News Archive
September 2008
News Archive
27.09.08 Froch: I'm gonna beat Pascal Sparta-Style !
27.08.09AT last, the dream is nearly realised, the prestigious green World Boxing Council belt is finally within my grasp!
My promoter, Mick Hennessy has announced that on December 6 it's going to be 'boot-smoking time' at the Nottingham Trent FM Arena again as yours truly will be stepping into the ring to make history as the city's first WBC super middleweight champion of the world against Canada's unbeaten Jean Pascal.
I've been in training for 20 years for this moment. From the day I laced up and had my first fight I have dreamed of one day emulating my boxing heroes and winning the world title. Well I'm 31 now and am ready to destroy my opponent Sparta-style.
I'm not taking the French-Canadian lightly though. Despite being younger than me (he'll be 26 in October) he is also shorter at 5ft 11in. He is a gold medal winner at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester (he beat Contender star Paul Smith in the final) and is a seven-time Canadian amateur champion with an amateur record of 103-18.
His professional record stands at 21-0 with 14ko's.
He knows the sort of fire-power I carry and I expect him to try and outbox me over the distance, as even he knows it would be suicide for him to get macho with the Cobra.
He's got no idea of the hidden gears I have up my sleeve should he want to box a little.
But on the night he won't be deciding how were going to fight, that decision will be left to me. My height, reach and overall strength will be a big surprise to him as it has been to the others beforehand.
Once I land, their game plan goes out the window, closely followed by their courage.
In the past, I have lacked motivation against the likes of late substitute Rybacki and was only 70% fit against Robin Reid following my knee surgery on account of being unable to jog, let alone run.
But I'm 100% fit and strong and have already been ticking over nicely during the last month or so, readying myself for what I expect to be one of my best training camps to date.
The reason will be for the first time I will have that much-needed motivation in front of me, I will have an unbeaten opponent to claim for myself. I have the chance to make Nottingham proud and to give the United Kingdom yet another boxing champion and an early Christmas present for my trophy cabinet.
But the good news doesn't end there. The fight is set to be fought on ITV1 'prime time', so no pay-per-view charges to worry about. All my loyal fans can see me fight on their doorstep at the fabulous Trent FM Arena, and the armchair fans can watch me take centre stage in front of a potential TV audience of millions.
Over the years, British terrestrial television has made superstars of the likes of Frank Bruno, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn.
The public decline of boxing may be attributed to the fact that the best fights now seem only to be available on pay-per-view.
It's a shame that some of the greatest fighters in our sport today are relatively unknown to the man in the street. But hopefully this fantastic deal that Hennessy Sports has secured with ITV over the next two years will show the general public how exciting a well-matched 50/50 fight can be.
For too long the armchair boxing viewer has sustained some real mediocre mismatches over the last few years. I have been bored to tears by some of the cannon fodder served up as an 'opponent'.
At last they will see two genuine unbeaten, big-punching fighters. It's gonna be brutal and it's a good thing it will be after the watershed. When that opening bell rings, don't blink because there's gonna be some Cobra-bombs flying.
26.09.08 Ticket Information
Tickets are not on sale yet so be please be patient until the official date is released.
Further details to be provided.
25.09.08 Froch talks to Steve Bunce's Boxing Hour
Carl Froch talks to Steve Bunce about his impending WBC world title fight.
Carl set to fight on ITV prime time Dec 6
19.09.08
Britain's new boxing star Carl Froch will fight for a world title on prime time ITV1, as part of a new deal announced on Friday with Hennessy Sports.
Froch will meet Canadian star Jean Pascal for the WBC Super middleweight world title in his home city of Nottingham at the Trent FM Arena on December 6, with both men going into the fight unbeaten.
The rest of the deal will see Hennessy Sports stage a minimum of 26 promotions for ITV4 over the next two years, featuring European, Commonwealth and British title fights. Mick Hennessy is one of Britain’s top promoters, whose stable includes a host of quality fighters such as Junior Witter, Darren Barker, Jon Thaxton, Wayne Elcock, John Murray, and John O’Donnell.
The new boxing deal adds to a growing portfolio of sports on ITV4. The channel is becoming a key destination for sports viewers, with UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, Guinness Premiership Rugby, cycling, top level darts and motor racing. It is available to over 90 percent of UK homes and is the tenth most popular multichannel in the country.
Mark Sharman, ITV Director of News and Sport said: “ITV has a great heritage in boxing and we’re delighted to have signed this new deal which secures free-to-air coverage of the sport. Hennessy Sports have a stable of boxers with great prospects and we look forward to watching them develop on ITV4."
Mick Hennessy said: “This deal is great news for British boxing. ITV4 has a fantastic line up of sport and it’ll be a terrific stage for our fighters to showcase their skills. I’ve always enjoyed working with the ITV team and I expect this partnership to deliver some very special events.”
Coverage will be simulcast on itv.com and video clips of fights will also be available on the site.
02.09.08 Degale and the Pro Game
30.08.08
By Carl Froch
He boxed clever and knowing how good the Cuban amateurs are myself, James operated with a cool head, despite even being bitten, to snatch the gold medal.
He now has the boxing world at his feet and will soon be courted by all the promotional big guns in an effort to get his name on a contract.
I've been down that road myself. And, if I were to offer any advice, it would be to simply enjoy the moment and don't get too clouded by the pound signs which may be floating around.
To succeed in the Olympics is the ultimate for any amateur sportsman, but James may have the opportunity to go one better and to represent Great Britain when London hosts the event in 2012.
Click here!
To claim a second gold medal when we are hosting the event would eclipse any other British amateur boxer's achievements, whether it be at middlweight or even a higher weight category – James can only improve even more over the next three years or so.
But, deep down, I believe that he will probably turn professional and will be unable to resist the spoils that will be offered.
If that's the case, then he will need to choose his promoter carefully.
All said and done, professional boxing nowadays is sadly an entertainment business first and a sport second.
Too many talented boxers are taking the easy route to one of the lesser world title belts and then defending it against sub-par opposition.
They are, sadly, more concerned with ducking the big fights in favour of remaining unbeaten.
I've always maintained that I wanted to go through the paid rankings in the proper manner. First, I wanted to take care of all domestic rivals and claim the Commonwealth and also the Lonsdale belt for keeps, before hopefully moving on to the world scene and then finally taking on the reigning WBC champion.
The WBC title is the most prestigious belt there is. When Ali and Foreman rumbled in the jungle, it was the WBC title at stake.
Likewise when Ricky Hatton challenged Mayweather for the welterweight title, it was the WBC version up for grabs.
When the WBC made me Joe Calzaghe's mandatory challenger I was honoured. But, as soon as I had been instated, than Calzaghe suddenly vacated the best belt in his trophy cabinet.
By the close of 2009, Nottingham will have a reigning WBC world champion in myself and, unlike others in my profession, you will see the Cobra taking on all-comers to the title.
I will give all mandatories their shot.
The lion's share of those fights will hopefully be in Nottingham – but after becoming champion I really do want to showcase my skills in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, or even Madison Square Garden, New York, should Jermain Taylor beat Jeff Lacy.
Now there's a trip for the hardcore fans!
But first, all my focus is on Canadian Jean Pascal, who I will of course take out in style! Expect some big news on the event very soon...