Carl Froch refuses to fight Mikkel Kessler in Herning
by Scott Christ on Jan 26, 2010 1:04 AM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
39 comments
WBC super middleweight titlist Carl Froch is refusing to fight Mikkel Kessler in the Danish city of Herning, demanding instead that the bout be held in Copenhagen. The two are scheduled to meet on April 17.
Froch (26-0, 20 KO) won his first stage Super Six World Boxing Classic fight against Andre Dirrell via debated decision back in October. In November, Kessler (42-2, 32 KO) was manhandled by Andre Ward.
It's a pivotal fight for both, as Kessler badly needs the win not just to keep himself in the race in the Super Six, but it would also help him erase the doubts following him after such a lopsided loss to Ward. For Froch, it's a chance to take down another solid name and add to his impressive resume.
Froch insists that Herning is simply too far out of the way, and that he doesn't want to prevent his fans from being able to see the fight. Copenhagen is a tourist-type city, which Herning is not.
"It’s a strategic move on the part of Kessler’s promoters to get me to defend my title in the middle of an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere that no-one can get to."
Truthfully, I doubt it makes any real difference. Froch is well-known and everything, but he's never drawn a major house and I wouldn't guess his fans are going to travel exceptionally well. He's not Ricky Hatton or someone like that. If the Kessler side refuses to move the fight at Froch's demand, what happens then? Do the suits at Showtime get in the middle of it? This is not a format that can have these guys bickering and delaying fights.
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Well this is fair because most of Froch’s fights were in London….wait, they were in Nottingham….
Hypocrisy says what?
Also why do you care if no one can get there? Its going to be on Showtime, you will get ‘fair’ judges, and your next fight is already a booked megafight. Man up Nancy!
agreed
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
I was in Copenahgen last weekend
And it was amazing how many peiple there know Mikkel Kessler. He was mentioned in every sports section even only a little bit and I didn’t find one person who didn’t know who he was or want to talk about him. It was a nice experience.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
Oh my they love their drinking!
They rival my own Scottish people and that’s saying something!
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 26, 2010 7:26 AM EST up reply actions
It's absurd how attractive most of the women are
I really doubted such a stereotype was true but it was all true. I highly suggest to everyone that they go if they like very attractive, friendly and often drunk women all around them. Oh and the architecture is cool because of blah blah blah.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 26, 2010 1:01 PM EST up reply actions
If the fight is in Copenhagen
The English WILL travel for Froch. He’s never had it much before, but I think they would now. But this would be like having a major card out in Sheboygan or Kalamazoo. It’s 100 miles away from the nearest transportation hub, and if you look at a map of Denmark, it’s about as far away as you can get from Copenhagen or Hamburg and still have a decent number of people living there, and even as such, there’s still only about 50,000 people there.
This actually seems like a somewhat legitimate gripe. But that’s his problem – he can have his fights at Nottingham Forest, and they can have their fights wherever they want to.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Ah well you see he needs that crowd cheering lots
for him if he’s going to sway those judges again!
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 26, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
As if Nottingham is the centre of Europe….come on, Froch, man up! 100 miles/60km from the nearest transporation hub…so what! Take a taxi if you can’t drive on the other side of the road.
I don't really think you can say Froch seems scared.
What would he be scared of? Kessler looked a shell of the fighter he used to be against Andre Ward; Froch is still unbeaten and is coming in off the back of three very impressive wins (say what you will about Dirrell, I had it a draw). Carl’s not a guy to mess around before fights and his gripe is somewhat reasonably, although I do think he should probably accept that it’s Kessler’s choice of venue (although I still think that right should be reserved for the champion no matter what).
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
Well then what keeps him from just accepting the fight? Why does it have to be closer to his fans? Why can’t he just fight there? I smell something fishy, nothing that bad, but just something doesn’t seem right about it, that’s all.
As far as that Dirrell fight, I had it either a draw or a Dirrell win. If they were on US soil, he would have won, I promise you that.
But it wasn’t on US soil, it was on British soil – Froch won.
If this was a guy who tries to duck out of fights, I could understand you smelling something fishy, but Carl Froch is not that guy that ducks out of fights. He just doesn’t do it, and why would he against Kesler? Moreover, he’s actually been saying he wants the fight in Copenhagen instead of Herning for months in advance.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
Yea, but I don’t honestly think after watching that fight a couple times (as showtime along with UHD and versus do show these fights again) that Froch didn’t win that fight.
That’s very true.
Versus has never shown Froch-Dirrell. UHD might have, but usually UHD is further behind than that.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 26, 2010 6:12 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe it wasn’t versus then.
I know UHD has because the commercials in the middle of every round that took longer than the actual rounds pissed me off.
Oh yeah, that’s UHD. UHD is a great channel. It’s like all the fun of a premium channel BUT with the commercials!
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 26, 2010 6:46 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed, that
the Super Six is not a format well-suited to bickering and demands.
Fight the man, Froch—or stay at home and watch the tournament.
I don't feel that his request is unreasonable
But it would obviously be nicer if he just made the fight as soon as easily as possible.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 26, 2010 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
What is that woman snorting
in your caption photo, Mr. Demise? Is she Danish?
that pic was taken in the Hong Kong Bar on Nyhaven at about 6 in the morning,
what a great town Copenhagen is! full of “yay” !!
Has anyone noticed how freakish Froch's ribs look in that photo?
It looks like there’s a cartoon hand under his skin.
Videodrome, anyone?
In Froch’s defence, there’s been some disquiet from his fans about the venue for a while now.
I suspect Froch is reacting to that disquiet, ie, looking out for his fans’ interests.
I doubt it’ll scupper the fight even if it goes ahead in Herning – Froch just wanted to show he recognises what his fans want.
I would see this as a good argument from Froch but after having his fight in Nottingham he has to be reasonable and do what he expects from other fighters
"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up." - Ali
Nottingham isn't as far out of the way as Herning
And given Kessler’s popularity in Denmark this fight will make just as much money in the capital. Froch isn’t as well known outside him hometown so he has better reason for scheduling his fights their.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 27, 2010 5:37 AM EST up reply actions
Kessler’s last fight in Denmark was in Herning. Maybe they just can’t get a suitable building in Copenhagen for that date. Maybe they want to fight in Herning. Perhaps Mikkel likes the nightlife.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 27, 2010 7:55 AM EST up reply actions
All possible
regardless of this issue I think this fight will get made without too much trouble. If the promoters have managed to get this far, against the odds, then they won’t let this mess up the tournament.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 27, 2010 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
I guess there could be reasons for it
But it just seems odd to me to have a major fight somewhere with only about 120,000 people within an hour drive, when there are a couple of much larger metropolitan centers that could actually draw people.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Kessler’s promoters Sauerland Events say they can attract a bigger crowd of up to 10,000 in Herning, with only smaller venues available in Copenhagen.
Or that’s their story at least. Link.
I believe this is the stadium they’re talking about:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messecenter_Herning_Stadion
What makes you so sure?
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Jan 27, 2010 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
I’ve never been high on Kessler and I think Calzaghe slapped the mental toughness out of him. Since then he hasn’t even resembled the guy I wasn’t high on. Ward had him looking for a way out imo. Froch isn’t the most refined guy, but one thing he will do is show you the door if your heart isn’t in it.
I’d expect Mikkel to give more of himself at home, but I honestly think he has lost his confidence and his spark. That’s a tough thing to rejuvenate and a tough guy to do it against.
I should probably tell you that I think Green beats Kessler too. So perhaps I’m stark raving mad.
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