With the final stage of round-robin matches upon us next month (assuming they find a home for Andre Ward-Andre Dirrell), Showtime has provided some helpful guides for its innovative and exciting super middleweight tournament — the best thing happening in boxing in a down year.
First, there’s the summary video above. If you haven’t been following the Super Six tournament, maybe because you don’t follow boxing regularly, it’ll get you up to speed. You’ve missed a ton of drama, a few upsets, a good deal of controversy, a few excellent performances and one Fight of the Year candidate. But there’s potential for more of all of the above yet in the last round-robin round, the semi-finals and finals, as the video accurately shows.
Second, the network has released information on its tie-break regulations. It’s a little technical, but it’s necessary information. Read the Showtime news release on that after the jump.
This is me flagrantly helping the network promote itself, but I happen to believe in the product. Feel free to use this as a forum to sound off on what you’re looking forward to for the rest of the tourney, how you see the rest of the tourney playing out, what have you.
OFFICIAL TIE-BREAK REGULATIONS FOR SEMI-FINAL SEEDING
With the third and final Group Stage of round-robin matches in the Super Six World Boxing Classic fast approaching, SHOWTIME Sports® announced on Tuesday the official tie-break regulations for Semi-Final seeding.
Following Group Stages 1 and 2, only WBA world super middleweight champion Andre Ward has locked up one of the four coveted Semi-Final berths while no other fighter has been eliminated from contention. With the five other competitors still alive—separated by three points or less—Group Stage 3 promises to deliver the most dramatic and compelling fights of the groundbreaking tournament.
COMPLETE TIE BREAK INFORMATION
If two boxers are tied in points after the Group Stage bouts, the seeding will be determined as follows:
Head-To-Head: If the tied boxers had fought each other, the winner of that bout will be seeded above the other.
Knockouts: If the two had NOT fought head-to-head or if they fought to a draw, the boxer with the most tournament KOs/TKOs will be seeded above the other.
Scorecards*: If they remain tied after the KO/TKO test, then the seeding is determined by the total scorecard points earned by the fighters from each of their Group Stage bouts. The boxer with more scorecard points will be seeded above the other.
If more than two boxers are tied in points after the Group Stage bouts, the seeding will be determined as follows:
Knockouts: The boxer with the most tournament KOs/TKOs will be seeded above the tied competitors.
Scorecards*: If two or more boxers remain tied after the KO/TKO test, then the seeding is determined by the total scorecard points earned by the fighters from each of their Group Stage bouts. The boxers will be seeded from highest total scorecard points to the lowest.
* Those boxers who win prior to the final bell (via KO/TKO/DQ/Tech Decision, etc.) earn 10 points for each incomplete round. Those who lose earn 8 points in a KO/TKO round and 9 points for each subsiquent round.
** Allan Green inherited Jermain Taylor’s scorecard points from Abraham vs. Taylor.
Total Scorecard Points (through Group Stage 2)
Ward……………….713
Dirrell………………690
Kessler…………….679
Froch………………679
Abraham………….677
Green………………658
GROUP STAGE 3 BREAKDOWN
The Super Six World Boxing Classic continues on Saturday, Sept. 25, when SHOWTIME® presents a world championship doubleheader to kick off Group Stage 3—the final Group Stage of the round-robin portion of the tournament. First, Mikkel Kessler will look to lock up a spot in the Semi Finals when he faces Allan Green. Kessler is making the first defense of his second world title, the WBC 168-pound strap he wrested from Carl Froch last April. Green desperately needs a win to have a shot at the Semi Finals. Following his loss to Andre Ward, Green may need a knockout and/or help from his fellow competitors to earn one of the four spots.
Immediately following, live on SHOWTIME, Ward will face 2004 U.S. Olympic teammate and friend Andre Dirrell in a highly anticipated matchup between the talented, breakout American stars. Although Ward has already locked up his Semi-Final berth as the only contestant to win both initial Group Stage matches, he promises a fierce defense of his WBA world championship belt and undefeated professional record. Dirrell, conversely, needs a win to guarantee his place in the Semis. Conceivably, Dirrell could get in with two points but he would need help from Green and/or Arthur Abraham.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, from the city/state Principality of Monaco, Arthur Abraham and Froch will meet at the Chapiteau de l’Espace for their pivotal Group Stage 3 matchup, the last of the Group Stage bouts. Following Abraham vs. Froch, the four fighters with the highest point totals on the Super Six World Boxing Classic scoreboard will advance to the Semi Finals, tentatively slated for the first quarter 2011.
Abraham is currently in second place with three points by virtue of his knockout victory over Jermain Taylor in Group Stage 1. But in Group Stage 2, Abraham was out boxed by Dirrell and ultimately disqualified for the first professional loss of his career. Froch remains tied with Kessler and Dirrell at two points.
For more information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic including exclusive photos, fight highlights and interviews, plus to view all episodes of the acclaimed documentary series FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit the website at www.WorldBoxingClassic.com
