Eddie Hearn Maps Out a Big Career Run For Carl Froch

By Phil D. Jay

Carl Froch looks likely to face an alternative top 10 super-middleweight for his first defences of the IBF title he ripped away from Lucian Bute in May, according to promoter Eddie Hearn and could put a return with Mikkel Kessler on simmer for the time being.

Hearn, who watched on with delight as Froch pounded Bute into submission in five rounds earlier this year, is looking for a less intense clash for the Nottingham fighter before the three-time world champion heads to Montreal in March for the rematch.

“I think if I looked at mapping out Carl Froch's next three fights from a financial and career-prolonging point of view, I would take a top-10 defense this autumn, perhaps at the Nottingham Arena, then fight Bute in Montreal and go and do a job on him again, then in the summer have a big outdoor fight with Kessler,” Hearn told The Daily Mail.

Reinvigorated Froch, 34, has stated his desire to negotiate a rematch with the rugged Dane as soon as possible and Hearn was quick to quash any ideas that the fight was not at the forefront of his thinking.

“That Kessler fight will happen, 100 per cent. Whether it's October or spring or summer, that fight will happen. It's too good a fight not to happen,” he explained.

“It's just a case of getting all the financial details in place and making sure both boys are happy. Carl is a lot easier to deal with in that respect than Kessler but they have both got their demands, their numbers that they think they are worth.

“It's a huge fight which we know will sell out every stadium in the country.

“It's probably going to sell out every football ground in the country. When you've got that kind of interest and that kind of money involved it is a fight that has to happen.”

The ‘Cobra’ could now head back to scene of his greatest triumph at the Capitol FM Arena in his hometown and may have a mandatory challenger by then as Adonis Stevenson looks set to fight old foe Andre Dirrell in an August eliminator.

That would give a three-month cooling off period before the winner could then step up and challenge Froch in November, although nothing at this stage has been finalized and Hearn is weighing up the options available.

Phil D. Jay covers boxing for worldboxingnews.net