Berlin  - Six of the world's top super middleweights met in Berlin Wednesday to present the Super Six  Classic tournament to begin in October.

WBC champion Carl Froch of Great Britain, WBA titleholder Mikkel Kessler of Denmark, former middleweight champions Jermain Taylor of the United States and Armenian-German Arthur Abraham and undefeated Americans Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell have agreed to compete in the round-robin event.

"This will be like the Super Bowl of boxing," Ward's promoter Dan Goossen said.

The tournament was officially unveiled on Monday in New York by US broadcaster Showtime which has designed a league-style event with a semi-final and a final.

However it was the first time all six boxers got together to present the tournament, following presentations in New York and Copenhagen. Ward had missed the first two presentations with flu.

Winners of their bouts will be awarded league points, plus a bonus point for stoppages. The top four go through to the semi-finals, with the final set for May or June 2011.

Abraham, who boxes out of Berlin, said: "All the boxers are as strong as the other. The one who wins will be the cleverer."

Abraham, who has stepped up from the middleweight division, will open the tournament with a fight against Taylor, provisionally set for October 17 in Berlin.

Froch will meet Dirrell, and Kessler will come up against 2004 Olympic gold medallist Ward in what will also be title defences for the WBC and WBA champs respectively.

The dates for the bouts are expected to be finalised within the next two weeks.

Ken Hershman, Showtime's senior vice-president and general manager, defended a decision not to include IBF champion Lucian Bute of Romania and WBO title-holder Karoly Balzsay of Hungary.

Eight boxers would have been too many for the tournament, while the six participants are the best in their weight division, he said.

Hershman said of the event at the presentation in New York on Monday: "It began as an intriguing concept, and, through a tremendous amount of hard work on everyone's part, we are going to pull off one of the most exciting events in boxing history.

"The 168-pound (76.2kg) division is the most talent-rich in boxing right now. And the Super Six tournament structure will deliver one compelling match-up after another." (dpa)