By Edward Chaykovsky
Former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16KOs) does not believe Carl Froch (28-2, 20KOs) is the same fighter who beat him in 2008. They fought toe to toe in a twelve round war for the vacant WBC super middleweight title. Froch won a twelve round decision to give Pascal his first loss. Pascal would later move up in weight.
On May 26th, Froch will challenge Pascal's Canadian rival, undefeated IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (30-0, 24KOs), in Nottingham. Pascal believes Froch's body has been worn down by the high number of tough back-to-back fights in the last three years. After Pascal, Froch faced Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson and Andre Ward.
"For two years, Carl Froch faced the best in his division: Andre Ward, Arthur Abraham, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler. Meanwhile, Lucian Bute remained on the sidelines. While Bute is fresh, Froch has been worn down as a boxer because of all of the wars that he fought. He will not be the same Carl Froch as the one we saw against me in 2008. [Back then] he was still young, he wanted the belt, he was hungry. He is still hungry, but boxing wears the body, whether you like it or not," Pascal told Gabriel Beland.
