Froch v Andrade mooted for May 5th

http://www.boxingscene.com/froch-vs-andrade-ibf-eliminator-on-5-nottingham--49342

Waht you think guys?

I think this would be a great little action fight to get Froch back to winning ways, and a fan friendly fight too.

Also it might put Froch in line for the IBF as a mandatory, which means purse bid and UK fight perhaps?

Decent fight but would rather see him looking at Kessler again, Pavlik or at least someone who has been successful at world level.

Im not really sure what kind of challenge Andrade would pose these days but it gives Froch the potential for a home fight and to get back back to winning ways.

Last time I saw Andrade he didnt last too long with Bute so I guess its an opportunity to see if Froch has any ill effects from the last few years. Anything other than a comfortable win for Froch would be a cause for concern with regards future world title shots.

Yeah I expect Froch KO at some point and action all the way. Milkeymax71 Froch can't get Kessler yet, as he has stielgitz in April.

In some ways, Im surprised Froch hasnt given more thought to light heavyweight. I think hes had a pretty long and tough campaign at 168 and at the end of it hes come up a bit short. Only really a win over Ward would establish Froch as anything other than a belt holder which I think would play on the mind of someone like Froch. It would bug him that even beating Kessler or Bute would still see him seen as a numer 2 man and its pretty hard to imagine him scoring a hat trick of wins over Ward, Kessler and Bute at this stage.

A new campaign at 175 might have been a fresh start, rather than trying to start back again at 168.

I see your point manos. Personally i think he should stick around for a Kessler rematch in Notts if he can get it. Then maybe Clev at 175, then done

Seanusarrilius wrote:I see your point manos. Personally i think he should stick around for a Kessler rematch in Notts if he can get it. Then maybe Clev at 175, then done

Yeah it depends on what Carls plan is. How long he plans to stick in the game for etc. He might still feel fresh and want to go about trying to beome numbe 1 again, or he may just want a couple more fights and be happy to pick up any title/title shot before retiring in the near future.

Assuming Kessler beats Stieglitz, which I think he should do, Im not really sure how willing he would be to grant Froch a title shot. Especially travelling to Nottingham for it. He could be entitled to feel that he beat Froch fairly once and if he does want to test himself then unifications with Ward/Bute might be more attractive than a tough voluntary defence against Froch.

Im guessing Froch is taking this home fight with the resignation that he will be on the road again if he does get another title shot though. But if I were him I would kind of like the look of the light heavyweight division at present with a very old legend considered the top dog and some very winnable belts up for grabs with options domestically and in the U.S.

Problem with moving up Manos is the Hopkins factor, all roads at the weight lead to him at present pending the Dawson rematch, when you have other options you're not going to want to fight him as it's a lose/lose situation. Pascal and Dawson had no option as they campaign in the same weight but were I Froch i'd fancy a Ward rematch than a fight with Hopkins.

No ward rematch for me, no Hopkins fight either. Ward beat Froch pretty comfortably, Hopkins is from another era. I say Kessler because KEss don't want to go to Quebec either, Ward dominated him and he wont go back to Cali. Kessler v Froch is money and also is a fight both fighters fancy they will win. For me Froch should go Andrade,Kessler, Clev, done

froch should look to get in amongst some of the younger fighters and prolong his career with some victories. kessler is over the hill and another slow paced scrap with him will do nothing for him in the long run.

There is no long run Lance, and top fighters want to avenge defeats. Disagree entirely.

I hope Froch loses and loses badly but must admit if he wins this one I would like a rematch with Kessler who will hopefully beat him into retirement

Steffan wrote:I hope Froch loses and loses badly but must admit if he wins this one I would like a rematch with Kessler who will hopefully beat him into retirement

There’s a surprise. Bet you wouldn’t hold the same animosity if he was from Wales

Well as Froch seemingly can't get the Bute fight due to Showtime not picking it up, I suppose this isn't a bad scrap to get him back onto winning form. With Ward atop of the SMW division I don't see Forch ever getting to the peak of the division. Similarly I see Hopkins, Dawson, and possibly the up-and-coming Ishmyl Sillakh (soon to beat Pascal) as being significant barriers to Froch ever getting LHW supremacy.

However, Carl is a very entertaining fighter, with a good level of talent and a ridiculous amount of heart. There's plenty of high level clashes out there for him (just not at the absolute top tier). No shame in that. Pretty sure boxing fans would be clamoring to see him fight any one of:

- Kessler (grudge rematch of a closely contested bout & for a possible title)

- Bute (a chance for Bute to prove his worth against a tough as nails competitor. A chance for Froch to prove that the super 6 was truly the best of the SMW division)

- Pavlik (a great comeback fight for Pavlik - 2 hard hitting warriors going at it - would be great to see I think)

- Pascal (a rematch of a recent classic with a former LHW champ)

- Cleverly (a great domestic scrap - big in terms of UK figures - chance for Froch to become a double weight beltholder)

There's 5 meaningful and exciting fights right there for Froch. Fair enough if he wants to avoid a big gap in opponents by taking on a tough gatekeeper type like Andrade, but I'd definitely like to see Carl back at a higher level soon.

Boxtthis wrote:Well as Froch seemingly can't get the Bute fight due to Showtime not picking it up, I suppose this isn't a bad scrap to get him back onto winning form. With Ward atop of the SMW division I don't see Forch ever getting to the peak of the division. Similarly I see Hopkins, Dawson, and possibly the up-and-coming Ishmyl Sillakh (soon to beat Pascal) as being significant barriers to Froch ever getting LHW supremacy.

However, Carl is a very entertaining fighter, with a good level of talent and a ridiculous amount of heart. There's plenty of high level clashes out there for him (just not at the absolute top tier). No shame in that. Pretty sure boxing fans would be clamoring to see him fight any one of:

- Kessler (grudge rematch of a closely contested bout & for a possible title)

- Bute (a chance for Bute to prove his worth against a tough as nails competitor. A chance for Froch to prove that the super 6 was truly the best of the SMW division)

- Pavlik (a great comeback fight for Pavlik - 2 hard hitting warriors going at it - would be great to see I think)

- Pascal (a rematch of a recent classic with a former LHW champ)

- Cleverly (a great domestic scrap - big in terms of UK figures - chance for Froch to become a double weight beltholder)

There's 5 meaningful and exciting fights right there for Froch. Fair enough if he wants to avoid a big gap in opponents by taking on a tough gatekeeper type like Andrade, but I'd definitely like to see Carl back at a higher level soon.

Is Sillakh set to fight Pascal? I like Sillakh and see him winning that fight.

bellchees wrote:

Boxtthis wrote:Well as Froch seemingly can't get the Bute fight due to Showtime not picking it up, I suppose this isn't a bad scrap to get him back onto winning form. With Ward atop of the SMW division I don't see Forch ever getting to the peak of the division. Similarly I see Hopkins, Dawson, and possibly the up-and-coming Ishmyl Sillakh (soon to beat Pascal) as being significant barriers to Froch ever getting LHW supremacy.

However, Carl is a very entertaining fighter, with a good level of talent and a ridiculous amount of heart. There's plenty of high level clashes out there for him (just not at the absolute top tier). No shame in that. Pretty sure boxing fans would be clamoring to see him fight any one of:

- Kessler (grudge rematch of a closely contested bout & for a possible title)

- Bute (a chance for Bute to prove his worth against a tough as nails competitor. A chance for Froch to prove that the super 6 was truly the best of the SMW division)

- Pavlik (a great comeback fight for Pavlik - 2 hard hitting warriors going at it - would be great to see I think)

- Pascal (a rematch of a recent classic with a former LHW champ)

- Cleverly (a great domestic scrap - big in terms of UK figures - chance for Froch to become a double weight beltholder)

There's 5 meaningful and exciting fights right there for Froch. Fair enough if he wants to avoid a big gap in opponents by taking on a tough gatekeeper type like Andrade, but I'd definitely like to see Carl back at a higher level soon.

Is Sillakh set to fight Pascal? I like Sillakh and see him winning that fight.

Bah, you're right. The WBC ordered it to be made in December, but nothing is set in stone yet. I thought it'd been made, but they're still just talking about it:

http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/1/27/2753480/jean-pascal-vs-ismayl-sillakh-discussed-wbc-eliminator

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

Steffan wrote:I hope Froch loses and loses badly but must admit if he wins this one I would like a rematch with Kessler who will hopefully beat him into retirement

There’s a surprise. Bet you wouldn’t hold the same animosity if he was from Wales

I dont see your issue

You said you didnt like Cleverly because he was smug

Froch is probably the most smug person European boxing

Double standards from you I think...

Daft fight, what's the point of taking a come forward punch bag that's been exposed by Kessler years ago and stopped by Bute. His biggest claim to fame is being robbed of victory after gassing out Bute, yet he took a hammering in all the rounds before that.

I thought Froch was all about big name fights?

Super D Boon wrote:Daft fight, what's the point of taking a come forward punch bag that's been exposed by Kessler years ago and stopped by Bute. His biggest claim to fame is being robbed of victory after gassing out Bute, yet he took a hammering in all the rounds before that.

I thought Froch was all about big name fights?

Its all about getting back to winning ways apparently...

Steffan wrote:Its all about getting back to winning ways apparently...

He should fight Cleverly then, the WBO LHW World Champion's style is made for Froch.

Maybe his team should roll out Tocker Pudwill......

Union Cane wrote:the WBO LHW World Champion's style is made for Froch.

Totally agree. Plus Froch has far more experience. I wouldnt give Clev a chance in this fight

TopHat24/7 wrote:Maybe his team should roll out Tocker Pudwill......

Here they come

So much for I'm signing with Matchroom to get the big fights.

Big Mick got him Jermain Taylor, Jean Pascal and his place in the super 6!

SugarRayRussell (PBK) wrote:So much for I'm signing with Matchroom to get the big fights.

Big Mick got him Jermain Taylor, Jean Pascal and his place in the super 6!

To be fair he also got the Taylor fight shown on delayed coverage on ITV4 and his super six fights shown on Primetime to an audience that sometimes broke double figures.

rowley wrote:

SugarRayRussell (PBK) wrote:So much for I'm signing with Matchroom to get the big fights.

Big Mick got him Jermain Taylor, Jean Pascal and his place in the super 6!

To be fair he also got the Taylor fight shown on delayed coverage on ITV4 and his super six fights shown on Primetime to an audience that sometimes broke double figures.

I bet you more people watched the Taylor fight on the delayed replay then watched the Ward fight live.

Very possible but no escaping the fact that for a genuine world champion to be having his first defence against a very credible opponent to only be shown on delayed coverage on a non sports channel is a very poor show from Hennessy.

It was but he was fighting a top name and getting a good pay packet from the US TV deal.

All because he wouldn't sign one of those contracts with Sky which let him work with no other channel and gives you about 7 cards a year. I think he was quite right I don't like they contracts and don't think they are good for the sport.

It is and was tricky with Hennessy, everything tells me I should like the man, tends to match his fighters tough and goes after proper belts which all fans want, but by the same token there was a time he had Murray who was unbeaten, Barker who was in great form and starting to look the part, Fury who was a white heavy which are never exactly the toughest sell and Froch who was a world champion about to get involved in a tournament that pretty much guaranteed him good fights back to back and yet he could not buy them expousre or a TV deal. Much as I want to like the guy I can't give him a pass on all that.

My point is Froch left Hennessey for Matchroom because it was going to get him the big fights. Murray and Barker have been justified oin leaving Hennessey because they have both had big fights.

This was Matchrooms first go at getting him a good name opponent and they have failed.

It is a fair point in that score, guess we will have to see what they come up with, they were a bit unlucky Showtime knocked him back for the Bute fight but the argument that this is no better (and is probably worse) than the opponents Mick was delivered is hard to argue with, what with it being true and that.

Steffan wrote:

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

Steffan wrote:I hope Froch loses and loses badly but must admit if he wins this one I would like a rematch with Kessler who will hopefully beat him into retirement

There’s a surprise. Bet you wouldn’t hold the same animosity if he was from Wales

I dont see your issue

You said you didnt like Cleverly because he was smug

Froch is probably the most smug person European boxing

Double standards from you I think...

I like Cleverly, he does like to smell his own farts though. And drive a Prius

Cant see where the double standards are

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:I like Cleverly, he does like to smell his own farts though. And drive a Prius

Cant see where the double standards are

So who would you cheer for if he fought Froch then?

You make it sound as though somebody has an obligation to cheer for Cleverly, Steffan. Nobody does, just as you don't have an obligation to cheer for Froch.

I seem to remember that you and I had a private discussion about this a couple of weeks ago.

HumanWindmill wrote:You make it sound as though somebody has an obligation to cheer for Cleverly, Steffan. Nobody does, just as you don't have an obligation to cheer for Froch

No one is obliged to cheer for anyone

It was only a question for SOF

The appendage of the word 'then' renders it a challenge, as opposed to a mere question. Or, rather, it can be interpreted that way.

And more importantly, what does it matter, is supporting Froch any more an indicator of an agenda than supporting Cleverly?

To be honest I have no affinity towards either fighter.

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:To be honest I have no affinity towards either fighter.

A fair answer to a fair (if slightly misinterpreted) question

alma wrote:I would support Froch against Cleverly because I don't like Frank Warren...

Your choice

Cant say id personally ever let my feelings towards the promoter decide on my stance with the fighter

manos de piedra wrote:In some ways, Im surprised Froch hasnt given more thought to light heavyweight. I think hes had a pretty long and tough campaign at 168 and at the end of it hes come up a bit short. Only really a win over Ward would establish Froch as anything other than a belt holder which I think would play on the mind of someone like Froch. It would bug him that even beating Kessler or Bute would still see him seen as a numer 2 man and its pretty hard to imagine him scoring a hat trick of wins over Ward, Kessler and Bute at this stage.

A new campaign at 175 might have been a fresh start, rather than trying to start back again at 168.

i actually had the opportunity to speak to carl about moving up and he wasn't interested. I asked him because his plan was (according to the press) to win the super 6 then give pascall a rematch at light heavy as he was wbc LHW champ at the time.

he walks around at the super middle weight, and while he has a frame that could hold muscle well, it'd slow him further. he isnt exactly big at super middle and dont think he should move up at all.

OasisBFC wrote:i actually had the opportunity to speak to carl about moving up and he wasn't interested. I asked him because his plan was (according to the press) to win the super 6 then give pascall a rematch at light heavy as he was wbc LHW champ at the time.

he walks around at the super middle weight, and while he has a frame that could hold muscle well, it'd slow him further. he isnt exactly big at super middle and dont think he should move up at all.

Ok so based on what he told you then it rules out Cleverly or Pascal so that could make this year for Andrade and someone else like Kessler

Doubt a Ward rematch will ever happen. Dirrell could though

Actually I think people are a bit quick to blame Matchroom here. Froch has said all along he wanted a home fight and hinted at an easier and more winnable one at that. As far as I can tell this is actually the kind of fight Froch wanted to recharge the batteries so to speak and Matchroom have delivered. With Kessler/Stieglitz in place and Ward just having beat him the only title option was Bute which was always highly unlikely to happen in Nottingham.

This just looks like a keep busy fight which Im sure even Frochs harshest critics on here would hardly begrudge him at this stage with an eye to a bigger name later in the year.

As I said above, if I was Froch I would have probably moved to light heavyweight and started fresh. I think he has more chance there of winning a title and becoming number one with Hopkins closing in on 50 years old. There are also decent names like Dawson, Cloud and Pascal in Canada/U.S, domestically with Cleverly and some European guys like Diaconu/Erdei/Shumenov in there which gives him decent choice.

Don't think you can blame Froch for wanting an easier fighter after his recent run, he's hardly shirked away from the top fighters in the division, wanted Bute next but it didn't happen so is putting himself in a position to be a mandatory challenger. Don't think he's ever going to be interested in fighting Cleverly, has said from the get go he has zero interest in fighting for the WBO title.

Apparently Froch has been made mandatory to Bute's IBF title so looks like that one will have to happen sooner rather than later.

Great news, let's hope it happens sooner rather than later.

Should be a real barnburner.

manos de piedra wrote:In some ways, Im surprised Froch hasnt given more thought to light heavyweight. I think hes had a pretty long and tough campaign at 168 and at the end of it hes come up a bit short. Only really a win over Ward would establish Froch as anything other than a belt holder which I think would play on the mind of someone like Froch. It would bug him that even beating Kessler or Bute would still see him seen as a numer 2 man and its pretty hard to imagine him scoring a hat trick of wins over Ward, Kessler and Bute at this stage.

A new campaign at 175 might have been a fresh start, rather than trying to start back again at 168.

Froch has stated numerous times that he doesn't have the cajones for the Light Heavies. It surprises me why he's dead set against it considering Calzaghe stepped up and beat the top LHW in his first fight at the weight. It's only 7lbs for gawd sake and people like Cleverly and Shumenov are fighters most believe he would beat, perhaps even Cloud as well.

Super D Boon wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:In some ways, Im surprised Froch hasnt given more thought to light heavyweight. I think hes had a pretty long and tough campaign at 168 and at the end of it hes come up a bit short. Only really a win over Ward would establish Froch as anything other than a belt holder which I think would play on the mind of someone like Froch. It would bug him that even beating Kessler or Bute would still see him seen as a numer 2 man and its pretty hard to imagine him scoring a hat trick of wins over Ward, Kessler and Bute at this stage.

A new campaign at 175 might have been a fresh start, rather than trying to start back again at 168.

Froch has stated numerous times that he doesn't have the cajones for the Light Heavies. It surprises me why he's dead set against it considering Calzaghe stepped up and beat the top LHW in his first fight at the weight. It's only 7lbs for gawd sake and people like Cleverly and Shumenov are fighters most believe he would beat, perhaps even Cloud as well.

News to me if he has said that. But looking at both divisions at present from his perspective I think light heavy offers better opportunities. Hopkins is getting very old, Pascal he knows he can beat, Cleverly is certainly a winnable fight. Considering who he has faced at 168 it seems strange he would lack the appetite for whats on offer at 175.

Froch recently tweeted the following: "Looks like my next one is gonna be for the IBF World Title! Nice one @EddieHearn. More news to come on date & venue very soon "

We shall see...