Clinical Froch Destroys Dodson's Challenge

Clinical Froch Destroys Dodson's Challenge

By Ralph O'Neill at Ringside (Nov 25, 2006)

Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch 20-0 (16) proudly wore his very own Lonsdale belt yesterday evening as he successfully defended his domestic Super-Middleweight bauble for the third time in front of a ‘standing room only’ crowd at the Nottingham Ice Arena with a 3rd round KO of Liverpool’s Tony Dodson 20-4-1(12).

The atmosphere was electric as the build up to this clash had stretched over a long period of time and a lot of internet pages. Dodson was in excellent shape and had trained hard for his chance to recapture the title that had been relinquished previously due to injury. Dodson wanted his title back!

Both fighters scaled inside the championship weight limit and the verbals were finally over, Dodson was first into the arena to the delight of his liverpudlian following, Froch entered followed by his usual belt holders and promptly gently barged Dodson to let him know whose back garden it was. Phil Edwards, the man in charge, was having none of it and ushered Froch back to his corner.

The opener saw Dodson calmly going about his business with a high tight guard, occasionally Dodson looked to detonate something of substance on the always visible chin of the champion, occasional success saw Dodson take the first round as Froch postured and pawed with his trademark low left hand and remained offensively quite subdued.

Froch assumed a much more commanding role in the second round, his jab was snappy and he clinched Dodson when it seemed like the scouser was trying to work on the inside. As the round wore on ‘The Cobra’ seemed to be planting his

feet and the big artillery was imminent. During one clinch Froch even found time to shake his head at Dodson’s supporters.

Round 3 progressed much as round 2, Froch was bossing the action, his jab snapping in the face of Dodson and some of the challengers hooking had an air of desperation about it. Towards the end of the round the champion finally gave the majority of the full house what they had been waiting for, a left corkscrew uppercut exploded onto the chin of Dodson and this was swiftly followed by a powerful short left hand onto the exposed rib area of the former champion, Dodson slumped to the canvas and despite clawing his was up onto his knees was unable to beat the count of the man in charge with only 5 seconds of the round remaining.

So Froch proved that he is far and beyond better than the domestic class that he is currently active in. In the post fight interview his manager Mick Hennessy gave indication that a European title shot could be in the offering and failing that Froch could perhaps get the Danish World Champion Kessler into the ring.

Both fighters congratulated each other after the fight, thus laying all the bad blood that had brewed up to bed. The ring rivalry did however spill over slightly into the keen midlands crowd and the Nottingham Constabulary made sure the action remained in the ring for the rest of the evening.

UNDERCARD ACTION

The action was decent enough; the pick of the fights was Billy Corcoran against Sean ‘Short fuse’ Hughes. The combatants deserve great credit for what was a complete barnburner of a scrap, Both fighters were floored during the action but it was Hughes who repeatedly looked the boss as Corcoran desperately hung on numerous times. With Hughes seemingly hurt in the 8th and final round and the referee Lee Cook stopped the fight in the favour of the Hennessy fighter, many at ringside thought the stoppage premature especially as Corcoran had seemed in worse trouble a few times earlier in the fight, but such are the dangers associated with this sport that I think we must defend and respect his decision. It was a great fight but Corcoran must surely return to his own weight division as he looked positively gaunt, weak and vulnerable at super-bantamweight.

Dave Stewart 19-1(5) outpointed the Ghanaian Kpapko Allotey in a final eliminator for the Commonwealth lightweight championship. Stewart deserved the decision but it was closer than the 97-93 verdict suggested.

Darren Barker took just 3 minutes to beat the Watford stalwart ‘Ojay’ Abrahams as the journeyman injured his left shoulder during the opening round and was unable to continue.

Local boy Rod Anderton stopped plucky Phillip Callaghan in the last of 4 rounds in what was a competitive bout at Light-heavyweight.

Jonjo Finnegan shared the spoils with Dean Walker as the referee raised both hands after an even struggle over 4x3’s.

The likeable Jack Perry made it 2 out of 2 as he outpointed Christian Laight over the short course. Perry could be one for the future as he showed maturity and patience against a decent opponent.

Ricardo Samms looked a million dollars as he gave his full repertoire of skill to outpoint Robert Burton over 4 rounds. Hopefully some power will develop to go alongside the fantastic skills that Samms showcased.

The Tyan Booth meeting (I refuse to call it a fight) against Peter Dunn should be shown as an advert for ‘Slumberland Beds’. With Dunn in there to survive and Booth in there to ‘Ali shuffle’ it was never going to be a classic, but even the referee had to remind Booth that people had actually paid to watch the ‘exhibition’. Booth progresses onto 8-1(1) after having his arm raised at the final bell.