Carl Froch / Photo © Justin McKie

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Michael Nelson continues his look at the final group stage match-ups with a quick break-down of Carl Froch vs Arthur Abraham.

Neither of these fighters come roaring out the gates, but Abraham is historically the slower starter. That doesn't bode well for King Arthur - if he loses the first half of the fight, he'll be in a deficit against someone who finishes as strong as he does. Jermain Taylor, and to an extent Andre Dirrell, was compromised by fatigue against Abe in a way Froch won't be.

Can a leopard change its spots after tasting defeat? It's possible, but guys with a turtle shell defense usually don't become whirlwinds overnight. They're programmed to think defense first. To give himself a solid chance though, Abraham will have to at least do damage in the early going, even if he's dropping rounds in the process.

Of course, Arthur has several highlight reel knockouts in his resume, and Froch was hurt by Taylor and Dirrell. To his credit, Carl recovered quickly in both instances. So what happens when Abe catches him with his head up and hands down will be compelling.

Catching The Cobra may be more difficult than previously thought though. While Pascal and Taylor landed several flush punches, Kessler had trouble connecting with damaging blows. It'll be especially critical for Abraham to start off with some urgency if Froch fights with the same defensive focus he had against the Dane.

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