UPDATE: Watch Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler 2 full fight video highlights RIGHT HERE.
Ding-ding! It's almost time to start round 13 between 168-pound European boxing stars Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler.
After a thrilling slugfest back in 2010, the Super Middleweight boxing standouts will run it back later this evening (Sat., May 25, 2013) at O2 Arena in London, England. Indeed, "The Cobra" and "Viking Warrior" Kessler will headline an HBO World Championship Boxing (WCB) card that is chock-full of championship battles.
While the bulk of the card is unavailable in the United States, MMAmania will deliver up-to-the-second LIVE coverage of the main event, which is set to go down on HBO at 6 p.m. ET, below.
Perhaps best-known for their appearances on Showtime's ill-fated "Super Six," Froch and Kessler have firmly established themselves as the premiere Super Middleweight fighters not named Andre Ward. Since falling to Ward in the "Super Six" Finale, England's Froch (30(22)-2) has been on a rampage, blowing out Canadian slugger Lucian Bute and gatekeeper Yusaf Mack.
The brick-fisted Kessler (46(35)-2) has likewise been taking care of business, flattening three straight opponents, including Allan Green and Brian McGee, since edging Froch in their first meeting.
"FROCH VS. KESSLER 2" QUICK RESULTS:
168 lbs.: Carl Froch def. Mikkel Kessler by unanimous decision (118-110, 116-112, 115-113)
"FROCH VS. KESSLER 2" PLAY-BY-PLAY RESULTS:
Super Middleweight Championship: Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler
Round one: Froch's left hand, as usual, worryingly low. Kessler lands a left upstairs after a right to the body. Kessler avoids a winging right as Froch pumps out his jab. Kessler with a one-two to the body. Both men continue to jab. Clinch. Froch exclusively jabbing to the head, Kessler planting a few to the body. Froch flurries, nothing lands clean. Another flurry, capped off with a right hand that finally gets through. Kessler with a right to the body and left upstairs, both land clean. Good round, 10-9 Froch.
Round two: Both right back to the jab. Kessler moves in and they exchange up close; no clear winner. Kessler very patient, Froch significantly busier with his jab. Kessler with a right downstairs. Froch right hand is blocked. Froch lands a left downstairs and lands a right over the top. Kessler is wobbled and clinches up. They reset and Froch against stings him with a right. Froch three-piece, uppercut in the middle lands. Froch steps in with a right-left. Dominant Froch round, 20-18.
Round three: Kessler has yet to uncork his right to the head. More jabs from Froch, Kessler closes the distance and they trade briefly. Kessler jabbing to the body, sneaks one in upstairs. Kessler moves in with a left hook to the body. Froch's straight right connects and again. Kessler digs downstairs and is met with a left hook. Jab trade. Kessler clinches up. Froch with a hard hook downstairs, then two up top. Another right lands on the peak of Kessler's chin. Another Froch round, 30-27.
Round four: Froch steps in with a right-left-right and the last one gets Kessler's attention. They trade jabs. Kessler slips a left hook. Stiff jab by Carl. Kessler lands a pair of hard lefts up top. Kessler slips the jab, can't land and ties up. Froch with a right-left to the gut. Kessler rips to the body, Froch responds in kind. Froch doing an excellent job of controlling range with his jab. Kessler is just not busy enough. Kessler doubles up the jab, then slugs the left hook downstairs. Kessler needs to pick up the pace, he's four rounds in the hole. 40-36 Froch.
Round five: Kessler leaps in with a solid left hook as they continue to trade jabs. Kessler with a right to the body. He just misses with another left hook. Froch's left lands. Kessler jabs to the body. Kessler finally comes over the top with the right and hits flush. Froch slams a straight into Kessler's face. Froch with a right dowsntairs, the rest of the flurry is blocked. Kessler to the body. Mikkel is intercepting most of Froch's jabs now, so Carl comes in aggressively with hooks. Kessler uncorks a four-piece combo to end the round. Closer; I'm giving it to Kessler for better shots. 49-46 Froch.
Round six: Froch sticking to the jab. Froch with his step-in three-piece, all deflected. Kessler left hook strays low. Froch takes a bit of time to reset. Kessler smashes Froch with a right-left, but Froch tanks it. Kessler slips a Froch rush. Kessler doubles up the left hook. Kessler flurries and ends with a good left. Froch with a right over the top and Kessler stumbles. Stiff jab by Carl. Clinch. Another. Another close round, but Kessler's left hook was the best shot on either side all fight. 58-56 Froch.
Round seven: Froch storms forward, closes the door with a good left. Both men jabbing; one of Kessler's seems to ding Froch up. Kessler with a one-two to the body, Froch responds with a right hook to the body. Simultaneous left hooks land. Kessler digs a left hook downstairs. Froch's feet look heady, but he nonetheless fires off three shots and a winging overhand right. Kesler responds with a right-left, Froch thuds a right through his guard. They end the round throwing bombs. Close, close round. 68-65 Froch.
Round eight: Froch with a big left hook after landing a right to the body. Kessler thumps him with an overhand in response. Kessler taunting Froch, but eats a right for his trouble before thumping him with a left. Froch chasing with his right, Kessler's lands first. Thumping 2-3 from Froch backs Kessler off. Kessler lands an uppercut in the clinch. BIG right hand by Kessler and a left to the body. Clinch. Froch lands a thudding right and just avoids a big counter right. Kessler rips to the body with his left. Froch wobbles Kessler after eating a huge left hook. Kessler landed monstrous power shots, but Froch seemed to have control. Great fight. 78-74 Froch.
Round nine: What the hell is Froch made of?
Clinch. Kessler jabs to the body and head, Froch's flicker jab remains active. Kessler with a 1-2-3. Both slip power shots effectively. Kessler left hooks inside. Kessler check left hook, Froch unimpressed. Both land hard right hands. Kssler's left hook is met by Froch's heavy cross. Good rights from Froch. Kessler right hand again ignored by Froch. Both dig to the body. Kessler did better off his back foot, but another arguable round. 87-84 Froch.
Round ten: Both continue to jab; Lederman thinks Froch's left is hurt, I disagree. Kessler gets a grimace from Froch with a left to the body. Kessler with another murderous hook upstairs that Froch's brain refuses to acknowledge. Kessler to the body, ends with a left upstairs. Froch lands a heavy right after eating a left hook. Froch looks slow and eats another big right counter. Froch moves in and gets tied up. Clubbing shots inside. Kessler's pulling the momentum back. 96-94 Froch.
Round eleven: Kessler again rips downstairs. Froch rushes in, lands a right to the body. Kessler left hook. Both jabbing. Kessler with more big shots upstairs. Kessler again lands a big left hook, Froch ignores it and thumps away. Froch moving in, gets buckled with a counter right. Kessler with some vicious shots upstairs. Froch is now cut. Overhand right lands for the Dane. Froch lumbering forward unabated. Froch's chin is friggin' nuts. 105-104 Froch.
Round twelve: Froch with a 11-2. Froch rushes in with his three-piece and eats a left from Kessler. Froch still very active, Kessler much less so. Kessler with a combination low and high, seemingly lands eveyr one. Both connect upstairs. Froch just avoids a huge right and lands one of his own. Froch wobbles kessler and is on the hunt. Kessler bashes him with a big counter. Huge left hook from Kessler. Froch just barreling forward to the body and head. Froch is hunting him down with wild punches. Kessler is getting beaten up against the ropes. There's the bell to end a fantastic fight. 115-113 Froch.
Final result: Froch def. Kessler by decision
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