WBC Super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch recently celebrated his 32nd birthday but the “Cobra” believes he’s still improving and he has the evidence to back it up. Froch is part of the groundbreaking new Super Six concept which will ultimately crown the World’s best Super Middleweight and produce a leading candidate for the best pound for pound fighter in the world. The Nottingham man kicks off his Super Six campaign against unbeaten American Andre Dirrell in front of his hometown fans at the Trent FM Arena on October 17th. Froch has already established himself as one of the world’s most exciting fighters following back to back thrillers with Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor in WBC title fights but he’s adamant that the best is yet to come.
The undefeated Froch explained, “I’m very methodical in my approach to my training and I’ve kept a diary since I turned pro and it logs every run, every sit up, every sparring session I’ve ever had and how I’ve felt mentally after each session. “Basically the diaries record every punch I’ve thrown in my pro career. Every training session gets recorded and it means I can look back and see how I’m progressing, not just through an individual training camp but through my entire career..
“I’ve compared the times and stats with stuff I’ve been doing in the gym through the years and I’m still improving on them so I’m getting better and better. I honestly don’t believe I’ve reached my peak yet and the diaries back that up.
“I’ve already filled seven diaries and I plan on filling quite a few more before I hang up my gloves. I was a late developer and turned pro quite late so I believe that I still have plenty of time left at the top. I live the life that a top class athlete should lead. I don’t abuse my body and I’m always within a few pounds of my fighting weight and I believe all those things are crucial to extending your career.”
Froch’s Super Six rivals include WBA champ Mikkel Kessler, IBF Middleweight champ Arthur Abraham, former Undisputed Middleweight title holder Jermain Taylor, Olympic Gold medallist Andre Ward and the brash, undefeated Dirrell.
Dirrell has already predicted that his date with Froch on October 17th will prove to be his “easiest fight” in the Super Six series. A bronze medallist from the 2004 Olympic Games Dirrell has raced to 18 straight wins in the pro ranks with 13 KO’s.
SAUNDERS HAPPY TO BE SECOND
Hot prospect Billy Joe Saunders doesn’t mind being a number two – after racking up a hat-trick of second round victories. But the Hatfield puncher has promised his fans that next time out he’ll go one better. The teenage sensation is being talked about as a future world champion after a successful start to his professional career. After quick wins over Attila Molnar and Ronny Gabel, Saunders kept up the good work by halting Matt Scriven in less than five minutes in Manchester last month. And Saunders is pleased that he is developing plenty of power in the professional ranks – and says the number two has always been his lucky number.
“I want to go four rounds, six rounds, eight and then twelve to show everyone that I’ve got the stamina, but if they go early what can I do?” said Saunders.
“It’s funny, when I was a youngster I always had a thing about the number two.
“Just before I won my first fight I bought two pairs of boxing gloves and I became a bit superstitious.
“Now I always by all my boxing kit in twos and I’ll always have two of everything in my kit bag.
“Winning my first three fights in the second round is definitely a good sign – now I just want two world titles at two different weights!”
However Saunders says he is quite happy to ditch the string of second round wins if it means going home after the first.
“My power is improving every day in the gym, and Jimmy Tibbs is doing a fantastic job,” said Saunders.
“I want to win my next fight in the first round, and the way I’m punching at the moment, I can definitely do it.”
Bashy Let’s Rip At London Boxing Gym
Taking a little time out from the European promotional tour for his debut album – Catch Me If You Can – rising Hip Hop star Bashy dropped into Rooney’s Boxing Gym, close to London Bridge, for some serious R&R Bashy style.
During his time at the gym Bashy, from Chiswick, West London, spent some time talking with former Team GB Olympic head coach Terry Edwards MBE, who is director of coaching and boxing development as well as head coach at Rooney’s Boxing Gym, before being given a workout by trainer Darren ‘Mr R&B’ Hamilton, who is also an unbeaten Light Welterweight professional boxer.
After the grueling session Bashy spoke briefly about the tour promoting his debut album, “The album’s going really well. It’s getting great support up and down the country and around the world. I just come back from Paris, which was good fun, and I’m off to Budapest on Tuesday. It’s all going really well.”
It shouldn’t be any surprise the album sales and the tour are going so well as the reviews on the new album have been nothing short of first class – DJ Z wrote on HipHop.com “Catch Me If You Can is a debut album that perfectly encapsulates how hip hop has become the world’s local music. With vocal accents, lyrical references, swagger and varied production styles that will take a minute for the non-Brit to get their head around, much of this likable and well-intentioned set still deserves wider attention.”
Turning his attention back to his time at Rooney’s Boxing Gym and the pugilistic arts Bashy said. “It’s been really good, hard work, but really good. I love boxing. I used to do taekwondo as a youngster, but sparring and boxing is more interesting. It’s a lot more technical than people think. They think you can just jump in the ring and box, but it’s not like that. You know what I’m saying, it takes a lot of skill and dedication.” before adding “I’d love to get into it man, I’m gonna try and get to back to Rooney’s when I can.”
Bashy’s new album Catch Me If You Can is available direct from Bashy’s website – www.bashy.com – or for download on iTunes.
Or catch him live at the Love Music Hate Racism on Obudia Island, Budapest, Hungary on the 11th August or at The Mix Festival in Burgess Park on the 15th August.