We’re all set to go with the semifinals of Showtime’s Super Six super middleweight tournament live from Atlantic City, New Jersey. Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson just entered the ring repping Miami with the Heat warmups and “305” hardhat. Carl “The Cobra” Froch enters to “Welcome to the Jungle.” He looks focused and he’ll need to be because Johnson never fails to show up for a fight.
Classy Jimmy Lennon Jr. is getting ready to do the official introductions. Judges are from England, the U.S. and Japan. Ref is Earl Brown. Round-by-round updates after the jump:
Round 1: Both fighters coming out tentatively, measuring each other with the jab. Johnson is making it hard to root for him with those white Miami Heat boxing trunks. Johnson looks really cut but Froch is standing his ground in the middle of the ring. Neither really did much, score it even.
Round 2: Glen Johnson starting use the jab to the body to control the pace of the fight. Froch keeps his hands low, which could be asking for trouble against Johnson. Johnson tries to get inside but Froch ties him up. Johnson hasn’t been knocked out in more than a decade so the Cobra needs to stay busy and start banking these rounds. 20–19 Johnson.
Round 3: Both men come out jabbing with purpose in the third and we’re starting to see some exchanges as well. Froch is backing up but using his jab to keep Johnson at bay. Johnson keeps advancing behind that stiff jab. The pressure appears to be affecting Froch and Johnson lands a right that seems to hurt the Brit. Froch looks to be bit less sure of himself and Johnson looks like a Jub when she smells biscuits. 29–29.
Round 4: Less action this round, Johnson still advancing but not throwing as many jabs. Froch is throwing more combinations and starting to impose his will a bit more. Froch is a brawler by nature and he seems to be a bit more comfortable now that both men have touched each other up a bit. Froch’s slickness advantage is starting to show. 39–38 Froch.
Round 5: Johnson looks more determined to start the fifth, coming forward behind the
jab while keeping his guard high and tight. Froch splits the guard with a right hand; his greater handspeed is enabling him to time the older man as he comes in. But Johnson is determined to get inside and land those chopping rights to the body.
Froch is fighting a very smart fight at this point; whenever Johnson threatens to get in and make it ugly Carl ties him up. Froch is timing Johnson with that right hand and the Cobra is starting to show his fangs. 49–47 Froch.
Round 6: Johnson doesn’t have the usual spring in his step and Froch seems more at ease with every round. He’s starting to open up a lead, though knowing Johnson’s past he’s probably not planning on winning a decision. Every punch from Glen seems to be a half-step behind. Froch on the other hand is punching with precision.
Just when it seems like Froch has things under control Johnson lands an overhand right to the face. Froch seems unperturbed and responds with a combination of his own. If you love boxing you can’t help but respect the man’s swagger. He looks like champion. 59–56 Froch.
Round 7: Andre Ward thinks the weight loss is affecting Johnson; it’s hard to tell if he’s right or if it’s just age catching up with the Road Warrior. If Glen keeps losing these rounds he’s going to need a knockout.
Right on cue Johnson lands a big right hand and has Froch backing up a bit, the old man has too much heart to go down without giving it everything he has. He’s bringing the fight inside and using his bigger frame to wear on Froch downstairs. Froch needs to start using his legs again or he may find himself in trouble. 68–66 Froch.
Round 8: Round starts with both men trading in the center of the ring, Froch appears to get the better of it. Johnson won’t be turned back. He keeps coming forward and trying to engage, catches Froch with a left hook followed by a straight right that landed cleanly.
Froch is showing a lot of toughness because Johnson has power in that right hand. Froch keeps returning fire rather than covering up but Johnson lands another big left hook. Johnson catches a left hook from Froch, he may be punched out but he wins that round on our card. 77–76 Froch.
Round 9: Back to trading jabs from the outside again, not surprising after the fireworks in the last round. Froch is picking up these in-between rounds and winning the fight as a result. Glen comes back with a series of shots to the body. Both of these men have granite chins. Neither has looked in danger of falling despite catching some heavy blows. Froch keeps firing punches in bunches, he takes the round. 87–85 Froch.
Round 10: We’re officially in deep water and both men keep firing behind their jabs. Johnson lands a straight right on Froch’s chin but when he comes in to follow Froch responds with a vicious combination of his own. Both men are fighters int he truest sense of the word.
Froch keeps peppering Johnson from a distance. Even when Johnson lands Froch responds immediately. He snap’s Johnson’s head back with a jab and finishes the round with a nonchalant stroll back to his corner. 97–94 Froch.
Round 11: This has really been a masterful performance by Froch to this point. Johnson has had some moments but that’s more due to his quality than any mistake on Froch’s part. Froch lands combinations whereas Johnson lands single punches. That’s basically the difference in the fight at this point because neither man is planning to go down any time soon.
This fight has been a pleasure to watch. Both men are proud champions willing to stand and fight. Both have absorbed a number of blows that would fell lesser fighters. Froch in particular has impressed. We knew Johnson was unmovable but if I’m Andre Ward I’m starting to worry about my ability to wear down Carl Froch compared to previous opponents. 107–103 Froch.
Round 12: It’s the championship round and The Cobra looks to retain his WBC belt barring catastrophe. Froch has never backed down from any challenge and we hope this tournament will finally turn him into the star he should already be. Ward vs Froch is shaping up to be a fantastic finale to the often-troubled but ultimately successful Super Six Tournament.
Froch keeps coming with those vicious sharp combos and throws in a little showboating for good measure. He really does fight like a slick African-American fighter, which is a good look on the lanky, pasty Englishman. Even with a comfortable lead he keeps fighting and exchanging with Johnson, who is all too eager to oblige.
Froch wins the final round and the fight going away 117–112 in our view. Fantastic scrap between two gentlemen and warriors. Johnson can leave with his head held high; he gave Froch some of his best shots and the Cobra was undaunted. All that’s left now is judge’s decision, which should be a formality.
Majority decision for Froch 117–111, 116–112, and 114–114 from the Japanese judge. The draw is inexplicable, definitely a candidate for our scorecard Hall of Shame.
Glen Johnson did what we would expect but this was a class performance by Froch and he deserves a spot on the pound-for-pound lists. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance was Froch’s chin, which may be second only to Johnson’s in the division. The Super Six Final against Ward should be tremendous and will hopefully turn out a true superstar in boxing’s most competitive division.
