Froch awaits Ward after he beats Pavlik on 1/26

Froch awaits Ward after he beats Pavlik on 1/26 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

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.

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

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.

Andre Ward not interested in Froch’s fight with Mack

Andre Ward not interested in Froch's fight with Mack By Michael Collins: Having beaten Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) soundly in the Super Six finals last December, WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) says he has absolutely zero interest in following Froch’s fight tonight against American light heavyweight Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) in Nottingham, England.

Ward said on his twitter: “Cobra fans seem a bit upset that I’m not watching. Sorry folks…NOT INTERESTED! I’m not watching Froch vs Mack. You guys can tell me what happens. Honestly, really not interested in the fight. Looking forward to the HBO fights tonight!! I’m picking [Adrien] Broner and [Seth] Mitchell. They both should be good fights. Froch fans keep saying it wasn’t him in the ring the night we fought…then who was it…his twin brother??!! Froch Fans: Ride with your guy, but the things you say have to make since…ok??!! Froch said he wasn’t himself when we fought, because he was HOME SICK. Question: Why do I HAVE TO rematch Froch in the UK?? #IWonTheFirstOne Talk to me UK!!”

Ward takes issue with the excuses that Froch has made about his loss to him last December in which Froch said he wasn’t at his best in that fight and that if he had fought the way he had in his win over IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute then he would have beaten Ward.

Froch sees Bute’s win against Grachev as a so-so performance

Froch sees Bute's win against Grachev as a so-so performance By Michael Collins: Carl Froch thinks that Lucian Bute didn’t look great in beating Denis Grachev by a 12 round unanimous decision last night in Bute’s win in Montreal, Canada. But Froch believes that it was a situation where Bute needed any kind of win to get over the hump of his knockout loss to Froch last May.

Froch said to Sky Sports News: “Let’s be honest, it wasn’t the most impressive performance from Lucian Bute that I’ve ever seen. Bute didn’t really impress, but it was a comeback fight from a devastating defeat against myself, so what did people expect? He needed to find his feet again, find his confidence. I’m sure he’s done that. I think mentally he needed to get that fight in the bag.”

Bute actually didn’t look that bad. What was missing from the performance was of course a knockout for Bute. However, he was fighting a guy in Grachev that even Froch likely wouldn’t be able to KO. Grachev has a great chin and he doesn’t stand in one place and let you punch on him. He moves around and he’s a solid guy.

Only 500 tickets left for Froch vs. Mack fight

Only 500 tickets left for Froch vs. Mack fight By Michael Collins: There are reportedly only 500 tickets left for the November 17th clash between IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch and his light heavyweight opponent Yusaf Mack for the Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England. Over 9000 tickets have already been sold and the 35-year-old Froch is counting on the last 500 getting scooped up well before the fight next month. Froch wants it to be extra loud for the visiting American Mack just like it was for Froch’s last opponent former IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute, who seemed unnerved by the crowd noise and ended up losing badly to Froch.

Froch said to Sy Sports News “The atmosphere against Bute was absolutely electric – the best I’ve ever boxed in front of. Mack will not have seen anything like it in his life…the fans will raise the roof for me.”

Froch hadn’t fought in Nottingham since beating Andre Dirrell there by a controversial decision in October 2009 in the Super Six tournament. The crowd was plenty loud during that fight but Froch fought poorly, missing punching all night, and doing quite a bit of ugly fouling that he got away with. The crowd didn’t help Froch in that respect, and his victory was viewed different depending on what part of the world you came from.

By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) will be taking a rare tune-up fight the next time he steps inside the ring to fight light heavyweight Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) on November 17th at the Capital FM Arena, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK. It’s been ages since Froch took on a guy that was clearly out of his league and didn’t deserve to be in the same ring with him. Mack, 32, is a decent fighter but it’s pretty clear that he doesn’t stand much of a chance in this fight unless he can score a knockout.

Mack does have good power, but he’s had problems with his stamina in the past for fights that go past four rounds. Also, he’s going to be coming down in weight from 175 for this fight and it’s likely he’ll be weaker than he usually is.

It’s unclear who’s idea it was for Froch to fight a soft touch for his next fight – his or his promoter Eddie Hearn. Froch had a ton of options available for him for the November 17th fight.

Bellew to fight Bolonti on Froch vs. Mack card on November 17th

Bellew to fight Bolonti on Froch vs. Mack card on November 17th By Michael Collins: Making his first defense of his WBC International Silver light heavyweight strap, Tony Bellew (18-1, 12 KO’s) has a fight coming up against Argentinian Roberto Bolonti (30-1, 19 KO’s) on November 17th on the undercard of the Carl Froch – Yusaf Mack fight at the Capital FM Arena, in Nottingham, England. According to the 29-year-old Bellew this was the highest ranking contender that was willing to face him on short notice like this. The fact that Bolonti so readily agreed to take the fight suggests that he sees something in Bellew’s fighting style that makes him believe he can win this fight.

In an interview at IFilm London, Bellew said “I think his [Bolonti] weakness is his defense, and the way to get to him is to pressure him. It’s another step up the ladder.”

Bellew is coming off of two good victories over Danny McIntosh and Edison Miranda in his last two fights with both victories coming by knockout. Before that, Bellew lost a controversial 12 round majority decision against WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly last year in October in a fight that appeared to be a draw at the least, if not a victory for Bellew. However, Bellew needed to put in an especially strong effort if he wanted to get a win because he was after all the challenger.

Hearn: Cleverly’s camp could have offered £10million to fight Froch, and the answer would still be no

Hearn: Cleverly's camp could have offered £10million to fight Froch, and the answer would still be no By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) and his promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport have reportedly turned down a huge £1million offer from Frank Warren for Froch to step up and fight WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (24-0, 11 KO’s) in a catchweight fight. Instead of taking that big payday for his fighter Froch and thrilled British boxing fans, Hearn has instead matched Froch up against American Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) in a fight that will take place on November 17th at the Capital FM Arena, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK.

Hearn told thesun.co.uk “His camp could offer £10m, the fight isn’t going to happen. It would be impossible for Carl Froch to move up to 175.”

That’s interesting because according to Warren he was open to having Cleverly fight Froch at a catchweight to make the fight happen. Froch wasn’t necessarily being asked to move up 7 pounds in weight to take on the 25-year-old unbeaten Cleverly at the full weight for light heavywweight at 175.