Andre Ward will beat Carl Froch to win The Super Six World Boxing Classic

WBA world super middleweight champion Andre Ward successfully defended his crown with a unanimous decision victory over former IBF world middleweight titlist “King” Arthur Abraham Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

With the easy triumph over Abraham (32-3, 26 KOs), Ward (24-0, 13 KOs) advanced to the finals of The Super Six World Boxing Classic slated for sometime this autumn.

"We're going to the final, baby," Ward, 27, was quoted saying to The Associated Press.

"Arthur is strong, and he's a hard hitter, (but) we showed that we can win in a way other than our original game plan."

Ward will fight the winner of the June 4 semifinal bout between WBC super middleweight champ Carl Froch and Glen Johnson at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Ward, a Bay Area native who became the first American to capture boxing gold in eight years as a light heavyweight at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, was considered too young and inexperienced to make an impact on the landmark tournament when it commenced in the fall of 2009.

Ironically, most boxing experts now regard Ward as the tournament favorite.

Despite its many warts, this tournament will ultimately prove to be a boon for the lagging sport of boxing.

The Super Six World Boxing Classic has brought together some of the best 168-pound prizefighters in the world and that alone has made this event an achievement.

Unlike boxing, mixed martial arts bouts consistently pit the best scrappers against one another.

Mike Cappiello, a native of Brockton (Mass.) who once battled for the IBO super featherweight crown, believes the better competition in mixed martial arts is responsible for making it more popular than boxing.

“I think MMA has taken over in Massachusetts already,” said Cappiello, who retired with an impressive record of 33-6.

“I have gone to many MMA fights and I see it as a big social event.”

Froch (27-1, 20 KOs) will inevitably overwhelm the 42-year-old Johnson (51-14-2, 35 KOs) and progress to the finals against Ward.

Ward, currently rated by Ring Magazine as the No. 9 pound-for-pound prizefighter in the world, will then outmaneuver Froch and emerge the victor of The Super Six World Boxing Classic.

Subsequently, like other American gold medalists Muhammad Ali, “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya, Ward could become a national superstar and household name.