By Scott Gilfoid: Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) has been dragged down from the light heavyweight division to face IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) in his first title defense of his International Boxing Federation strap on November 17th in front of Froch’s fans at the Capital FM Arena, in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom. The thought by many boxing fans is that Mack, 32, was brought down from 175 to be a sacrificial lamb for the 35-year-old Froch to slaughter in front of his fans in the UK.

It’s hard to argue with that notion given that fact that the chances are high that Mack will be weight drained from having drained down from 175 to 168 to take this fight. In addition, it’s not as if Mack has been wiping everyone out his entire career. Each time he’s stepped up against quality opposition like Glen Johnson, Tavoris Cloud, Librado Andrade and Alejandro Berrio, he’s been rudely smacked back down. However, Mack does have a several things going for him in this fight with Froch.

First off, Mack is faster and more athletic than Froch. It doesn’t take a genius to see that Mack is the better athlete in watching him move around the ring. His hand eye coordination is impeccable. Mack is also a bigger puncher than Froch.

Mack may not have a high percentage of KOs like Froch, but most of Froch’s knockouts come by him basically bludgeoning his opposition into submission, whereas Mack knocks his opponents clean out with single shots. So, Mack has the power on his side as well. It goes without saying that Mack is the faster fighter in terms of hand speed. He’s clearly a lot faster than Froch, as well as younger.

Mack is in a good position to ruin Froch’s hopes of getting rematches against Lucian Bute and Mikkel Kessler next year. With Froch totally focused on landing those fights, Mack can get him while he’s distracted by knocking him cold. Who in their right mind will want to see Bute or Kessler fight Froch after Mack beats him? The only way you could make those fights is if Froch were to fight a rematch against Mack and beat him soundly, and even then the Bute and Kessler rematches would still be a hard sell.