EDDIE HEARN BACKS CARL FROCH TO GO DOWN AS ONE OF BOXING'S GREATS

ABOVE: Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler face off before Saturday's huge clash at the O2 Arena

This is a fight that will make him one of the all-time greats, especially among the Brits.

Promoter Eddie Hearn

25th May 2013

By Kevin Francis

PROMOTER Eddie Hearn is convinced that Carl Froch is just one fight away from becoming one of world boxing’s all-time greats.

Froch has his megabucks rematch with Mikkel Kessler at the O2 Arena in London tonight and Hearn has no doubt about the place the Nottingham fighter can carve in ring history.

Their super-middleweight world unification bout is an 18,000 sell-out with the winner earning complete bragging rights in the division.

IBF belt holder Froch lost on points to Kessler in April 2010 and is desperate to avenge that reversal against the current WBA belt holder.

And Hearn is convinced about the outcome, saying: “A win for Carl will cement his legacy in what is a huge, huge fight.

“This is a fight that will make him one of the all-time greats, especially among the Brits.

“You would have to put him right up there among the golden greats of the past if he wins this.

“He is such a superb guy to work with and is so unassuming. He trains like a Trojan and lives so well and is so fit that he is certainly a one-off.”

Froch, 35, shares that upbeat assessment.

He said: “I’m full of energy, I’m full of confidence and I am on the weight.

“I feel strong, fit and sparring has been unbelievable, too. If I see any cuts, I’m going to go for it. If I see a little nick, I’m going to put my head in, too.

“It has taken me a long time to get the recognition but it’s there now. I’m finally getting the respect, the accolades and everything I get now.

“I think I have arrived now. In this fight there will be stages when we are stood in front of each other, shooting straight from the hip.

“There will be shots whizzing past my chin, whizzing past his chin and we’re going to do everything wrong, loading up trying to chin each other.

“That’s how the first fight went towards the end. Though the fight is going to be different because I am going to be busier, letting shots go, fast and light, and combination punching.

“We both made a lot of mistakes in the first fight and we both want to box more. But what we want and what we get are two different things.

“That’s what makes this sport so glorious. You never know what’s going to happen but I think there is going to be a bit of everything.”

Froch is relishing the opportunity of fighting in front of such a massive crowd and said: “I don’t think I will be nervous at all.

“It’s a sell-out and people say, ‘Do you feel nervous about 18,000 people coming to watch you?’

“And the flip side is if was only half-full and people didn’t really care and weren’t bothered I’d think, ‘I’m not a big name’.

“So it’s great it’s full. It’s humbling as well, everyone spending their money to watch me fight – it’s the kind of night I will thrive on.”

Kessler, 34, has other ideas and said: “We are reasonably good friends but I intend to take him out. I did it on the first occasion we met and I can do it once again.

“Believe me, I am feeling supremely confident ahead of this bout.

“I know what Carl brings to the table and he does bring a lot.

“But I am a warrior and I intend to finish this fight as the unified champion of the world.”

PREDICTION: It’s going to be one heck of a battle and I’m taking Froch to win a close points decision.

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