Froch-Hopkins: Could Carl Be The Next One Facing Retirement?
May 5th, 2009
By Dave Lahr: They say bad things happen in threes. First with Joe Calzaghe’s abrupt retirement from boxing, which took away the biggest star in the UK, and then with Ricky Hatton’s humiliating second round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao on May 2nd. And now with World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight champion Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KOs) looking at possibly fighting Bernard Hopkins in the near future.
On the surface, it’s a fight that will clearly benefit both Hopkins and Froch, because the American boxing public was pleased with Carl’s performance in his 12th round come from behind knockout over former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Jermain Taylor on April 25th.
It was a highly exciting fight, because it seemed as if Froch had no chance to win the fight going into the 12th, and yet he somehow willed himself to victory by giving it his all and coming up with the knockout in the 12th against Taylor. However, Froch looked very beatable throughout the fight and seemed to be aided by Taylor’s poor stamina in the last six rounds of the fight.
Had Taylor not faded in the last six rounds, we’d probably be discussing Taylor vs. Hopkins III instead of a potential Froch bout. Froch has a lot of fighting spirit and a big heart, but I don’t think he has nearly enough talent to beat a fighter like Hopkins. My concern is that if Froch gets battered, knocked out or soundly beaten like Kelly Pavlik was by Hopkins, Froch might be looking at retiring just like Hatton.
I doubt that Froch would retire, since he has the British local scene he can always retreat back to, but I think it might be something that goes through Froch’s head if he gets beaten badly enough by the 44-year-old Hopkins. Beating Taylor was a big feather in Froch’s cap, but it left a lot of questions about Froch’s talent.
He looked slow, and showed very little defensive skills as he was hit often by Taylor in the fight. Much of the time, Froch would come in with his hands down by his sides and looking to land shots without his guard up.
In his past fights, Froch has been able to avoid getting hit by leaning back or to the side to get out of the way of shots. However, against a fighter with much faster hand speed like Taylor, Froch was getting hit again and again without blocking any of the shots. This is something that Hopkins would take advantage of with his precise pin point short punches. Hopkins wouldn’t tire out like Taylor did, and would be still throwing leather even in the 12th.
I doubt that Froch would react well to being defeated by a knockout or a lopsided decision and he might find himself having to hang up the gloves and move on with his career should he lose.
Tags: 27 Responses to “Froch-Hopkins: Could Carl Be The Next One Facing Retirement?”
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Froch will lose on points (maybe taking a knockdown on the way) to wily old Hopkins.
A far better idea would be to entice one-dimensional Pavlik into a fight. Froch has far superior boxing skills to Pavlik (when he chooses to use them), his jab being a prime example. Even if it turns into a brawl… he’ll deck Pavlik hard enough (to end it), before Pavlik can do likewise to him.
The thing is Hopkins is a master of the ring, he’s seen every style and he’s just to clever, and for once, Froch will be the smaller man.
carl this may be a step to far to soon buddy
This is the great thing about boxing., everybody tips Hopkins to beat Froch, Taylor beat Hopkins so why cant Froch beat Hopkins if he can beat the man that beat him.
Though sayin that i would tip Hopkins, and styles make fights.
1 thing though, it was the quick footedness, speed and agility of Taylor that Froch struggled with. Hopkins is just as good but is a completely different type of fighter.
Whose to say Froch wont find Hopkins alot easier to deal with, Hopkins wont be sharp on the move, will stand infront of him and will look to close any gaps, opposite to everythin Froch struggled with against Taylor.
I think Hopkins is a step too far, you can only beat him if you are a true Light Heavy.
Hopkins wont be any trouble for Froch esp in the latter rounds, Id gamble on him to stop Hopkins within 10. He wont be able to keep up. This article sucks
rubbish article! This site tipped Froch to get beaten by Taylor. The truth is Froch was very nervous in the opening stages of the fight and did not perform the way he could. He still knocked out Taylor and would have done it earlier had the fight been in the UK as it should have been.
Hopkins tired badly against Calzaghe and kept claiming non existant low blows to catch his breath. and you claim he would not tire in the later stages.
Learn more about boxing Mr Lahr
Why does this site allow people to write on it the have little boxing knowledge or inteligence?
WTF is this writer smoking?
Why would a 30 yr old boxer retire just becvause he got schooled by a very good vet?
Pavlik is still getting his nuts kissed right this minute. We knock froch won’t get ko’d, that’s for sure. And I don’t think it will go the full distance either…work it out!
I’d like to see Froch get humbled by B-hop, after all his cussing of calzaghe…most peole concur joe would batter him…joe deserves to retire unbeaten without people like froch trying to taint his rep.
Sorry my missus just did that whilst out the room lol. Anyway like i said B-Hop wouldnt meet Wright Calzaghe or Pavlik halfway because he knew he would lose (Wright would have boxed his arse of and Calzaghe would have humiliated him at super-middle)
Hopkins age will catch up with him very soon! carl froch has strength, stamina and granite chin. And despite what people say about his boxing ability, so far he has not done too bad. On a world level he beat pascal and knocked out taylor, something not too many have. done to these guys. You people need too analyze froch’s ability a bit more carefully and you will realise he is a serious threat to any world title holder ie(kessler, pavlik, abraham etc). If Hopkins Fights Froch it is not going to be a walk over for him! Froch will give b-hop problems once he gets through his guard ..Hes a young guy with notable abilities and still improving. B-hop’s age and stamina will eventually be his undoing against much younger and aggressive fighters like Froch…
vladimir vs froch
i think froch can win at 168 because thats his weight pavlik can not fight at 168 yet and looked bad hopkins may get a 12 round S/D in the USA
“Hopkins wouldn’t tire out like Taylor did”
Your forgetting 2 points… Calzaghe vs Hopkins saw Hopkins complaining of low blows(that weren’t low) to catch is breath. Secondly Hopkins is 44 – nuff said.
Forch is not as bad as he looked against Taylor, he was nervous – first real big fight… in Taylors back yard, he is better than that. And besides that he has an awesome chin and heart – the only things you can’t really teach someone. With a good trainer he has the potential to be great. What really annoys me though is all this crap about retiring, if every time a fighter lost for the first time – they retired…. their wouldn’t be many boxers around…. chump
i think you’re putting way to much credit into hopkins stamina… lets not forget that this is the same fighter that ran out of gas against joe calzaghe and had to fake a low blow to get enough time to catch his breath
Everything says Hopkins should defeat Froch. Hopkins is leagues above Froch in terms of skills and talent.
It would be a dark day for boxing if someone as unskilled and untalented as Froch beat Hopkins.
The thing that worries me is that Hopkins is older and his stamina will never be able to match Froch so Froch just could have a punchers chance against an exhausted Hopkins.
The only way on Earth Froch will beat Hopkins is by Knockout.
Froch is WBC champion, not WBA.
I like Froch but B-Hop will give him problems. Froch’s boxing albilities have some serious flaws as indicated by the bout with Taylor, but I do admire is heart wanting to fight the best. I think if he ameliorates his hand speed and defensive technique he could give Hopkins a competitive fight.
Froch v B Hop=points victory for hopkins.The most prdictable outcome ever.Froch primative boxing skills combined with good chin result in this outcome.
isn’t 44 just too old, can he even last 12 rounds with anybody, i want B-Hop to win though
TBH if hopkins and froch go at it i see it being a carbon copy of pavlik vs hopkins. Hopkins is too skilled for froch and unless he can knock him out which i doubt it froch is going to lose a wide UD.
now froch knows wat a top clas fighter is mayb he will adapt. i wasnt impressed by his technical performance aainst taylor how ever he defantely has the heart and chin of a world champion. mayb we should judge him after his next few fights. being farely young in his career. he will definately learn from the taylor fight.
I agree generally with the article.
Froch isn’t the best boxer and there is a very good chance Hopkins would beat him like he beat Pavlik.
Froch has no defense and (understandily) did look very nervous on the night. Taylor could have won, he out boxed Froch from begining to near end.
If Froch fights against someone with an iron chin and genuine boxing talent (not a slugger) there is no doubt he would lose. This is based on watching his past 10 performances. (This could swing in favour of a Calzaghe victory if they would have met!)
But if he did lose I heavily doubt he’ll retire! That was ludricous statement to make considering he’s only just had his first crack of the whip.
With respect to froch, he looked amateur in the ring. You could see every punch coming and he laboured about the ring. Watching calzaghe – hopkins and hopkins – pavlik, any of them would destroy him. It is a shame that he craves the big fights so early (I understand why given his years) but he will not win against any of them. I agree with this article big time. Froch’s biggest fight would be against Kessler who will also win!!!
Good point Simon – I totally agree. As much as i dislike Hopkins, I think he is far to wiley for Froch. Hopkins has a very good chin and I strongly believe he would grind out a points win over Froch.
I’d like to see a Froch vs Pavlik fight as it has all the ingredients to be explosive and 50/50 – this is what makes an exciting fight, the not knowing who will win.
i very much doubt that a loss to hopkins on points wud force froch to retire.if thats teh case, why didnt pavlik? i think this whole ‘retirement’ thing is becoming a joke tbh. a fight loses and suddenly questions over whether they shud retire pop up. absolute madness. at the end of the day, there can only be one winner and if a fighter loses by KO or decision, so what, they can always come back if they have the belief in themselves that they can.