Team Poulard: Weight The Main Factor in Rejecting Froch

By Luke Furman

Light heavyweight contender Nicholson Poulard (19-3, 9 KOs) rejected the opportunity to face Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KOs), the IBF's super middleweight champion, because of the weight - according to Eye of the Tiger Management. Froch's promoter, Eddie Hearn, was looking to secure Poulard for a November fight in Nottingham.

As reported previously, Poulard has preferred to focus on the opportunity to face WBA light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov (13-1, 8 KOs). Poulard is the half-brother of former champion Jean Pascal, who Froch defeated several years ago.

"[Poulard] can not make 168 pounds. The last time he did it [in 2009 against Sebastien Demers], he fell ill and ran out of gas after the first round," said Camille Estephan, the head of Eye of The Tiger Management. "It would have been interesting to go against Froch, but we preferred the opportunity to meet Shumenov. [Poulard] is ranked sixth under Shumenov. I've discussed things with [Shumenov's team] and they want a fight in November in Las Vegas or Kazakhstan."

Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org