By Edward Chaykovsky
Former super middleweight champion Carl Froch is very excited about the recently finalized super bantamweight unification between IBF champion Carl Frampton (21-0, 14KOs) and WBA champion Scott Quigg (31-0-2, 23KOs).
The two sides closed the deal on Monday, with a scheduled date of February 27th at the Manchester Arena.
For a while, Frampton was viewed as the big favorite in the matchup. Froch believes that opinion has changed based on their most recent performances.
Frampton had to withstand two knockdowns to beat Alejandro Gonzalez by twelve round decision in Texas. On that same day in July of this year, Quigg demolished former champion Kiko Martinez in two rounds. Frampton had two bouts with Martinez - winning the first by a ninth round TKO and then going the twelve round distance with him in their 2014 rematch.
Froch feels the opinion over who will win is now split down the middle, at 50-50. The Nottingham fighter is having a lot of trouble coming up with a winner and views the bout as a very evenly matched contest.
"The first thing is, it is a genuine 50-50 fight. People might have had Carl Frampton down as the favourite in the past, but I am not so sure now. Scott Quigg's performances against Kiko Martinez, compared to both of Frampton's, have changed a lot of people's minds," Froch said.
"It was merciless. He saw an opening and went for it in some style. We always say we shouldn't compare fights but it is impossible not to when you are talking about two world champions with nothing between them. Before that, I would have gone with Frampton, expecting him to just have a little bit too much, but that was marginal. And I mean marginal. Not any more though. This is a 50-50 fight on paper; it is a genuine even match, and anything goes. It is so, so tough to call."
