by James Slater – Reigning WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch isn’t just predicting that he will defeat the well respected Mikkel Kessler in his next bout in the exciting “Super-Six” tournament; he is predicting how he will win the whole thing! Not only that, but the ultra-confident “Cobra” says he has plans to go for the WBC light-heavyweight title after he’s won the super-middleweight Boxing Classic..
The unbeaten 32-year-old, who faces Kessler in the former titlist’s homeland of Denmark on April 24th, spoke from the gym yesterday, and he told This Is Nottingham.co.uk how he plans to go for Jean Pascal’s 175-pound belt as soon as the “Super-Six” tourney is over and done with.
“I am world champion, on top of my game and I can go strong until I am 35 or 36,” Froch said. yesterday. “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I eat the right foods and I am just 32. I want to win the Super-Six tournament first, as that will give me universal status. Then maybe step up to light-heavyweight, eat a few bananas and fight Jean Pascal.
“He is now the WBC light-heavyweight champion. We have had a handshake on it that we would fight each other. He wants to get the blemish off his record and I said I would give him the chance to do it. I will step up and fight him for the world title.”
As his fans know, Froch won the then vacant WBC 168-pound title he currently holds with a thrilling 12-round points win over the then undefeated Canadian in December of 2008. Having much respect for the man who then moved up seven-pounds to win the WBC belt, Froch has spoken a few times of the handshake deal the two men have. Of course, Pascal would have to remain as champion by the time Froch has come through the “Super-Six” tournament for the two men’s plan to work, but a rematch of what was one of 2008’s fights of the year would surely be welcomed by the fans.
Pascal, once his shoulder injury has healed, must get past the gifted and unbeaten Chad Dawson in August; while next up for Froch is the formidable Kessler. Froch, despite his massive self-confidence, says he is taking one fight at a time.
“One step at a time; I have Kessler, then [Arthur] Abraham and then two more fights to win the Super-Six,” Froch told the website. “For now, I am really looking forward to April 24th. It’s going to be a humdinger.”
It sure is, and fans seem to be pretty much split down the middle as to who will win in Herning in a couple of weeks time. And as to how exciting a Froch-Abraham fight will be, well, as Froch says, let’s get April’s big one out of the way first!