Remember when Eubank fought Rochigianni in Germany? He had a similar defence although he didn’t have Abraham’s firepower. Eubank was baffled trying to prise his way around it, he had to hammer the body but with AA being so squat it’s not easy (also the ref was on Taylor’s case immediately for low blows).

It’s weird how the American experts are complaining about Froch’s rough housing, didn’t we used to complain about US fighters brutalising our so called fancy dans?

Abraham is going to be on tough MF’r to beat. How the hell do you land punches on the guy? You could try and go behind the elbow but in doing that you risk getting tagged by his sledgehammer right. What a nightmare he must be to fight.

Dirrell I thought displayed some eye catching skills and his hand speed was dazzling, but he seemed to be too much of a fancy dan. Admittedly, Froch was guilty of some rough stuff, but Jesus it’s flippin’ fight, not a game of tiddly winks!

If someone’s trying to rough you up and the referee is too weak to deal with it, as was the case last night, then rough him back and show him you won’t be bullied. That’s how Mayweather dealt with Hatton’t rough house tactics and in the end it was HATTON who was crying about foul play.

That’s how fighters deal with things when the going gets tough and that’s why Dirrell, for all his natural athletic gifts, will fall well short of winning this tournament.

Back to more boring matters…..the fight….there are good judges (most of whom are American) who posted an almost shut out win for Dirrell…..I’m completely baffled, thought it must have been something with how the telecast looked but glad you saw it similar to how I did-thought I’d lost the plot. Froch was in control for most of the fight, Dirrell looked like he didn’t fancy a punch up when Carl refused to let him do his pretty dancing-at times his showing out was embarrassing.

On the LONG, COLD, DEPRESSING car ride home I was contemplating Froch’s last three wins, did Eubank and Benn manage to beat many of better class than Taylor, Pascal and Dirrell? He deserves more props.

I’m quietly confident of Ward’s chances, despite downsizing my bet from 50 clams to just 25, from the four fighting last night, only Abraham looks like a potential winner.

Does he fight Kessler in the first round. If so, I’m going. That would be one hell of a weekend!!

Dirrell could have won it if he had stepped it up a notch like he did in the 10th and 11th, but he was just too damn negative for most of the way through. I’ve never really bought into the “take the title” theory, but when you get rounds where nothing of note happens (and there were PLENTY of them last night) then usually the judges give the benefit of the doubt to the champion, especially if he’s the one forcing the action.

I thought Froch was a worthy winner in the end. However, I don’t fancy his chances against Kessler. I hope he pulls through that one though. Have a bit of a soft spot for him. I find it strange that Calzaghe, who spent so much of his career at home defending his WBO title against undeserving mandatories and laughable voluntries, gets so much love and Froch, who has immediately shown a willingness to fight the very best, is much maligned.

Boxing fans are a strange lot at times. Btw, have you seen Froch’s girlfriend? Phwar!!!