By Edward Chaykovsky
Carl Froch is paying little to no attention to Andre Ward's claim of being willing to stage their rematch in the UK. Froch wanted the rematch to take place at City Ground in Nottingham - which Ward rejected. Ward says he is willing to face Froch in London but not in his hometown of Nottingham.
“The UK is one thing, Nottingham is something different,” Ward said to Sky Sports. “Now he’s saying ‘well, I came to America, now you need to come to Nottingham’. The thing is this: Atlantic City, where we fought the finals of the Super Six, it’s thousands of miles away from my home – that’s a road fight. I live on the west coast, the fight was on the east coast, which was a six-hour plane ride for me. I’m not willing to come to Nottingham, I don’t think I should have to, but Wembley stadium, the UK as a whole – I would love to come.”
The World Boxing Association recently ordered the two of them to fight each other. Froch holds the WBA's regular title at 168-pounds and Ward is the WBA's super champion at the weight. Ward won a twelve round unanimous decision over Froch in the 2011 Super Six tournament finals.
Froch also feels Ward is not capable of getting down to the super middleweight limit of 168-pounds.
“Don’t get too excited, I don’t think he’s going to come,” Froch told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast. “I think he’s found out that I dictate everything where Andre Ward is concerned because he’s got no TV coverage and he’s got no interest at all. He’s not boxed for three years and I’m still world champion
“I don’t think he will come to England now. I don’t even think he can do super-middleweight. He won an Olympic gold medal at light-heavyweight, he always struggles to fight at super-middleweight and I don’t know if you have seen the size of him lately but he’s walking around at 200-pounds. It’s all hot air. It’s all smoke and mirrors. I’m trying to get the fight with Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. I have to see how I feel when I go back to the gym and start training – if my body can’t do what my mind wants it to do then I’ll hang up the gloves anyway.”