By Terence Dooley
Over the weekend, Carl Froch, 26-1 (20 KOs), lost his WBC super middleweight title in Herning, Denmark after a gruelling points defeat to Mikkel Kessler. The lopsided scores of 113-115, from Guido Cavalleri, 112-116, courtesy of Daniel Van De Wiele, and 111-117, via Roger Tilleman, left Carl ruing his sluggish start to the contest.
Robert McCracken, who trains Froch, believes that his man let the Dane, now 43-2 (32 early), off the hook and will have to start quicker should the two men meet again in the Super Six final.
“Every round looked close,” said McCracken when talking to Radio Five Live. “It was a very close fight and Carl [will] learn a lot from it, [he can] beat Mikkel Kessler if he does things right. Carl hurt him a lot of times and could have stopped him if he got to him earlier.”
McCracken refused to use the chaos caused by the Eyjafjallajokull volcano as an excuse for his man’s slow start. “There are always issues with fighters, it is the same for all fighters. Carl needed to be busier, he had Kessler hurt and just needed to step it up,” stressed McCracken.
“It was a big experience for him, he had him [Kessler] on the hook a few times and didn’t listen. Carl is a tremendous fighter and could have stopped Mikkel tonight; if they fought again I’m sure he would. Carl Froch is as strong as they come. He’ll come again and he’ll come better. I just hope the knockers realize that Carl Froch is an outstanding fighter.”
Froch’s is due to take on Arthur Abraham in his next fight, though the two rival promotional outfits, Hennessy Sports and Sauerland Promotions, are currently engaging in a spot of posturing over where the fight will be held, with a phone booth the only logical choice given the styles of both men.
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