By Mark Vester
Unbeaten Carl "The Cobra" Froch is already sizing up his future competition for 2009. He faces fellow unbeaten Jean Pascal on December 6 for the vacant WBC super middleweight title. The winner may face mandatory challenger Jermain Taylor.
Froch used to be high on IBF champion Lucian Bute, but feels the Canadian champ has falled a few notches after nearly being derailed by Librado Andrade.
"Lucian Bute who has the IBF Super middleweight title. In his last fight he was outboxing Librado Andrade from the outside, but tough Andrade (a guy I nearly fought but got Henry Porras instead) was slowly grinding him down," Froch told the Evening Post.
"In the final round, Bute was stumbling round the ring like a scarecrow in the wind, with Andrade finally dropping him right at the bell. If that was a 15-round fight then Andrade would rightfully be the champion. Both Bute and the hype surrounding him dropped that night."
He sees WBA champ Mikkel Kessler as the only fighter at the weigh to provide him an all-out war in the ring. Though, he says that Kessler's level of competition has begun to drop down since the decision loss to Joe Calzaghe a year ago.
"I can't think of anyone other than Mikkel Kessler who would provide me with a tasty tear-up, but even Kessler seems to be stepping down the level of opposition after tasting defeat," Froch said.
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