I recently had a chance during the 209th edition of ?On The Ropes? to speak to IBF super middleweight champion, Carl ?The Cobra? Froch. Carl discussed his highly anticipated rematch with George Groves, which has been set for May 31st, and also gave his thoughts on the first encounter that saw one of the more controversial stoppages of 2013. Froch also talked about some of the issues he had leading up to the first fight and how he ultimately finished the fight. Here is what Carl Froch had to say in part 1 of his interview. {copyright ? must give full credit to On The Ropes and link to article}
Jenna J: Carl, the news of the week is that you will have a rematch with George Groves, it will be on May 31st. How do you feel about this fight?
Carl Froch: Yeah, very happy. It?s a massive fight in terms of prestige, it?s gonna be probably one of the biggest fights to happen in British boxing in the last ten years believe it or not. So to be involved in a fight of that magnitude is always very pleasing because of the attention it brings to the sport, the sport I love and also it shows where I am with my career and the fact that when I fight, it?s big news.
Obviously George Groves is bringing a lot of the attention himself because he?s done a lot of whinging since our first fight and he?s been to the IBF, the WBA and the BBBOC (British Boxing Board of Control) complaining about it. The IBF have decided to let him fight me again. You know me, I?ll fight anybody, so I?m fighting George Groves again and I?m looking forward to doing a job on him and putting it behind me once and for all.
Jenna J: He had to go to all of these organizations to get the rematch, was this a fight that you truly wanted to have next, or did you want to go in a different direction with a Chavez Jr. or an Andre Ward bout?
Carl Froch: Yeah, there was potential of fighting Chavez Jr. The Andre Ward rematch is not really big news to be honest. Andre Ward, every fight he?s involved in is not really big news these days unfortunately for him.
The Groves fight is that big in Britain, it had to happen really. Once the IBF made him mandatory, I was always gonna fight him because I?d rather fight and defend my title than vacate my title as you know.
Once that decision was made by the IBF, I thought to myself, not only is it the biggest fight, the most lucrative fight for me, it?s also gonna put him behind me once and for all and shut him up because I?m sick of listening to him to be honest. For me it was always gonna be the only fight really, realistically once it got ordered by the IBF.
