...and he asks: Fancy a third fight?
ALL GOLD ... Carl Froch poses with the belts after beating Mikkel Kessler
Picture: RICHARD PELHAM
CARL FROCH gained the revenge he so desperately craved when he beat Mikkel Kessler in an epic tear-up at London’s O2.
Froch, the IBF champion, added Kessler’s WBA belt to his haul after winning on points on a dramatic night.
And he said: “It feels really good. The only thing that felt bad was I had to beat such a gentleman. It’s one apiece — who knows, do you fancy a third one?
“I also want to avenge my only other defeat to Andre Ward. Get him to England.”
The Nottingham hardman, 35, started the night as if he was ready to blow away the Danish fighter but finished it hanging on as Kessler unloaded all he could muster.
Judge Adalaide Byrd scored it 118-110, Carlos Sucre gave it 116-112 while Jean-Francois Toupin also scored it 115-113 as Froch overturned the first defeat of his career, the loss to Kessler in April 2010.
Froch’s muscles were so defined he looked more like the body beautiful than a savage puncher who was burnt up with the desire to prove he deserves to be among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
TOE-TO-TOE ... Carl Froch rocks Mikkel Kessler
Picture: RICHARD PELHAM
Just how these two warriors maintained the turbo-charged pace for 12 gruelling rounds was a real tribute to work they had put in to take their stamina to new heights.
Kessler showed he was not intimidated fighting in Froch’s backyard as he had done it many times before — most notably in Australia, when he gave Anthony Mundine a mauling.
For two pals these were the very best of enemies for 36 minutes of extreme combat as they dug deep into their reserves of strength and pride to keep going when many would have fallen by the wayside.
Kessler packed the heavier punch and he wasted no time in trying to land big booming rights to let Froch know early on what he was in for.
But Froch has one of the best chins in the business and shook off most of Kessler’s direct hits and came back hard.
The promised quick start by Froch, the one which took apart Lucian Bute, was blunted by Kessler’s own desire to dictate the pace.
TRADING BLOWS ... Carl Froch and Mikel Kessler
Picture: RICHARD PELHAM
Froch though opened steadily, boxing with authority behind his jab, then opening up with lightning combinations.
The only worry was that a red mark opened on Froch’s nose when the Dane landed a big right midway through the first round.
Kessler started the second round smiling at Froch but the grin was wiped off his face when he was caught with a massive right.
That punch staggered the Dane but he used all his experience to survive the onslaught though still finished the exchange on the back foot.
Froch resumed his command in the third and by the time we reached the fourth, Kessler decided the only way to deal with Froch’s booming jab was to march forward and try to mix it in close.
It worked and the Danish warrior finished the fourth strongly.
And his swinging left, though crude, looked spectacular when it exploded on the side of Froch’s jaw midway through the fifth.
ON A HIGH ... Carl Froch celebrates his victory
Picture: RICHARD PELHAM
Kessler followed up with a crashing right to take the round and was gradually clawing his way back into the bout.Now there was a spring in his step and despite his fast start, Froch knew he was in for a fight and knew it would be brutal.
Two stinging rights slowed Froch but he re-asserted his dominance in the seventh when Kessler was stunned by a solid right to the chin.
The exchange sent the crowd wild and it became a slug fest with the fighters lucky to escape a KO as they both went headhunting and a finish.
By the eighth, the crowd could hardly believe just how brave these two ring warriors were.
At one stage midway through, it seemed certain Froch would end the bout but Kessler again used all his experience to survive.
Amazingly the Dane marched out for the ninth brimming with confidence and instead of being wobbled, smashed into Froch to claw back another round.
ON TOP OF THE WORLD ... Carl Froch celebrates his win as Mikkel Kessler watches on
The relentless pace dropped in the 10th but not the power of the punches and the crowd winced when Froch exploded a right on Kessler’s head.
There was no finesse about the 11th — it was just pure, savage, raw power.
And Froch was rocked by a Kessler left hand that sent him reeling across the ring with a cut around his left eye.
The final round was greeted by a tumultuous roar from fans who had been served up a Fight of the Year — any year.
Relentless Froch dragged up all his reserves of strength to batter Kessler and the two fought themselves to a standstill by the time the final bell sounded.
To the victor the spoils and the verdict but as runners-up go, Kessler was the best second you will ever see.
Froch wants Andre Ward again now. The world, however, is waiting for Froch-Kessler III.
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