Carl Froch – Syndication Server

Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: Ranking greatest 168-pounders ever

Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: Who are the greatest 168-pounders ever?

Canelo Alvarez might be in decline but no one has been able to beat at super middleweight.

The Mexican star has a record of 8-0 (4 KOs) and became the first undisputed champion at 168 pounds in the four-belt era, making him one of the most accomplished fighters the division has ever produced.

We’ll withhold judgment on where he stands compared to his greatest predecessors until after he defends his titles against 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo on Sept. 30 in Las Vegas and whatever might follow.

The list below provides you with an idea of the super middleweights against whom he’ll be judged when all is said and done.

Here are the five greatest 168-pounders of all time.

(Note: The division came into being when the IBF introduced the weight class in 1984. Also, weights above 160 pounds and no higher than 168 are designated as super middleweight here.)

NO. 5 CARL FROCH

Overall record: 33-2 (24 KOs)
168-pound record: 25-2 (KOs)
168-pound titles: WBC 2008-10; WBC 2010-11; IBF 2012-15; WBA 2013-15
Hall of Fame: Yes
Background: Froch was more than a tough, fan-friendly fighter who delivered one of the great walk-off moments in boxing history. The Englishman deserves to be on this list. He had three reigns as champion over a period of six-plus years, he beat everyone he faced except Hall of Famer Andre Ward (he avenged a loss to rival Mikkel Kessler), and his list of notable victims is long – Robin Reid, Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Lucian Bute, Yusaf Mack, George Groves (twice) and more. That’s an impressive run. On top of that, his exit from boxing was legendary: A one-punch knockout of Groves in front 80,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London. He was neither a boxing wizard nor typically a one-punch knockout artist. He was just a skillful, supremely confident bad-ass who knew how to win fights.

NO. 4 NIGEL BENN

Overall record: 42-5-1 (35 KOs)
168-pound record: 33-3-1 (27 KOs)
168-pound titles: WBC (1992-96)
Hall of Fame: No
Background: Benn is on this list in part because of his 10^th-round knockout of Gerald McClellan in 1995. I hate to praise Benn too much because the brave McClellan suffered brain damage in that fight and never fought again. However, you have to understand how good McClellan was at the time. He was destroying everything in his path going into the fight, which made Benn’s ability to beat him a career-defining accomplishment. The well-schooled power puncher from London had a reign of about 3½ years and made nine successful defenses, including a draw with rival Chris Eubank in their rematch that most people thought should’ve gone Benn’s way. That would’ve been a huge win for him. And, finally, Benn was one of the most entertaining fighters of all time. That’s never lost on me.

NO. 3 JOE CALZAGHE

Overall record: 46-0 (32 KOs)
168-pound record: 33-0 (22 KOs)
168-pound titles: WBO (1997-2008), IBF (2006), WBA (2007-08), WBC (2007-08)
Hall of Fame: Yes
Background: Calzaghe was a special fighter. The Welshman reigned as champion for more than a decade and was 21-0 in 168-pound title fights. Those are crazy numbers. I don’t think anyone accomplished more at the weight. In terms of his skills, he was a southpaw who had it all. He was quick, athletic, could move well and had power, although he recorded fewer knockouts as his opposition got better. He also has a long list of notable victims – Chris Eubank, Robin Reid, Omar Sheika, Rickie Woodhall, Charles Brewer, Mikkel Kessler and more. He never ducked anyone. I wish he would’ve taken part in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, in which he might’ve faced Andre Ward. All in all, though, he was great.

NO. 2 ANDRE WARD

Overall record: 32-0 (16 KOs)
168-pound record: 19-0 (8 KOs)
168-pound titles: WBA (2009-15), WBC (2011-12)
Hall of Fame: Yes
Background: The product of Oakland, California, was an all-time great. He won an Olympic gold medal in 2004 but really burst onto the scene when he won the Super Six World Boxing Classic, in which he beat Mikkel Kessler, Allan Green, Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch in succession to win the championship even though he was unproven at the time. He became a star instantaneously. He had a six-year reign at 168, although that was interrupted by a contract dispute. He also beat Edison Miranda and Chad Dawson, among others. And he went on to have success at 175 pounds. I compared him to an anaconda. He would wrap himself around you in a way that diffused anything you tried to do. He was a brilliant boxer.

NO. 1 ROY JONES JR.

Overall record: 66-10 (47 KOs)
168-pound record: 13-0 (11 KOs)
168-pound titles: IBF (1994-96)
Hall of Fame: Yes
Background: Jones didn’t campaign in the division as long as the others here but he was dazzling at the weight. The physical freak from Florida boxed circles around everyone he faced, was difficult to hit cleanly and had devastating one-punch knockout power. Thus, no one could compete with him when he was at his best. His greatest victories at 168 came against then-unbeaten pound-for-pounder James Toney, Thulani Malinga, Thomas Tate, Antoine Byrd, Vinny Pazienza and Eric Lucas. I like a quote from boxing historian Cliff Rold. He wrote: “It’s not a stretch to say he may never have lost a single round contested in the class.” I don’t believe anyone before or since could’ve touched Jones at super middleweight. And he was just getting started. He was at his best at 175.

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Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: Ranking greatest 168-pounders ever

Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: Who are the greatest 168-pounders ever?

Canelo Alvarez might be in decline but no one has been able to beat at super middleweight.

The list below provides you with an idea of the super middleweights against whom he’ll be judged when all is said and done.

Here are the five greatest 168-pounders of all time.

(Note: The division came into being when the IBF introduced the weight class in 1984. Also, weights above 160 pounds and no higher than 168 are designated as super middleweight here.)

NO. 5 CARL FROCH

NO. 4 NIGEL BENN

NO. 3 JOE CALZAGHE

NO. 2 ANDRE WARD

NO. 1 ROY JONES JR.

[lawrence-related id=39015,39012,38983,38970,38956,38861,38853,38761,38624,38588]

Hall of Fame: Tim Bradley, Carl Froch, Rafael Marquez earned honor

Hall of Fame: Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez earned the honor.

The International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be inducted Sunday in Canastota, New York.

Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez highlight the diverse class. Bradley is American, Froch British and Marquez Mexican. And, of course, all three were highly successful over long careers.

Here is a breakdown of the boxers who will be inducted (Modern Category, men; Modern Category, women; and Old-Timers).

MODERN CATEGORY (MEN)

TIMOTHY BRADLEY
Years active: 2004-16
Record: 33-2-1 (16 KOs)

I wonder whether people who have come to know Bradley as an analyst have forgotten how good he was as a fighter. Consider this: Between 2007 and 2013, the gifted, clever boxer from the Southern California desert beat in succession (not counting one no-contest): Miguel Vazquez, Junior Witter, Edner Cherry, Kendall Holt, Lamont Peterson, Luis Abregu, Devon Alexander, Joel Casamayor, Manny Pacquiao, Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez. That run alone makes Bradley Hall of Fame worthy. OK, most people thought he got a gift in his first meeting with Pacquiao. And he lost both the second and third installments of their trilogy. However, everyone agrees he was competitive with the Filipino legend. And let’s stop and appreciate his victory over Marquez, who was coming off his one-punch stoppage of Pacquiao. Bradley outboxed one of the best to ever do it. Bottom line: Bradley was sometimes overshadowed by bigger stars but his record compares favorably with most of those he’ll join in Canastota.

CARL FROCH
Years active: 2002-14
Record: 33-2 (24 KOs)

The first thing I think of when Froch’s name comes up is his mic-drop retirement, a one-punch knockout of rival George Groves in front of 80,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London that ended his decorated career. No one went out on a higher note. Of course, Froch should be remembered for more than one spectacular moment. The Nottingham fighter wasn’t great at any particular aspect of boxing but did everything well. That, combined with a nasty streak and unwavering confidence, produced a remarkable career. Among his victims: Robin Reid, Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Lucian Bute, Yusaf Mack, Mikkel Kessler and Groves (twice). His only losses came against Kessler in their first fight and all-time great Andre Ward in the final of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, a 168-pound tournament. Few fighters of today even approach the quality of Froch’s deep resume. He richly deserves the honor of being inducted into the Hall.

RAFAEL MARQUEZ
Years active: 1995-2013
Record: 41-9 (37 KOs)

Marquez’s induction arguably is overdue. The brother of Juan Manuel Marquez didn’t have the skill set of his more famous sibling – few did – but he was a good boxer who punched harder than big bro. The younger Marquez burst upon the scene with back-to-back victories over Hall of Famer Mark Johnson, first a split decision and then an eighth-round knockout the following year. The two-division champion went on to beat Tim Austin, Mauricio Pastrana (twice) and Silence Mabuza (twice) before entering one of the most-compelling – and brutal – series of fights in boxing history, his rivalry with Israel Vazquez. Marquez would ultimately split the four fights with Vazquez but solidified his reputation as one of the best and most-exciting fighters of his era. He was never the same after the last fight with Vazquez, going 2-4 in his last six fights. However, the decline is easily forgotten. When he was at his best, Marquez was special. And we have to ask: Is there a better brother combination in the history of the sport?

MODERN CATEGORY (WOMEN)

ALICIA ASHLEY
Years active: 1991-2018
Record: 24-12-1 (4 KOs)

The most remarkable thing about Ashley is that she became the oldest boxer to win a world title when she claimed a vacant belt at 48 years old in 2015. There was more to the women’s boxing pioneer than that, however. She didn’t turn professional until she was 31 but still won major belts in three divisions. She finally retired in 2018, when she was 50 years old.

LAURA SERRANO
Years active: 1994-2012
Record: 17-5-3 (6 KOs)

The native of Mexico took on a big challenge in her pro debut, fighting Hall of Famer Christy Martin and emerging with a disputed draw. Many observers believe Serrano was cheated out of what would’ve been a defining victory. However, she persevered. The natural boxer went on to become one of the most accomplished female fighters from her adopted base of Las Vegas.

OLD-TIMER CATEGORY

TIGER JACK FOX
Years active: 1928-50
Record: 138-24-12 (91 KOs)

Fox is one of those old-timers who probably would’ve won multiple championships today. The one-time light heavyweight champion from Spokane, Washington, was a good boxer with murderous power, which accounts for his 91 knockouts. He claimed victories over some of the biggest names in history, including Hall of Famers Maxie Rosenbloom and future heavyweight champ Jersey Joe Walcott (twice).

PONE KINGPETCH
Years active: 1954-66
Record: 28-7 (9 KOs)

The Thai star made the most out of relatively few fights. In fact, he became an icon in his native country in only two bouts, back-to-back victories over all-time great Pascual Perez in 1960. He took Perez’s flyweight title by a split decision and then stopped the great Argentine in eight rounds in the rematch. He went on to have two more reigns as 112-pound champion.

JOANN HAGEN
Years active: 1954, ’56
Record: 1-1

Hagen isn’t being inducted because of what she did in the ring, although the fact she defeated women’s boxing legend Barbara Buttrick is noteworthy. The South Bend, Indiana, fighter earned the honor by paving the way for other women. She evidently piqued the interest of television executives because she appeared on multiple talk shows, which raised the profile of women’s boxing.

ALSO BEING INDUCTED

Joe Goossen, trainer; Brad Goodman, matchmaker; Brad Jacobs, non-participant; Seth Abraham, television executive; Tim Ryan, broadcaster.

Hall of Fame: Tim Bradley, Carl Froch, Rafael Marquez earned honor

Hall of Fame: Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez earned the honor.

The International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be inducted Sunday in Canastota, New York.

Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez highlight the diverse class. Bradley is American, Froch British and Marquez Mexican. And, of course, all three were highly successful over long careers.

Here is a breakdown of the boxers who will be inducted (Modern Category, men; Modern Category, women; and Old-Timers).

MODERN CATEGORY (MEN)

TIMOTHY BRADLEY
Years active: 2004-16
Record: 33-2-1 (16 KOs)

CARL FROCH
Years active: 2002-14
Record: 33-2 (24 KOs)

RAFAEL MARQUEZ
Years active: 1995-2013
Record: 41-9 (37 KOs)

MODERN CATEGORY (WOMEN)

ALICIA ASHLEY
Years active: 1991-2018
Record: 24-12-1 (4 KOs)

LAURA SERRANO
Years active: 1994-2012
Record: 17-5-3 (6 KOs)

OLD-TIMER CATEGORY

TIGER JACK FOX
Years active: 1928-50
Record: 138-24-12 (91 KOs)

PONE KINGPETCH
Years active: 1954-66
Record: 28-7 (9 KOs)

JOANN HAGEN
Years active: 1954, ’56
Record: 1-1

ALSO BEING INDUCTED

Joe Goossen, trainer; Brad Goodman, matchmaker; Brad Jacobs, non-participant; Seth Abraham, television executive; Tim Ryan, broadcaster.

Andre Ward: Faith in God, himself lifted him from dark side to greatness

Andre Ward used faith in God and himself, as well as good advice, to rise from a harrowing childhood to greatness in boxing.

Editor’s note: “S.O.G.: The Book of Ward” documentary premieres Friday on Showtime.

***

Andre Ward is as much a survivor as he is a champion.

That couldn’t have been more clear in the Showtime documentary “S.O.G.: The Book of Ward,” which chronicles his journey from a harrowing life on the streets of Oakland, California, to recognition as one of the best fighters of all time.

He came from a home in which both parents battled drug addiction. And he ended up on a similar path for a time, dealing narcotics while he was an amateur. He could’ve gone in one of two directions: toward life that statistics say wouldn’t end well or back to the gym, to which his father brought him as a child.

He chose the latter because he had positive voices in his life (including longtime trainer Virgil Hunter and a devoted wife, Tiffiney), faith in God and faith in himself. The rest is history.

“I always had drive,” Ward told Boxing Junkie. “I just always wanted to be good at things, I was always competitive. Doing things right always mattered to me. And just having Virg there and my dad while he was alive, different people along my journey who spoke truth to me when I didn’t want to hear it.

“My pastor at a certain point. Just two or three voices in my life that helped me make the right decisions. And then, of course, my faith. I needed a higher power to connect me with things I wanted to do.”

God was good to Ward, giving him once-in-a-generation talent and the willpower to make the most of it.

S.O.G., the son of God, remains the last American to win an Olympic gold medal. He turned the elusive trick in 2004 Athens Games by upsetting the favored Utkirbek Haydarov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals and beating Mahamed Aripgadzhiev of Belarus in the final.

And he was just getting started.

He was only 25 and relatively unproven as a professional in 2009 when he was entered in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, a six-man tournament that featured six of the best 168-pounders from around the world.

The favorites to win the championship were celebrated Europeans Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch. Ward was an afterthought, at least until his first-round fight.

Ward opened against Kessler, a fight in which the young American stunned many in the boxing world by outclassing his more-experienced Danish opponent for 10-plus rounds. The fight was stopped in Round 11 after an accidental head butt caused a gash above Kessler’s left eye but Ward had plenty of time to prove he was the better man, winning a wide technical decision.

As Dan Rafael wrote for ESPN at the time, “Although Kessler complained about the head butts and refereeing, the fact is that Ward simply kicked his butt.”

He never stopped kicking butt. He went on to beat replacement Allan Green, Abraham and Froch decisively to win the tournament and establish himself as the best super middleweight and a major figure in the sport seemingly overnight.

He had cleared a significant hurdle again.

“It was huge,” he said. “For me, a competitive person, to come out on top of that … I have the trophy right here in my office now. Every now and again I glance and it, look at the names on there and it just kind of feeds you. I think, ‘Man, we did that.’

“It was also a very scary moment in my career if you’re one of my handlers because that’s a sink or swim moment. I could’ve drowned in that tournament. I hadn’t beaten anybody up until that point.

“[Previous opponent] Edison Miranda was obviously a dangerous and tough contender but not at that level. Careers got ruined in the Super Six. I could’ve been one of them. So to come out on the other side just confirmed that I was the truth and that I was going to be there for a very long time.”

Ward’s next obstacle was outside the ring.

He entered into a protracted legal battle to extricate himself from his contract with promoter Dan Goossen over a co-promoter who Ward believed had a right to be part of his team. That’s the main reason he fought only twice between September 2012 and March 2016.

And before the dispute ran its course Goossen died as a result of liver cancer, in September 2014.

Ward had a positive takeaway from his relative inactivity during that period – most notably giving his body time to heal after so many years in the ring – but the loss of a man for whom he had affection still saddens him.

“[The inactivity] was a shame from the standpoint that it wasn’t ideal,” he said. “I don’t look at it the way everybody looks at it, though. People say, ‘Oh, you lost two years of your prime.’ I look at it like I got two years back because I was able to rest. … I think I extended my career two years by not fighting.

“And I learned a lot as a businessman going through that, being hands on with everything. It was painstaking, stressful work, but I learned a lot.”

Goossen’s death affected him more than many realize.

“It was a loss to me regardless of what people think or write,” he said. “Dan and I were family. Sometimes family fight. Unfortunately our fight was in public. Then to have a man die in the middle of the dispute. That was a very, very difficult thing to overcome and deal with.

“The worst part of it wasn’t the layoff, wasn’t not fighting. It was that I had no closure to this. I couldn’t even pay my respects.”

Ward fought only seven times after he won the Super Six tournament, the last five as a 175-pounder.

The biggest bout and most stirring drama of his career came in November 2016, when he challenged feared unified champion Sergey Kovalev in Las Vegas. Kovalev was a polished boxer with one-punch knockout power, which is why no one was in a hurry to tangle with him.

Ward could match the skill level of anyone but this was a significant challenge. And he had a problem going into that fight that wasn’t publicized: a knee injury that required drainage the day of the fight.

Then things got really hairy. Kovalev came out for the opening bell on fire, landing one hard shot after another until finally a right hand put Ward down on all fours.

Ward wasn’t hurt badly but he was in trouble nonetheless, as Kovalev had a 10-8 round and all the momentum. Would the fierce Russian build on his success and blow Ward away? That seemed to be where the fight was headed. Or would Ward find a way to regroup and turn the tide?

We know now what Ward is made of. He maintained his poise, made necessary adjustments and ended up winning a close, but unanimous decision to become a two-division titleholder.

Then, seven months later in the same town, he knocked out Kovalev in the eighth round to remove doubt about his superiority over his rival. Ward never fought again.

“Man, it was tough,” said Ward, referring to his sore knee and what followed. “It was tough, it was tough. Not just physically but emotionally and mentally. I found myself in those situations before in my life. It was the biggest moment in my life, the biggest moment of my career and things weren’t ideal.

“How are you going to respond now? Where is your faith now? It’s one thing to have faith when things are but when the wind picks up and starts to blow where is your faith now? It was a faith check for sure.

“I was really in disbelief. I was two hours away from the biggest fight of my life in Las Vegas and I have to have the doctor come to my house and drain my knee. … I learned from that that I can overcome [anything] even though things aren’t ideal.

“And I took that momentum into the second fight. I knew Kovalev had no shot. And we showed that.”

Ward thought about returning to the ring only once, after Canelo Alvarez knocked out Kovalez in November 2019. Had the Mexican star called him out, he said, he would’ve returned. Alvarez never mentioned his name, which in effect put Ward’s career to rest.

Now he’s remembered as one of the greatest fighters of his generation, an Olympic champion who went on to have a perfect professional career. And our admiration for him only grows as a result of the Showtime documentary, which lays out the imposing obstacles he had to overcome to accomplish what he did.

Ward was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021. It was boxing’s way of saying, “We know what you did. And it was special.”

“That was just more for me,” he said. “… I’ve gotten to a place in my life where I don’t need validation. I know outside validation is fickle … so I don’t put a lot of stock in that. It’s good to see things and read things and hear things positive about my career.

“The Hall of Fame was more for me, though. I remember thinking, ‘I need this call. I want to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer so I can finally rest.”

Andre Ward: Faith in God, himself lifted him from dark side to greatness

Andre Ward used faith in God and himself, as well as good advice, to rise from a harrowing childhood to greatness in boxing.