By James Slater: There was a time, back when “The Pride Of Wales” was still an active fighter, that Joe Calzaghe had nothing too good to say about Carl Froch; and vice versa. Back in 2007, 2008 or so, the two rival super-middleweights were engaging in a very public battle of words, with the still to prove himself at elite level Froch doing everything he could to get Joe to take the bait and agree to give him a shot.
Calzaghe once referred to “The Cobra” as “crude” and “amateurish,” while Froch told anyone who would listen that he would “smoke Calzaghe’s boots” if he had the chance to fight him.
Recently, with Calzaghe enjoying a contented retirement, Froch has risen to the top of the 168-pound rankings and he has consistently proven himself against the best, quite often in the backyard of his opponent. This has earned the respect of the man who once had only negative things to say about him, and Froch is now being given his props by the all-time great from Wales.
Talking with Talk Sports recently, Calzaghe – who has repeatedly ruled out any notion of his making a comeback – said he gives the current WBC super-middleweight champ a lot of respect.
“You have to give him credit, Joe said of Froch. “I was very impressed by Froch’s last fight with Arthur Abraham. The thing I like about Froch is that he is always in an exciting fight. He always wears his heart on his sleeve and gets involved in a war. I’m not sure of it’s good for your health if you do too many of them, but it’s great to watch.”
It is indeed great entertainment watching the 33-year-old warrior in action; whether he engages in a rumble or whether he elects to box with his brains as he did against “King” Arthur. One man who is widely expected to give Froch another war is the legendary “Road Warrior,” Glen Johnson, who will meet Froch in a “Super-Six” semi-final – most likely on June 4th. However, there is still some doubt over the venue of the big fight.
Only yesterday, via the website Thisisnottingham.com, Froch explained how he has offered Showtime the proposition that if he pays them $250,000 out of his purse for the Johnson fight he be allowed to fight the 42-year-old in Nottingham, U.K.
“I’ve had my last two fights away from home and it’s not fair on my fans,” Froch stated. “They are brilliant and they deserve better. I haven’t got that many fights left in my career and I owe it to them to give them another big night at the Ice Rink Arena. I’ve spoken to Showtime, who will obviously want compensation.
“I’ve offered to pay them $250,000 out of my share of the gate in Nottingham and I’m just waiting for them to get back to me. I’d be gutted of I have to fight in America, but I can’t really do any more.”
It’s not that Froch is fearful of going to America to fight – he’s done so previously and he’s won in the U.S – but why should fellow “Super-Six” participant Andre Ward get to have all three of his world title fights, not only in his home country, but in California? Froch deserves one more big fight at home, as he says.
As for Johnson, Froch said he is sure Glen would be up for fighting in Nottingham, as he is known, after all, as “The Road Warrior.”
Let’s see how Showtime responds to Froch’s more than generous offer.