Froch-Abraham to take place in a neutral venue

If you managed to catch this past weekend's Showtime broadcast of the Super Six bout between Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch, one unifying theme you would have heard mentioned about two dozen times is that the hometown fighter has won every fight in the tournament.  

Carl Froch, who won a close decision at home (that most thought he lost) and lost a close decision on the road (that most thought he lost as well) seems to be taking this particularly to heart.  After his loss to Kessler, Froch made some threats that either he was not going to fight in Germany, he would get paid significantly more than his signed contract to fight in Germany, or he would pull out of the tournament. 

According to ESPN UK, a compromise has been reached between Froch and Abraham promoter Sauerland where the fight between the two will take place in a neutral venue.  

Let the speculation begin as to where that neutral venue might be.  It probably won't be in the United States, because the two largest TV markets for the fight are in Europe and the fight should be on in prime time over there. Germany and England are the two other locations where the fight would make money, but they're not neutral. Neither Denmark, Belgium nor France is a particularly long commute for fans from either Germany or England, and Denmark may have particular interest since its favorite sporting son is also participating in the tournament.  One possibility is that, since the fight is scheduled to take place during European holiday season, it could be located in a holiday destination, such as Cyprus or the French Riviera. What I almost feel is more likely, however, is that there's a bit of miscommunication here, and that there's an agreement to have the fight in a neutral location if they can find one that makes sense.  

We at Bad Left Hook humbly submit, that due to its strategic location between England and Germany, the Principality of Sealand should, for the first time ever, open its borders to host this fight of epic proportions. Major RHR Prince Roy of Sealand, if you're reading this, please take it under serious consideration.

Despite previous leaks to the press that the bout would take place in Nottingham, and an insistence by Froch that there was already an agreement that he would have two home fights in the first round, there's actually nothing in the contracts that dictates where any particular bout will take place.  This isn't the first time the parties have haggled over venue.  The bout between Andre Ward and Allan Green was delayed because of Green's insistence that it not take place at Ward's home arena in Oakland.  That bout has since been further delayed because of injuries to Ward.