Paul Smith Backs Froch's Decision on DeGale/Chavez

By Edward Chaykovsky

Super middleweight Paul Smith, who challenges WBO champion Arthur Abraham in a rematch later this month, believes Matchroom stablemate Carl Froch made the right decision to vacate his IBF world title on Tuesday in order to focus on a summer showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Las Vegas. Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale, also under contract with Matchroom, was Froch's mandatory challenger.

Chavez Jr. is scheduled to face Andrzej Fonfara on April 18th. Should he win, a June date would be explored for a fight with Froch, who still holds the WBA's "regular" title at the weight. DeGale has now been ordered by the IBF to face Andre Dirrell for the vacant world title that Froch left behind.

"I am not saying [DeGale] will beat him but Carl admitted he found it hard to motivate himself for the first George Groves fight, so how hard is it going to be against a guy who Groves beat? With the utmost respect, that is how Carl would see it," Smith wrote on Sky Sports.

"On top of that, styles do make fights of course and DeGale would give him all sorts of problems, so why would he risk it? Risk that title? Go into another domestic scrap when he knows he can go out to Vegas where he can go and take on someone like Chavez, win in style and look good on the big stage?"

If Smith (35-4, 20KOs) defeats Abraham (41-4, 28KOs) on February 21st in Berlin, he could set himself up for a possible domestic unification with Froch, Degale (if he captures the IBF title) or even Groves, who has the opportunity to win a world title with his mandatory status to WBC champion Anthony Dirrell.