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.