By Scott Gilfoid: While IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (33-2, 24 KOs) has shown little interest in wanting to mix it up with WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) in what would be a huge mega-fight, Golovkin is still very much interested in facing the 37-year-old Froch if he’s game.
Golovkin says he’d fight Froch in either the UK or Las Vegas, Nevada, although he prefers Vegas as the venue for the fight.
Golovkin first has to take care of business on February 21st against #1 WBC Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs), but that’s not expected to be a tough fight for Golovkin. It’s more of a tune-up type to get him ready to face the winner of the Miguel Cotto vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight if that fight takes place and if the winner of that bout doesn’t vacate rather than face Golovkin.
“He’s a great fighter,” Golovkin said about Froch to IFL TV. “It’s an amazing fight.”
When asked if he would come to the UK to fight Froch, Golovkin said “Why not? I think Vegas is better for us.”
Golovkin is likely only mentioning Vegas due to Froch having already said many times recently that his dream is to fight under the lights of Vegas against a top opponent. It doesn’t get any better than Golovkin for a fight against Froch. Indeed, Golovkin would likely earn Froch much more respect than if he were to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, whose star power has dropped off significantly since his loss to Sergio Martinez and his subsequent controversial decision over Brian Vera. Chavez Jr is kind of in a proving stage right now after those two poor performances, and I’m not sure that Froch is going to gain much against a ring-rusty Chavez Jr.
It’s been nine months since Chavez Jr last fought. With him not having a fight scheduled right now, we’re probably looking at Chavez Jr being out of the ring for more than one year before he eventually fights again. That’s way too long. Froch, however, isn’t much better off. After he beat George Groves in a rematch in May of 2014, Froch burned up the last seven months of 2014 without fighting.
You can make a strong argument that Froch probably shortchanged himself by $6-10 million by not fighting in the second half of 2014. It doesn’t make sense that Froch would simply sit idle and miss out on a payday, but that obviously shows how conflicted the guy is. It seems that once a fighter finds success, you often see them resting on their laurels instead of staying busy and proving themselves against greater challenges. In this case, Froch’s career slowed down after his wins over a rusty Mikkel Kessler and an unproven George Groves.
Sure, those are decent wins, but it’s not as if Froch fought the likes of Andre Ward, Anthony Dirrell, and Andre Dirrell. I could see Froch resting up after a fight against those guys, because those are some of the three best fighters in the super middleweight division, but I don’t understand Froch resting up after a fight against a totally unproven Groves. That makes no sense to me.
As far as Groves goes, I don’t see Froch facing him in 2015 or ever. Froch seems to want the arguably easier option against Chavez Jr instead of someone dangerous like Golovkin. I mean, Froch will probably get much more credit if he faces Golovkin than he would Chavez Jr, but what can you say to him if he wants the easier target against Chavez Jr? If Froch faces Golovkin, the chances are that Froch will get knocked out. But if Froch fights Chavez Jr, then Froch will likely win and finish his career on a positive note. It makes sense if you’re Froch to take the softer target.
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