Froch v Taylor - A discourse for defence

British Boxing.net - Matt Dalton30th April, 2009

With my mind still reeling from the events of the weekend, there can be no doubt that the outcome of the WBC super-middleweight title fight in Connecticut was momentous for Carl Froch.

For such an ambitious first defence of his famous belt, for going over to America and conquering in the face of adversity, and for refusing follow the likes of Sturm in his farce against Sato, Froch showed that oft talked about quality that is rarely achieved these days. That of a throwback champion. Congratulations are certainly in order then.

However I quite agree with those who have commented on his performance since last Saturday. It did look amateurish throughout the fight. Carl had his hands far too low. His guard was much too wide for a fighter with Taylor's speed. And most importantly, I could not help but shout at the television, (a belated effort admittedly, after all it is highly unlikely that he will have heard me from 3000 miles away) for Carl to stop sticking his chin out for all and sundry. Mr Taylor - please aim here. No? Have another go....

For Froch to succeed on the world stage, as we would all like him to, defence is a key factor. To continue delivering fights of this quality, without suffering a decline similar to that of Jeff Lacy, his defence must be tightened. Carl cannot rely on that strong chin for his entire career. Muhammad Ali did that for the latter half of his career, and whilst hugely admirable in his ability to absorb punishment, it did not do him any good as his career came to an end. Froch must beware the lessons learnt.

Although physically Taylor was the bigger fighter on the night, Froch never looked out of his depth in terms of size, even on the rare occasions when both fighters clinched. It had dawned on me midway through the fight that if he had kept his right hand up to protect his face, and set a busier pace with a regular solid jab, some of those earlier rounds may not have fallen prey to Taylor's own formidable jab and fast counters.

So what can Froch add to his repertoire? Whilst he moves well enough, I doubt he will ever have the subtle nuances and extreme flexibility that Pernell Whittaker possessed. But perhaps an improved effort to cut off the ring, giving Taylor less room to move may have worked to Carl's greater advantage. Whilst Carl currently favours a low guard, it requires great speed and movement to get out of the way of the kind of head shots that Taylor threw. Employing a crossed-armed defence would be great in order to protect Carl from these shots and give his loyal chin a well earned break, but unless he can move and bend his body, he will leave that chiselled abdomen wide open to a faster fighter. A Philly Shell defence would not suffice either, as once again, Froch would be exposed during stationary moments.

Froch must learn from Taylor. After he was knocked down for the first time ever in the third round, I noticed that for at least a minute into the resumed combat, he held his hands much higher and tighter. A natural reaction for someone who has just experienced their first moment on the canvas. What was alarming was how soon the gloves came down again. Froch would benefit from employing a high guard defence, or peek-a-boo.

I would even encourage him to watch a few of Winky Wright's fights. Despite his recent points loss to Paul Williams, Winky has never been stopped. Whilst the high guard would be considered by some to be the most basic of defences for a fighter, it is often the most effective. It has susceptibilities, just like the other guards. Carl would be prone to incoming hooks or body shots behind the elbows. However shots from future opponents that land on arms or gloves won't score points, unlike the chin. He can vary the position of his arms to suit defence or preparation for an attack, and the damage reduction factor will be much greater than that low guard. Combine this will greater use of the movements Carl already knows, such as slipping, parrying, blocking, clinching and more fluid footwork and we will see a much improved defence.

Let it not be misunderstood. What Carl Froch achieved last weekend was truly superb, filled with drama and excitement, with both fighters giving their best. This is just what boxing needs. I salute him and hope his next defence is as fruitful. I'm sure that his trainer Robert McCracken is working on a new strategy for defence even now.

I just hope that Carl grows with the experience, in order to keep driving the force of British boxing to the fore.

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