• Carl Froch v Andre Ward

Froch second to the punch all night against Ward

Andre Ward was too quick for Carl Froch © PA Photos

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• Profile: Carl Froch

Carl Froch was outclassed by Andre Ward as his bid to become the Super Six champion ended in failure following an undisputed unanimous points decision in Atlantic City.

Capping a bad year for British boxing that has seen David Haye, Amir Khan and now Froch all lose major world title bouts, the Nottingham fighter saw his WBC super-middleweight crown disappear after he barely laid a hand on Ward all night.

When the final score was rendered, two of the judges scored the bout 115-113 in favour of the American, but John Keane's card - which read 118-110 - was perhaps the most accurate representation of the evening. Ward was faster, more intelligent and, at times, better prepared to fight dirty, and at the end of the contest Froch confessed "my hands don't feel like they've been in a fight".

That was compliment to Ward.

The home fighter started better, slamming an early left hook into the head of Froch to sound an early warning. Froch's first reply did not come until the end of round two when he unleashed a flurry of hooks against the ropes.

The problem was that Froch was too desperate to land his blows, forgetting head movement, ignoring footwork, as Ward continuously allowed the Brit to miss before countering with success. Only at the back end of the fourth round and the majority of the fifth did Froch find any joy, working on the inside to threaten an upset.

Froch's uprising was brief though, with Ward working superbly behind the jab. Time and again he found his target, which was not difficult at times, and as the fight progressed the American began to plant his feet and hurt his foe with the right hand.

The last place Froch needed to be was behind on the judges' scorecards, yet with four rounds to go he needed to employ chase mode. For a boxer of Ward's calibre and style that was the perfect scenario, and he began on Froch's body as the Brit waded in.

Nothing worked for the Nottingham man as he even found his efforts to clinch repelled by Ward, who left his man bruised and battered. Froch rallied to finish well in the 12th, but by then Ward knew the job was done as he cruised to the finish line.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.