By Olly Campbell: Just yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have my debut article for BN24 selected for print. The piece, entitled “What’s next for Tyson Fury?, attracted kind and positive comments as well as igniting debate amongst fellow fans, both British and American alike.
A subsequent article by a regular BN24 contributor, and some careful thought and insight on my part, has prompted me to write a sequel about another top British fighter, one different to Fury in almost every aspect, both as a fighter and as a human being. The man in question is of course, the hugely popular, and very “current”, Carl Froch. (34-2, 20KOs).
When writing about a fighter of Froch’s obvious talent and calibre, it is important not to get carried away. Fact and cliche can often blur and a certain temptation to get carried into a “fan piece” exists. I personally feel, even as a new writer/contributor, that its important to give the facts, tinged with just a little opinion, in order to allow the reader to form their own opinions and make their own judgements.
So what are the facts and cliches surrounding the ever popular Nottingham fighter?
Now just months shy of his 37th birthday, it is solid fact that Froch is one of the most active top level P4P fighters going. He has been involved in no less than 11 world title contests on the spin, thanks in part to his participation in the “experimental” Super Six tournament. He is the current IBF and WBA super middle weight champ and a former 2x WBC title holder. He has also held both British and Commonwealth straps at the same weight and is surely the UK’s best P4P fighter. Impressive credentials indeed. Facing the worlds best time and again, his achievements are clear for all to see and hard to knock.
Whilst those are the basic facts, the cliches are all too familiar, and are trotted out by our British press each and every time he fights. Words and phrases like “all action”, “come forward fighter”, “granite chin”, “consumate professional”, “warrior” and “man’s man” are heard all too often. The compliments come thick and fast where Carl Froch is concerned, in stark contrast to the appraisals of my previous article subject, Tyson Fury.
I first became aware of “The Cobra” around 2004, about the time he first came to prominence domestically as British Super Middleweight king. These days I am loathe to admit that back then I committed what I have now long considered a cardinal sin. I dismissed him as arrogant and irrelevant, solely on the basis I was (and always will be) a huge fan of Britain’s best Super Middleweight at that time – Joe Calzaghe. I felt the nerve Froch displayed in calling out the superior fighter, was tantamount to the most shocking display of disrespect. In short, I discounted him.
The entire Froch/Calzaghe affair obviously never came to anything, and perhaps could be the subject of an entirely separate article. It wasn’t until a little later, in 2008, however that Froch bounced back onto the radars of not only myself but the entire British public, following his mouth watering, all action clash with Jean Pascal for the vacant WBC belt, a fight he took by way of 12 grueling, action packed rounds of unapologetic violence. It was here that Froch firmly established himself as a true grafter, a fighter prepared to slog it out and dig deep to get the all important “W”. These were qualities he was to show again and again over the years.
We all know what happened next. There was the dramatic 1st defence against the talented American Jermain Taylor, and THAT late KO that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Highs and lows came thick and fast with a controversial decision victory over the tricky Andre Dirrell, and then the crushing blow of a first defeat and title loss to the hard as nails Mikkel Kessler, in the firepit of the Dane’s backyard. Froch, however, bounced back. We saw him win back world honours against Arthur Abraham, once again out on the road, in a dominant and authoritative performance. He then toppled Glen Johnson as part of the Super Six before the devastating but in no way shameful loss to the best Super Middleweight on the planet in Andre Ward. Like Dirrell before him, Ward has a slick style and massive skill set that seems to be an unsolvable riddle for Froch. Even as a Brit I can say nothing other than Froch was well beaten by the S.O.G. Yet despite being outclassed the resilient Froch bounced back. In a big way. After destroying previously undefeated Luvian Bute in 5, avenging his loss to Kessler in a quality re-match and brushing aside a hopeless Yusuf Mack, Carl Froch was seemingly back on top of the world……..Until Groves.
The Froch/Groves fight was one of the best domestic dust ups I have seen in many a year, the hype and action and trash talk somehow reminiscent of the old rivalry between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank back in the 90’s. And we all know what happened. You would have to live on Mars not to. We all saw the granite chin give way for only the second time ever. We all saw Groves box beautifully and out jab, out speed and outclass Carl Froch. What we witnessed that night, as has been discussed comprehensively on this site and elsewhere, was a great fighter and champion, seemingly get old over night. We saw something very few thought we would. A Carl Froch looking vulnerable and amateur at times. We saw the passing of the baton, if you will, regardless of the eventual result. Which brings me to my conclusion and the question the article is designed to pose.
“What next for Carl Froch?”
The options according to George Groves are simple: re-match or retire. It’s difficult to see Froch taking Groves up on his challenge. Now, in the Autumn of his career and with so many grueling wars behind him, I think we all saw a Carl Froch many of never thought we would that night. A tired and defeated one. He could possibly re-match Ward to try avenge his loss as he did with Kessler, but loathe as I am to admit it, the result would be no different. Especially now. There is Sakio Bika, a fighter Froch still has a reasonable chance of beating. Bika is not the fighter he was when he challenged Calzaghe for his WBO belt years ago. People casually toss names like Golovkin, Chavez Jr and Martinez around, yet I honestly cannot see any of those fights happening. They would all be a tough, tough sell to the casual British fan. The only fight that seems to make any commercial sense for Froch, besides Groves 2, is Kessler 3, and even that, despite the great first 2 fights, I see somehow falling flat. Neither fighter is what they once were and both have seemingly grown old overnight. I think a third scrap would ruin the legacy created by the first two.
No, I have to admit it. After all he has given to the sport and us fans over the years, I DO think it is time for the curtain to come down on the illustrious career of “The Cobra”. It seems the bite, the sting, has diminished beyond repair, and his time as a top level fighter is at a sad, but somehow natural and fitting conclusion. The record books will not record the controversial nature of the Groves stoppage, they will just record a final W in the win column for Carl Froch. And when I say final “W” I mean it. Go out on top, Carl, retire a champion. Thanks for some truly memorable fights over the years. You are and will always be a credit to British boxing.
Once again, thank you to you, the reader. Comments, opinion and criticism welcome. Cheers.
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