Kessler to win rounds he shouldn't have. Froch would be super motivated to avenge defeat and wouldnt make the same mistake again. Kessler has been less active since his eye injury and on balance id back Froch as the hometown fighter with a point to prove to take a close, hard fought decision. Both men have come forward, exciting styles and it's a fight I'd very much like to go to, as opposed to say Froch Ward II where there's a gap in ability that Froch probably can't bridge (as well as Wards style being all wrong for him).

Would fancy Froch to outpoint Kessler next time out,think the Froch camp will get it right next time, first fight was close and Froch capable of outboxing and out jabbing Kessler 2ND time round.

Kessler got dropped by Green in his last fight. Green isn't in Kessler's class.

Is Kessler starting to fade?

Froch showed a lot of maturity and ring generalship last night. The experience he has gained since the loss to Kessler manifested itself against Bute.


Check out this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8T5E8QsnvI


Go to 2.10 in the video for Green getting the knock down on Kessler.

Go to 12.20 to see Kessler's one punch KO victory.

I'm surprised IJL didn't stop the fight after Kessler was put down.

Id favour Froch in Nottingham, Kessler in Denmark and Froch (just) in a neutral venue.

Froch on points, with a few scares along the way

I think the last fight was very close and while I dont think he was as robbed as he has made out.. I think he let him self down and just did not get stuck in quick enough, he let Kessler nick too many rounds but when he let his hands go he had Kessler in deep water..

I think if its in the UK which it should be I see Froch being too much for Kessler though its never an easy fight...