When “news” broke recently about how former super-middleweight champ Carl Froch was interested in coming out of his five-year retirement for a third fight with George Groves, at a catch-weight of around 175 pounds, fans were instantly sceptical. No way would Froch, who has a, shall we say, quirky sense of humour, fool them again. Froch has of course made similar comeback suggestions before, only to stay where he is on the safe side of the ropes.
But it seems that maybe, just maybe, Froch is indeed serious about fighting again. At least, as he said in separate interviews with Sky Sports and IFL TV, “The Cobra” is going to go back into training, and that after he begins sparring, he will “know.” Froch says that although he is 41 years of age, he “feels like a 35 year old.” And, as he explained to IFL, Froch has “not been sat on my a**e for two years.” Froch, who says he is walking around at around 180 pounds, says he is not intending to come back for the money, that it is a “personal thing” to him.
“Biological, I feel about 35,” Froch said to Sky Sports whilst being out in Vegas for tonight’s big fight between Canelo and Jacobs. “One thing I’m doing after coming out here and enjoying the atmosphere is to get myself back in the gym. The bug never leaves a fighter….I’m going go get back in the gym and see how I feel.”
And in speaking with IFL TV, Froch said how the sparring, the getting hit (even with bigger gloves and with head-gear) will let him know if his planned return has any legs. But who might Froch fight if he does come back, as unlikely as it really is (but you never know)? Groves has made it clear he has zero interest in a third fight with Froch – or any fight at all come to that, so “The Saint” is out.
A Froch return would certainly generate plenty of interest, especially here in the UK, but it would have to be against a decent opponent. Froch will, in all likelihood, get back in the gym and then realise, smart guy that he is, that it’s just not there the way it used to be. On a scale of 1-10, the likelihood of a Froch comeback probably scales a 3 or 4 at best.
And if he did come back, how would Froch’s surgically repaired nose react upon being punched? Stay where you are, champ, you have nothing to prove.
