By Shaun Brown
It feels like an eternity since Carl Froch was doing some shadow boxing on UK television screens as part of a trailer to help promote his earlier fights on the BBC, with a cobra observing him menacingly in the background.
Fast-forward several years and the 34-year-old is just weeks away from his 30th fight in the grand finale of the inaugural Super Six tournament.
In an era when fighters are fast tracked to stardom, Froch has done things the old fashioned way despite encountering some bumpy moments on his own track to success.
“Fast tracked doesn’t do anything for guys like [James] DeGale. He may have had his own version of success but they’ll never earn the money that I do because of that. He’ll get his shot at alphabet titles soon but I suppose that’s what (promoter) Frank Warren is good at,” he remarked.
The money, the titles and the backlog of continual big fights has led the Nottingham native to his most defining moment in a professional career spanning almost ten years. On October 29th, in Atlantic City, he and fellow Super Six finalist Andre Ward will attempt to settle who the best super-middleweight in the world is.
A shiny new trophy, a second title and a rise to pound for pound super stardom would be just reward for what has been at times a gruelling two years for Froch.
“Yeah, I have had hard fights back to back but [Andre] Dirrell, [Arthur] Abraham and [Glen] Johnson weren’t hard fights. I didn’t have a scratch on me afterwards,” he commented.
“Andre Ward is technically an excellent fighter but I’m not worried about him. I knew I’d be facing him in the final. As soon as he beat Kessler, who wasn’t ready for that fight and was very flat footed throughout, I knew it would be me and him in the end.”
With greater exposure than ever before, thanks to the efforts of Eddie Hearn and Sky TV, perhaps a victory will signal a new dawn in the career of Carl Froch. However, there will always be the opinion that his profile should have been at this level long before now. An ongoing legal battle with former promoter Mick Hennessy prevented him from discussing with me the adjudged promotional errors made during his stint on PPV channel Primetime.
“If I’d joined up with Eddie (Hearn) a few years ago I feel I’d be in an even better position now,” he said.
“Working with Eddie Hearn has just given me a relaxed feeling, it’s took the pressure off. Eddie is so on the ball; if I’ve got a question that needs answering he’s got the answer. They know what they’re doing and you can see that in the passion they have for all their sports, all their fighters and Prizefighter as well.”
Since his all-out war with Jean Pascal in 2008 everyone had become accustomed to expect nothing blood and guts every time ‘The Cobra’ came out when that first bell rang. There has been something of an evolution in Froch the fighter since that memorable night in Nottingham. In a sport where you can age twelve years in twelve rounds his performance against former wrecking ball Arthur Abraham proved to us all that when ring smarts are required he has them at his disposal.
“I’ve improved my defence and my ring awareness; I can read fights better instead of just standing in front of my opponent. In my only defeat to Kessler I didn’t use my range and jab to dominate the fight as I should have. And in even a fight like that, which I don’t consider a loss, I still did myself proud.”
And the Dane is on Froch’s most wanted list as he plans out the final chapter of his career regardless of defeat or victory against Ward.
“There’s a rematch with Kessler to sort out, a unification with (Lucian) Bute, maybe a fight with Pascal, a big domestic fight here in Britain as well as a move up to light-heavyweight.”
And speaking of the division just north of his own, Froch had this to say on the WBO light-heavyweight title fight between Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew on Oct 15.
“I’ve been sparring Bellew for that one and I can’t see Cleverly hearing the final bell. He may have the title but he’s not really earned the right to be world champion has he? He’s barely scratched the surface.
“As long as I can keep going I will. And it’s important that I do because I want my kids and my future generations to be secure. I enjoy what I do and I’m passionate about it. All my achievements are down to dedication and hard work.
“I always expect to do well anyway because I have a do or die mentality.”
A mentality that will face its greatest test come Oct 29 in Atlantic City.