Adonis Stevenson ready to fight for vacant IBF strap if Froch gives it up

09/14/201601/10/2013 ESB

stevenson323 By Michael Collins: #1 IBF mandatory challenger Adonis Stevenson (19-1, 16 KO’s) is still waiting to see what IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch will do next. Froch wants to fight WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler next, but the two fighters are still wrapped up in a tough negotiation. Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn says he expects this to be concluded this week. He’s going to have to make a decision at this time whether to fight Kessler and give up the IBF strap or face the dangerous Stevenson.

If Froch chooses to fight Kessler, then the IBF strap will be vacated by him and Stevenson will then fight one of three contenders for the vacant title. According to Steve Kim the options for Stevenson are as follows:

1. Edwin Rodriguez

2. Lucian Bute

3. Thomas Oosthuizen

Rodriguez is ranked #3, Bute #4 and Oosthuizen #5 by the International Boxing Federation. So it’ll be up to Rodriguez first if he wants to fight Stevenson for the vacant IBF 168 pound title. If he declines the fight, which I doubt he will, then Bute will be the next fighter to get a shot. It’s doubtful he’ll take the fight because it’s a high risk fight and he’ll likely wait to get his big money rematch against Carl Froch at some point in 2013.

Froch will find out this week who his next opponent will be

09/14/201601/08/2013 ESB

By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KO’s) will learn this week which guy he’ll be facing next – Mikkel Kessler or Adonis Stevenson. Froch, 36, has made it no secret that he wants the rematch with Kessler next, as he lost to the Dane by a 12 round unanimous decision in April 2010 and he’s been bugged about the loss ever since.

Froch thinks he should have won the fight but boxing fans as a whole disagree and saw Kessler as the rightful winner. The Kessler rematch, if it can be made, will give Froch and Kessler a $2 million payday. That’s good money for super middleweight. It’s obviously not even close to the kind of cash that superstars like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. rake in each time they fight, but then again Kessler and Froch aren’t on the radar screen in terms of worldwide popularity like those two talented fighters.

Froch told the Nottingham Post “We should know something in the next few days. If the Kessler fight is finalized we can apply for an exemption from the IBF. If we have to give up the belt to fight Kessler, so be it.”

Adonis Stevenson will have to step aside for Froch/Kessler II

01/03/201301/02/2013 ESB

By Joseph Herron: On October 12th, 1012, Super Middleweight contender Adonis “Superman” Stevenson knocked out Donovan George in spectacular fashion in the final round of a very entertaining twelve round slugfest to become the IBF mandatory opponent for current 168 pound title holder Carl “The Cobra” Froch.

According IBF bi-laws, Froch was given 90 days to negotiate a title defense with the number one contender after dispatching Yusaf Mack in three rounds on November 17th, 2012, in Nottingham, England.

But now, according to a spokesperson for the IBF, Adonis will have to step aside and wait until a unification bout between WBA title holder Mikkel Kessler and the incumbent IBF champ takes place.

“Usually, a mandatory defense is required of the reigning IBF Champion ninety days after a voluntary title defense,” stated a spokesperson for the International Boxing Federation. “But a unification bout always takes precedence over a mandatory defense upon request from the reigning champion.”

Oosthuizen could face Stevenson or Grachev on March 2nd for Froch’s IBF super middleweight title

01/01/2013 ESB

By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch is going to have to decide real soon if he wants to defend his belt against his mandatory challenger Adonis Stevenson or vacate the belt. The International Boxing Federation already ordered that Froch has to begin negotiations for a bout with Stevenson.

Froch: I’ll be at my best when I face Kessler in 2013

12/28/201212/26/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch doesn’t believe he was at his best when he was beaten by Mikkel Kessler in 2010, and Andre Ward in 2011. Something got in the way of both fights that kept Froch from being 100%. However, Froch believes he was firing on all cylinders when he stopped IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute in May of this year to grab his IBF title. Forch also thinks he was 100% when he beat Yusaf Mack recently in Nottingham.

Froch hoping nothing bad happens to Hatton tonight

09/15/201611/24/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: Ricky Hatton is taking a considerable risk in making a comeback tonight against Vyacheslav Senchenko after a long period of time out of the ring. IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch is just hoping that Hatton can come out of this fight in one piece and doesn’t get hurt like he was in his last fight against Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

Speaking to the standard.co.uk, Froch said “If Ricky wants to come back that’s his decision. Good luck to him. But let’s just hope he is in as good shape as he looks and that he doesn’t get hurt.”

Hatton does look to be in outstanding condition judging by how good he looked during Friday’s weigh-in. However, there’s a big difference from being in good shape and being in fighting shape. Hatton looks like he’s taken off a lot of weight, but we don’t know how he’ll react when he starts taking head shots and how he’ll look once the fight goes past the 3rd round.

When you’ve got an older fighter that is making a comeback after years out of the ring like Hatton, they tend to look decent for about three rounds.

Froch awaits Ward after he beats Pavlik on 1/26

09/14/201611/23/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: A well paying rematch with IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch is what WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) has to look forward to after he takes care of business against former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (40-2, 34 KO’s) on January 26th at the Galen Center, in Los Angeles, California, USA.

There’s little doubt that Ward will take care of the slow moving, slow punching Pavlik without any problems just as Bernard Hopkins and Sergio Martinez did. Ward wants to fight Froch again to shut him up, and prove that his win over him last December in the Super Six tournament finals wasn’t just a fluke thing. Oddly enough, two of the judges scored it a close fight by the scores of 115-113, and this has given Froch the belief that he almost beat Ward.

Froch says he knows how to beat Ward now, and wants to get him over to Europe to face him in his home city of Nottingham. Ward is amused by this, and he hasn’t said no to the idea.

Froch could end up having to face Adonis Stevenson next, not Bute

11/19/201211/18/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: Eddie Hearn, the promoter for IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch, is hoping the International Boxing Federation will allow Froch to temporarily bypass his IBF mandatory challenger Adonis Stevenson in order to try and get a rematch with former IBF champ Lucian Bute. However, it’s unclear whether the IBF will allow Froch to skip the Stevenson bout and it’s also unknown if Bute even wants the Froch rematch right now.

Froch Destroys Mack; Can “The Cobra” Get Revenge Over Kessler And Ward Next?

11/18/201211/18/2012 ESB

by James Slater – Make no mistake, Carl Froch was widely, even unanimously expected to defeat Yusaf Mack last night. “The Cobra,” though, made even shorter work of his over-matched challenger than perhaps anyone predicted. Way too strong, way too powerful and way too accurate for the Philadelphian who had to drop down from light-heavyweight to get his shot at the IBF super-middleweight crown, Froch enjoyed his easiest fight in many a year.

After tough battles with the likes of Mikkel Kessler, Andre Ward and Glen Johnson, Froch was perhaps entitled to a less than arduous evening. And Froch sure enjoyed himself last night, putting on a punch-perfect display before his adoring fans in Nottingham. Dropping Mack early on in the opening round, Froch, now 30-2(22) scored with a left hook. Already it looked like the approx 9,000 fans might go home early.

Froch also dominated the 2nd, although 32-year-old Mack, now 31-5-2(17) did try his best to get into the fight. Come the 2-minute 30 second mark of the 3rd it was all over. Froch, a fine body puncher, let loose downstairs, knocking the wind out of Mack’s sails with a combination. Froch did what a great fighter is supposed to do when matched with a fighter he is expected to beat: he closed the show quickly.

Mack sees himself beating Froch tonight

09/15/201611/17/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: Light heavyweight Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) looked good at yesterday’s weigh-in despite coming down from 175 lbs to take the fight with IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) in Nottingham, England. Most boxing fans and experts aren’t giving Mack much of a chance at winning this fight but that’s not stopping Mack from feeling he’s got what it takes to upset the 35-year-old Froch. The way Mack sees it he can win this fight if he doesn’t fade like he sometimes does by the midpoint of his fights.